F1 pre-season testing: Who are winners and losers?
BBC World
February 20, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Ferrari and Mercedes emerged as dominant forces in F1 pre-season testing, with both teams showcasing strong performances ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap time by a significant margin, while Mercedes demonstrated consistent pace during race simulations. Team principals, including McLaren’s Andrea Stella, highlighted that Ferrari and Mercedes are leading the pack, with McLaren and Red Bull closely following. The testing emphasized the importance of race-simulation runs, which provided a clearer picture of team competitiveness than single-lap times.
Mercedes faced reliability issues during testing, particularly affecting Kimi Antonelli more than George Russell. Despite this, Mercedes’ performance remained strong, especially in their first week when conditions were less favorable. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s new engine reportedly excelled in energy deployment, a critical factor for this season. McLaren, though using an older specification of the Mercedes power unit, showed promise and is expected to improve with the latest version in Australia.
Aston Martin proved to be a major disappointment despite their high-profile partnership with Honda and design expertise from Adrian Newey. Their new car struggled with lackluster performance, and their engine lagged behind competitors in both power and reliability. Honda’s issues were particularly concerning, with problems in energy recovery systems and battery reliability severely limiting test mileage. Aston Martin’s poor showing raises questions about their ability to compete this season.
The pre-season testing has set the stage for an intriguing
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Originally published on BBC World on 2/20/2026