Following pre-season testing in Barcelona and Bahrain, several high-profile drivers have spoken out against the new generation of F1 cars - the 50/50 split between electrical power and internal combustion has led Max Verstappen to label F1 2026 as "anti-racing" and "Formula E on steroids," while Fernando Alonso claimed driver skill will now "matter less."

Mercedes' Russell, however, believes progress has been made in Bahrain, and that drivers are "a bit more happy" after a "much smoother" second test at Sakhir.

Speaking to GPblog and other media, Russell explained why he felt the criticism was "premature" and that the 2026 cars are not "actually a million miles away" from their predecessors.

Russell said: "I do think there has been a lot of progression to be honest. I think every day one of a new set of regulations you face challenges that you weren't anticipating, and the rate of improvement is very steep in those early days.

"I think this test has been a much smoother test for everyone. If you actually look at the lap times and some of the race runs, the cars aren't actually a million miles away from the lap times we were seeing 12 months ago and that was year four of a set of regulations.

"l know there was a lot of heat after Barcelona and Bahrain, which was probably a little bit premature. I think, on the whole, people are a bit more happy this week."

Another driver who has previously voiced concerns over the 2026 regulations is Oscar Piastri. The Aussie suggested the new rules need "some reform" after highlighting the need for drivers to 'lift and coast' earlier and more frequently at corners in order to recharge their battery and achieve faster lap times.

Speaking with Russell, however, the McLaren driver admitted that "it has improved," and that drivers were starting to "naturally" find performance as they start "getting their heads around" the new 2026 cars.

While Russell seems happier with the 2026 regulations than most, he ended Bahrain testing slightly concerned over Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's advantage on race starts, admitting that the Silver Arrows are "stumbling" behind the Scuderia on launches off the line.