Norris fastest in F1 test but calls new cars 'not purest'
McLaren's Lando Norris set the fastest time on day one of the final pre-season test in Bahrain. Despite his pace, Norris expressed reservations about the new 2026 cars, stating they are "not the purest form of racing." Meanwhile, Ferrari debuted a novel rear wing design as teams continue aggressive technical development under the new regulations.
- The 2026 regulations mandate a near 50/50 power split between the 1.6-litre V6 internal combustion engine (ICE) and a significantly more powerful electric motor. The electric motor's output will triple, jumping from 120kW to 350kW, while the ICE's power is reduced from around 550kW to 400kW. This increased reliance on electrical power and energy management is a key reason drivers feel the cars are "less pure" to drive. - Ferrari's novel rear wing features an upper element that flips completely upside down on the straights, rather than just opening a slot. This radical design is intended to create a larger opening for air to pass through, further reducing drag and potentially creating a small amount of lift to "stall" the diffuser for even greater straight-line speed. - The new rules introduce "active aerodynamics," where drivers can switch between a high-downforce mode for corners (Z-Mode) and a low-drag mode for straights (X-Mode). This system, involving both front and rear wings, replaces the Drag Reduction System (DRS) and is available to all drivers on every lap, not just when closely following another car. - Enterprise adoption of AI agents is shifting from automating simple tasks to managing complex, multi-step workflows across systems like ERPs and CRMs. Use cases include real-time fraud detection, automated inventory rebalancing, and accelerating prior authorization in healthcare, freeing up employees for more strategic work. - For CTOs at scaling B2B SaaS companies, the role evolves from hands-on coding to strategic leadership, focusing on setting architectural direction, recruiting senior talent, and managing cross-functional collaboration. A key challenge is balancing technical debt against the need for rapid innovation to meet business goals. - In programmatic advertising, the trend is shifting from renting technology to owning it, with agencies and media buyers moving towards white-label DSPs for greater control over margins and data. Simultaneously, the deprecation of third-party cookies is elevating the importance of first-party data strategies and alternative identifiers like UID2 and RampID. - UK tech startups raised $17.2 billion in 2025, with London accounting for 68% of that investment. Key funding sectors include FinTech (24%), AI (19%), and B2B SaaS (14%), with AI-focused startups showing a significant surge in attracting venture capital. - To improve safety, the 2026 F1 cars feature a strengthened roll hoop designed to withstand 20G loads and a new two-stage nose cone to prevent it from detaching completely in a crash. The cars will also be shorter, narrower, and have a minimum weight reduction of 30kg.
