Have Mercedes really 'raised the bar' as Bahrain testing begins?

Sakhir, Tuesday – When the flood-lights come on at the Bahrain International Circuit for the first official pre-season test of Formula 1’s new-regulation era, all eyes will be trained on the silver cars that left Barcelona with an unexpected aura of authority.

After a low-key shakedown in Catalunya late last month, Mercedes logged 504 laps – more than any other team – and lapped consistently in the 1:18-bracket without visible drama. George Russell and teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli took turns at the wheel, and both were able to complete race-distance simulations on a single day, a feat only a handful of rivals managed.

The paddock, usually reluctant to draw conclusions from winter running, has nevertheless begun to whisper that the Brackley squad may have stolen an early march. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella went on the record last week, telling selected media: “From what we have seen, Mercedes have definitely raised the bar.” Coming from a man whose team will use the same power-unit, the compliment carries unusual weight – and ramps up the pressure on the Anglo-Austrian alliance to prove the Barcelona mileage was no fluke.

Warm desert afternoons, topping 28 °C on forecast, should give a more representative read of true performance. Engineers expect higher tyre degradation and full-fuel running to expose any cooling or reliability weaknesses masked by Barcelona’s cooler asphalt. Live timing screens and a one-hour television window each evening on Sky Sports F1 (3-4 pm UK) will allow rival analysts to dissect long-run data in real time, while the second Bahrain test (18-20 February) will be broadcast in full.

Yet Mercedes’ apparent advantage is already under attack. Ferrari, Honda and Audi have formally questioned the compression-ratio limits built into the 2026 power-unit regulations, suspecting Mercedes – and newcomer Red Bull Powertrains – of exploiting a regulatory grey area to run higher ratios, and therefore more power. FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis confirmed on Monday that the governing body is “working hard to find a solution before Melbourne,” adding: “We don’t want controversies; we want competition on the track.”

Toto Wolff, Mercedes motorsport chief, was characteristically blunt when asked about the grievances: “People should get their stuff together instead of making excuses before they’ve even turned a wheel.” Red Bull design guru Adrian Newey, now engineering future success for Aston Martin, predicted the row is “headed for a decision in Australia,” where the season opens on 6-8 March.

Aston Martin will therefore watch the Sakhir sessions with double interest: Honda’s engine must prove durable, while Newey’s “extreme” interpretation of the chassis rules – barely glimpsed in Barcelona – will face its first public scrutiny. The AMR26 completed only limited mileage in Spain, but the team insists it will run full throttle from day one in Bahrain.

Williams, meanwhile, will finally roll out its FW48 after missing Barcelona following a failed crash test. The Grove outfit at least inherits a Mercedes power-unit that has already covered thousands of kilometres, giving Alex Albon and rookie Franco Colapinto a fighting chance of rapid reliability.

Ferrari, second to Mercedes on the lap count, arrives with subdued optimism. Lewis Hamilton – chasing an elusive eighth world title – topped the final morning in Barcelona, yet insiders say the Scuderia still lack the aerodynamic efficiency to mount a sustained championship assault. The compression-ratio dispute only clouds their outlook further.

With team principals and drivers facing the media throughout the week, sound-bite skirmishes are inevitable. On track, the question is simpler: have Mercedes genuinely raised the bar, or will Bahrain bring the championship ladder crashing back to earth?

The countdown to answers begins when the lights go green at 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday.