2026 Pre-Season Testing

[f1isgood]

Based on what? Gosh, betting companies must be petrified of people with a gift like yours

McLaren set the fastest lap on mediums and have been very quietly strong and might have a better packaging answer to these regs than Mercedes. Clearly Mercedes engine is the best so it's normal they are top 2.

is, but will ?

[AR3-GP]

It was predictable that Mercedes (engines) would sandbag heavily here. In order to reduce the risk of FIA clipping their wings. We all expected it.

What Toto is doing is just an extension of that.

That's what you hope, for obvious reason, but this is something that was being pointed out as early as Barcelona. A lot of people were saying the RB power unit was "strong". We didn't know if it's just PR. I think that Mercedes has identified a technical deficit in one area to RBPT and how their drivers are able to operate their PU. This has apparently been believed since Barcelona, but in Bahrain they got more confirmation. Mercedes might have a couple cv more peak power, but more effective harvesting can mitigate and even overcome such a disadvantage.

I think it was very predictable that Mercedes would sandbag. I predicted it on this forum (as many others).

Now we get Toto sandbagging with his comments and everyone from Red Bull camps starts to believe him? Sure, be my guest, maybe FIA doesn't need to make compression ratio change.

If you compare Max lap with Norris you can see Norris just deployed on back straight (and probably in S2) while Verstappen deployed in S1.

You aren't listening to what he is saying. It's not about single laps, deployment location, or comparing Red Bull to Mclaren. It's about the total amount of energy being deployed, and the ability to do it lap after lap. It's a very specific description.

“They are able to deploy far more energy on the straights than everybody else,” he said.

“I mean, I'm speaking a second per lap, over consecutive laps.”

Wolff said that “at the moment” Mercedes was unable to deploy its battery power in the same way that Red Bull could – especially over multiple laps.

And in a season where having more energy deployment on tap could be significant in terms of deciding results, it has left Wolff feeling that Red Bull is now “very much” the benchmark.

“On a single lap we have seen it before - but now we have seen it on 10 consecutive laps with the same kind of straight line deployment,” said Wolff.

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/merc ... n-f1-test/


It follows on from the insight in this article: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/the- ... trackside/

The DM01, gearbox, car characteristics, and driver controls may have been developed more holistically around this harvesting issue in ways that Mercedes did not see. It's an opportunity that only a works team with it's own PU would have the opportunity to do.

[Farnborough]

If Red Bull have found a clever trick with harvesting, it could be worth more than Merc's compression ratio trick. While it's easy to think Toto is delivering his usual bs, he was actually very specific about what he thinks RB's advantage is. The latest article from the race suggest that RB do have a very advanced system integration (PU, gearbox, driver) that might be allowing them to harvest more than others.

Much discussion, on here and generally out in media, has been about how much can be harvested by using ICE torque, when that's not needed to full capacity, to drive the MGU-K and so on into storage.

If, under braking, they adopt a strategy of "zero torque" effect on ICE crankshaft (from fuelling) then that would leave the most advantageous capacity from wheels .... through crankshaft ... to MGU-K without suffering the inherent ICE frictional losses to heat.
Effectively a no torque situation when throttle is at zero demand to interfere with K capability.

[f1316]

That's what you hope, for obvious reason, but this is something that was being pointed out as early as Barcelona. A lot of people were saying the RB power unit was "strong". We didn't know if it's just PR. I think that Mercedes has identified a technical deficit in one area to RBPT and how their drivers are able to operate their PU. This has apparently been believed since Barcelona, but in Bahrain they got more confirmation. Mercedes might have a couple cv more peak power, but more effective harvesting can mitigate and even overcome such a disadvantage.

I think it was very predictable that Mercedes would sandbag. I predicted it on this forum (as many others).

Now we get Toto sandbagging with his comments and everyone from Red Bull camps starts to believe him? Sure, be my guest, maybe FIA doesn't need to make compression ratio change.

If you compare Max lap with Norris you can see Norris just deployed on back straight (and probably in S2) while Verstappen deployed in S1.

You aren't listening to what he is saying. It's not about single laps, deployment location, or comparing Red Bull to Mclaren. It's about the total amount of energy being deployed, and the ability to do it lap after lap. It's a very specific description.

“They are able to deploy far more energy on the straights than everybody else,” he said.

“I mean, I'm speaking a second per lap, over consecutive laps.”

Wolff said that “at the moment” Mercedes was unable to deploy its battery power in the same way that Red Bull could – especially over multiple laps.

And in a season where having more energy deployment on tap could be significant in terms of deciding results, it has left Wolff feeling that Red Bull is now “very much” the benchmark.

“On a single lap we have seen it before - but now we have seen it on 10 consecutive laps with the same kind of straight line deployment,” said Wolff.

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/merc ... n-f1-test/


It follows on from the insight in this article: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/the- ... trackside/

The DM01, gearbox, car characteristics, and driver controls may have been developed more holistically around this harvesting issue in ways that Mercedes did not see. It's an opportunity that only a works team with it's own PU would have the opportunity to do.

I suppose this would also explain why RB has joined the other manufacturers in protesting the compression rates. Even if they are themselves are getting a benefit from it, clipping Mercedes wings in the ICE side while maintaining an electrical advantage would ultimately work in their favour.

[Emag]

Max’s long runs were the fastest today by the way. I wish we had battery data to see whats happening each lap, but at the moment, what Toto said about RedBull’s continous deployment shouldn’t be discarded. Let’s see to the end of the first test if the picture changes somewhat.

[Stu]

If Red Bull have found a clever trick with harvesting, it could be worth more than Merc's compression ratio trick. While it's easy to think Toto is delivering his usual bs, he was actually very specific about what he thinks RB's advantage is. The latest article from the race suggest that RB do have a very advanced system integration (PU, gearbox, driver) that might be allowing them to harvest more than others.

Much discussion, on here and generally out in media, has been about how much can be harvested by using ICE torque, when that's not needed to full capacity, to drive the MGU-K and so on into storage.

If, under braking, they adopt a strategy of "zero torque" effect on ICE crankshaft (from fuelling) then that would leave the most advantageous capacity from wheels .... through crankshaft ... to MGU-K without suffering the inherent ICE frictional losses to heat.
Effectively a no torque situation when throttle is at zero demand to interfere with K capability.

RB were masters of the ‘engine as air pump’ during the blown diffuser era.

[CjC]

Was the Racing Bull just as competitive as the Red Bull on the straights??

[pantherxxx]

I think Ford has battery tech that's way more advanced than anyone else, maybe other than Xiaomi. That's how they smashed the GT3 lap record at Nordschleife with an electric van. Ford already had dielectric fluid immersion cooling for high discharge batteries and 6 phased electric motors in 2023, that's multiple years of advantage. They probably transferred that know-how to Red Bull Powertrains. I already called that months ago, and now Toto seems to confirm my theory.

[Farnborough]

If Red Bull have found a clever trick with harvesting, it could be worth more than Merc's compression ratio trick. While it's easy to think Toto is delivering his usual bs, he was actually very specific about what he thinks RB's advantage is. The latest article from the race suggest that RB do have a very advanced system integration (PU, gearbox, driver) that might be allowing them to harvest more than others.

Much discussion, on here and generally out in media, has been about how much can be harvested by using ICE torque, when that's not needed to full capacity, to drive the MGU-K and so on into storage.

If, under braking, they adopt a strategy of "zero torque" effect on ICE crankshaft (from fuelling) then that would leave the most advantageous capacity from wheels .... through crankshaft ... to MGU-K without suffering the inherent ICE frictional losses to heat.
Effectively a no torque situation when throttle is at zero demand to interfere with K capability.

RB were masters of the ‘engine as air pump’ during the blown diffuser era.

Adding to that, I consider Verstappen an absolute master in this phase of corner for understanding and modulating rear axle traction. Currently without peer in the driver grouping, with an attitude that fully explores this area extensively. His rate of change/adaption to different track conditions over these last 5 years or more has run rings around others with his application to making the most intelligent use of this skill.

[AR3-GP]

[f1316]

Was the Racing Bull just as competitive as the Red Bull on the straights??

They were 1 and 2 in speed traps but 7 kph between them (almost 10 kph between Max and next non RB powered team): https://x.com/f1/status/2021620960982610109?s=46

May or may not mean anything. Ferrari are certainly saying they have work to do on the energy management side but that, to me, makes it sound like it’s an opportunity not a limitation. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some truth to RB doing this better on this day in history but I would be surprised if they have a major, baked in advantage in terms of electrical power recovery/deployment.

[f1316]

https://preview.redd.it/number-of-laps- ... cf419f2bbb

Thanks for this, exactly what I was looking for. Honda mileage already feels a bit concerning tbh.

[f1316]

Was the Racing Bull just as competitive as the Red Bull on the straights??

They were 1 and 2 in speed traps but 7 kph between them (almost 10 kph between Max and next non RB powered team): https://x.com/f1/status/2021620960982610109?s=46

May or may not mean anything. Ferrari are certainly saying they have work to do on the energy management side but that, to me, makes it sound like it’s an opportunity not a limitation. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some truth to RB doing this better on this day in history but I would be surprised if they have a major, baked in advantage in terms of electrical power recovery/deployment.

To expand a bit further actually: Max’s fastest lap was half a second faster than Lando’s in sector 1 (where two of the biggest straights are) but he lost 6 tenths in the next two sectors. Toto pointing to deployment on the main straight may well be true but it could also be a deployment choice, with the Mercedes powered McLaren saving more power for later in the lap. It seems like there could be some selective data point cherry picking going on.

[Wouter]

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/the- ... long-runs/

Here are the 15 best long runs of the day by average laptime, with a long run being defined as having at least seven laps or more:

1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1m37.663s, soft tyre for 7 laps
2 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1m37.926s, S 10
3 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1m38.072s, hard 9
4 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1m38.371s, S 9*
5 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1m38.587s, S 10*
6 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 1m38.637s, H 8
7 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1m38.722s, S 9
8 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1m38.880s, medium 10
9 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1m38.903s, M 10
10 Lando Norris (McLaren) 1m39.013s, S 9
11 Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) 1m39.399s, S 12*
12 Lando Norris (McLaren) 1m39.765s, M 9
13 Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) 1m40.106s, S 21*
14 Nico Hulkenberg (Audi), 1m40.331s, M 12*
15 George Russell (Mercedes) 1m40.368s, S 7

*denotes runs where mid-run laptimes were discounted from the average due to being clear outliers.

Verstappen's long runs, as much as they can be at this stage of testing, were particularly impressive.
Across five stints on each of the available compounds (C3 soft, C2 medium, C1 hard), the Red Bull driver delivered
extremely consistent laptimes and his averages never required any adjustment for 'throwaway' laps,
because there were none.

[Emag]

https://preview.redd.it/number-of-laps- ... cf419f2bbb

Thanks for this, exactly what I was looking for. Honda mileage already feels a bit concerning tbh.

At the moment the fact that they still have to run on a limiter with no representative deployment is more worrying on the engine side in my opinion. Comparatively, Audi looked in a better place today compared to how they were in Barcelona.

Too early to make reliability assesments, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Honda is struggling for breathing room a little bit compared to the others with how tight that Aston Martin bodywork is.