As the dust begins to settle on an action-packed first test in Bahrain, F1 2026 race starts, and Lewis Hamilton feature among the top headlines.<\/p>\n
Safety concerns over race starts in F1 2026 are set to be heard at the upcoming F1 Commission meeting, while Lewis Hamilton<\/a> was apparently the fastest driver of all on a race run in Bahrain. All of this and more, so let\u2019s get to it.<\/p>\n F1 2026 race starts could be tweaked for Melbourne<\/p>\n McLaren team boss Andrea Stella and driver Oscar Piastri are among those citing safety concerns when it comes to race starts.<\/p>\n The new generation of F1 car make it a far more complicated process to prepare for launch than before.<\/p>\n Tweaks could be made in time for the season opener in Melbourne.<\/p>\n Read more \u2013 Safety concerns trigger calls for urgent change to F1 2026 race starts<\/a><\/p>\n Lewis Hamilton P1 in Bahrain race sim<\/p>\n The two tests in Bahrain are offering drivers vital time to adapt to these very different F1 cars.<\/p>\n But, some good news for Lewis Hamilton fans, as according to Sky\u2019s Ted Kravitz, Hamilton was the fastest driver of all when he did his race simulation on the final day of the first test.<\/p>\n Read more \u2013 Lewis Hamilton delivers fastest Bahrain race run as Stella\u2019s head turned \u2013 report<\/a><\/p>\n George Russell finds \u2018annoying\u2019 first gear flaw<\/p>\n This new Formula 1 is not \u201cFormula E on steroids\u201d as Max Verstappen termed it, according to Russell.<\/p>\n But, Russell is not especially pleased to have to take Turn 1 in Bahrain \u2013 formerly a third gear corner \u2013 now in first to please the turbo.<\/p>\n Read more \u2013 George Russell rejects Verstappen \u2018Formula E\u2019 dig but flags F1 2026 flaw<\/a><\/p>\n Brundle challenges Max Verstappen lift-and-coast concerns<\/p>\n As mentioned above, Verstappen has not given a glowing review of the F1 2026 rules at this early stage. In fact, he has emerged as the harshest critic.<\/p>\n Not particularly enamoured by the new battery management techniques which will be required, Verstappen failed to rule out the idea that these new rules could drive him out of the sport.<\/p>\n Martin Brundle argues that battery challenge is just the latest thrown into the mix which F1\u2019s greats over the generations had to manage.<\/p>\n