Barcelona hosted a limited first day of Formula 1 pre-season testing this week, though official timing was notably absent. Teams are utilizing this “shakedown” period to gather initial data on their 2026 challengers, but with a veil of secrecy – running was conducted behind closed doors adn without publicly released lap times until the F1 organization halted even unofficial results mid-day. The test offered a first look at on-track performance for several teams, including Red Bull, Mercedes, and Alpine, while others, like Williams, are opting to forgo this particular session altogether.
Formula 1 teams kicked off a shakedown week in Barcelona, but official timing was ultimately curtailed. The teams organized the test on their own initiative, behind closed doors with limited media access and no official lap times recorded. While unofficial times circulated online, the Formula 1 organization stepped in to halt the live timing feeds mid-day, leaving an incomplete picture of the first day’s running.
Verstappen Remains on the Sidelines
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Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen did not take to the track on Monday. Instead, it was Red Bull newcomer Isack Hadjar who logged the first test kilometers in the RB22. He completed 44 laps in the morning session, posting a fastest time of 1:18.835. For comparison, Oscar Piastri secured pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix with a 1:11.546.
Behind Hadjar, Andrea Kimi Antonelli set the second-fastest time for Mercedes, clocking a 1:20.700 after 56 laps. Franco Colapinto of Alpine was third with a 1:21.348, but completed only 28 laps, potentially due to technical issues. The Argentinian driver triggered the first red flag of the day after slowly driving around the circuit around 11 AM. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) also brought out red flags.
Franco Colapinto drives the Alpine A526.
Photo by: Formula 1
Seven Teams and Nine Drivers on Track
The first day of the shakedown featured seven F1 teams and nine drivers. In addition to Hadjar (Red Bull), Antonelli (Mercedes), Colapinto (Alpine), Lawson (Racing Bulls), and Bortoleto (Audi), George Russell (Mercedes) took over driving duties from Antonelli in the afternoon. Esteban Ocon (Haas) and Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez were also on track for Cadillac.
Ferrari and McLaren will participate later this week (teams are limited to three of the five test days), while Williams has announced it will miss this test entirely. Aston Martin plans to run only on Thursday and Friday.
This Williams livery won’t be seen in Barcelona this week.
Photo by: Williams
Haas Collects Data, Cadillac and Audi Lag Behind
Haas F1 reported a productive day of running. While Ocon’s lap times weren’t headline-grabbing, the Frenchman completed a full Spanish Grand Prix distance (67 laps) before lunch, providing valuable data for the American team. At this stage, it’s often more important to maximize mileage than chase outright speed. More kilometers translate to more data, and data is key to development. Racing Bulls also had a solid day, with Lawson causing a red flag but still completing 42 laps before the midday break.
Cadillac and Audi, the newest entrants to the F1 grid, had a less impressive showing. Bottas posted the sixth-fastest time and completed 33 laps before handing the car over to Pérez in the afternoon. Bortoleto managed only 27 laps for Audi, recording the slowest time of the day.
Formula 1 Shakedown – Barcelona – Day 1
* Lap counts and times recorded before lunch
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