Hamilton powers past rivals in dramatic test moment

February 21, 2026 Oliver Obel

Formula 1’s 2026 regulation changes were the quiet focus of attention in Bahrain this week but it was Lewis Hamilton who provided the most vivid illustration of what those changes might look like in action.

With teams using pre-season testing to experiment with revised start procedures tied to next year’s power unit rules, Hamilton delivered a striking getaway during a controlled practice sequence on day two in Sakhir. The moment, brief but emphatic, quickly became one of the most discussed clips of the test.

Why Starts Are Under the Microscope

Under the incoming regulations, drivers will be required to hold engine revs at a tightly controlled level for around 10 seconds while stationary before the start sequence completes. The extended build-up is linked to the design of the new hybrid systems, which demand careful turbo management off the line.

The FIA confirmed during the test that it is conducting “further evaluation of updates to race systems and on-car management,” using Bahrain as a live trial environment.

To simulate the process, officials brought out a red flag with roughly 10 minutes remaining in Wednesday’s session. Drivers completed formation laps before lining up for a practice start, during which new blue grid panels illuminated for five seconds ahead of the standard light sequence. The aim: to give competitors more time to stabilize revs and prepare for launch.

Hamilton Makes the Most of the Moment

Hamilton lined up several rows back, behind Max Verstappen, Kimi Antonelli, Ollie Bearman and Liam Lawson. When the sequence began, his Ferrari hooked up cleanly.

Within seconds he had drawn alongside Lawson, and by the time the field reached Turn One he had surged past multiple cars that had started ahead of him. The exit from the corner was even more decisive, his car pulling clear under acceleration.

Formula 1’s official account posted simply: “Rapid from Lewis Hamilton at the practice start 💨”.

Whether every team was conducting identical simulations remains unclear some may have been focused purely on engine calibration rather than outright launch performance but the visual impression was unmistakable.

For Ferrari, a team that has occasionally struggled with race starts in recent seasons, it was an encouraging sign.

https://twitter.com/F1/status/2024519246504476771

A Mixed Day Overall

The eye-catching start capped a day that had not been entirely smooth. Hamilton’s morning programme was interrupted by a chassis issue, limiting his total mileage to 78 laps. Only Aston Martin recorded fewer laps, with 68.

Even so, Hamilton’s fastest time of 1:34.408 placed him fourth overall, six tenths adrift of Mercedes rookie Antonelli at the top of the timesheets. In testing, outright pace is rarely definitive, but consistency and reliability often matter more especially in the early stages of a new technical cycle.

Hamilton had taken full driving duties on Wednesday after sharing the car with Charles Leclerc earlier in the week. The session also allowed Ferrari to continue evaluating its revised rear wing concept, featuring an upper flap capable of rotating 270 degrees when activated as part of the car’s active aerodynamic system.

“It’s Not Dangerous”

Speaking the following day, Hamilton dismissed suggestions that the longer start procedure could create safety concerns.

“It's definitely not dangerous,” he said.

“We should probably take that [dangerous] connotation away from it, because it's just a different procedure. It's just a longer procedure than it has been in the past.

“If, right now, you put the five lights up [to start], we would all still be standing there when the lights went out for a little bit longer. You can still pull away without the turbo going.

“You probably will anti-stall a couple of times. Perhaps the anti-stall is something that maybe is a potential for some people, but I don't think it's dangerous.”

His comments reflect a broader paddock sentiment: the procedure may feel unfamiliar, but drivers are already adapting.

Testing times rarely tell the full story. But if Bahrain offered an early indication of how Ferrari and Hamilton are settling into a new era both technical and competitive the signs were at least momentarily compelling.

Sources: FIA statements, Formula 1’s official social media post, Hamilton’s press conference comments