Williams ‘can’t get anywhere close’ to what James Vowles saw Red Bull’s Max Verstappen do in Bahrain

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Williams chief James Vowles has played down Mercedes boss Toto Wolff’s suggestion that Red Bull are a second per lap faster than anyone else at the 2026 F1 Bahrain test.

Wolff was blown away by the data that Mercedes registered while watching Max Verstappen in the Red Bull RB22 during the first day of the opening Bahrain test on Wednesday. The Red Bull star was rapid out of the box in Sakhir, and he topped the timesheet for most of the day.

McLaren driver Lando Norris finished the first day in Bahrain with the quickest lap time in his Mercedes-powered MCL40, with a 1:34.669 to Verstappen’s 1:34.798. Lap times are by far not the priority and are not a genuine picture, given the unknowns of fuel loads and set-ups.

Verstappen’s pace down the straights particularly caught Wolff’s attention, as the Mercedes team boss thinks the Dutchman showed Red Bull can consistently deploy “far more” energy than anyone else. Energy deployment is even more vital in 2026 with the latest engine rules.

Day 1 in Bahrain and it’s Lando Norris on top! ⏱️

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James Vowles admits Williams ‘can’t get close’ to Red Bull into Turn 1 with their energy deployment

F1 has increased the amount of electrical power from the previous 20/80 share in favour of the internal combustion engine (ICE) to almost 50/50 in 2026. The 2026 F1 regulations also delivered the removal of the expensive MGU-H and introduced advanced sustainable fuels.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1’s 2026 engine and aero regulations

Williams boss Vowles does not believe Red Bull’s advantage is as much as a second per lap, but it is “pretty consistently” six-tenths of a second. Vowles also thinks Red Bull’s advantage is clearest into Turn 1, as Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz did not get close to Verstappen there.

Vowles told Sky Sports F1 (11/02, 20:23): “I think a second [per lap] is probably a little bit strong, but I would say I can see six-tenths that is pretty consistently in there.

“And into Turn 1, we can’t get anywhere close to them. That’s the interesting one. So, their speed into Turn 1 is mighty impressive.

“For Red Bull, from scratch, to build an entire PU programme, deliver it, be reliable, again I think they did a good number of laps today, and then deliver performance with it, they’ve achieved all of that at the moment. So, let’s see where it shakes out. But they’re pretty strong in what they’ve achieved.”

Red Bull’s new life as an F1 engine constructor continues to impress

Bahrain pre-season day 1 done 💪

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The 2026 F1 season features the biggest regulatory change in history and the start of a new era for Red Bull, as they have become an engine constructor for the first time. Former boss Christian Horner established Red Bull Powertrains after Honda initially decided to leave F1.

Horner also secured Red Bull a technical partnership with Ford to harness the US car giant’s help with hybrid engine technologies, which now appears to be paying off with the maiden RBPT DM01 unit astounding Mercedes’ Wolff and Williams’ Vowles at the first Bahrain test.

Drivers are having to lift and coast much earlier on straights than in recent years to recover enough energy in their batteries for a complete lap. It is possible to deploy more energy in shorter bursts, but it could be counterproductive due to the time then lost in other areas.

The immediate reliability of Red Bull’s engine has stunned McLaren CEO Zak Brown, as well, as he was left rueing the instant strength of the Milton Keynes outfit’s power unit after the Barcelona shakedown. Red Bull were widely expected to face issues before testing started.