F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton Ferrari is unbeatable as Max Verstappen slams new F1 cars

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Today

F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton Ferrari is unbeatable as Max Verstappen slams new F1 cars

All the latest news from the final day of pre-seasonnn

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Friday 20 February 2026 06:58

Lewis Hamilton's rocketship speed trounced his F1 rivals during the second day of testing in Bahrain and Ferrari could become unstoppable.

The seven-time champion enjoyed full-rein over the SF-26 on Thursday, where he drove the Ferrari in both the morning and afternoon session.

But it was his super fast starts that caught the eye the most and could give him a mega advantage come the start of the season.

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Max Verstappen says F1's new cars are the worst and now he's just a manager

Max Verstappen's brutal takedown of the new F1 cars has persisted, describing them as the least favourite he has ever driven.

The four-time champion has been the most vocal opponent of the 2026 cars, which feature new engines with increased electrical power that demand several types of recovery to ensure the battery is charged.

As a result, methods such as lifting and coasting into corners will become more common in 2026 to save energy, particularly in qualifying which has led to concerns that we could see slower lap times.

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Aston Martin F1 agony laid bare in 87 painful seconds as Newey shows strain in paddock video

Aston Martin's F1 testing agony was laid bare in the paddock after a video circulated showing Adrian Newey in deep discussion with his team.

The 2026 season trumpeted a new era for Aston Martin, in their first car designed by Newey's genius and a fresh partnership with power unit manufacturer Honda.

Yet, the start of testing was plagued by a late arrival to the Barcelona shakedown, where they debuted an all black Aston Martin because they ran out of time to paint their customary racing green.

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Toto Wolff uses Epstein Files in Mercedes defence, and regrets it IMMEDIATELY

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff has made a bizarre comment regarding the Epstein Files in an attempt to deflect from questions over Mercedes' fuel supplier in Bahrain this week.

Wolff attended the official F1 press conference during Thursday's lunch break in Sakhir after George Russell had once again shown off the reliability of their 2026 challenger by putting in 77 laps at the wheel of the W17.

But the Brackley-based team's successful running on track at pre-season testing has been somewhat overshadowed by talks that their fuel supplier Petronas are yet to get the official sign off from the FIA over their new sustainable fuels for the 2026 campaign.

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Five F1 teams are facing fuel nightmare at Australian Grand Prix

Several F1 teams could face a major performance inhibitor at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, with reports suggesting that not all of the fuel suppliers have received homologation.

2026 is seeing wholesale power unit regulation changes sweeping into the sport, with the new power units having an almost exact 50-50 split between electrical power and the internal combustion engine (ICE).

But this year, the ICE is able to run off entirely 100 per cent sustainable fuels, helping F1 to reach their goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.

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