2026 F1 Barcelona shakedown: what we learned beyond the lap times. The 2026 F1 Barcelona shakedown revealed key insights into the new cars.

The first unofficial, closed-door shakedown session of 2026 Formula 1 cars concluded on Friday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Although the season is still a month away, the five-day event provided teams not only the chance to accumulate essential mileage and collect valuable data, but also offered early indications of performance, reliability, and car behavior.

Monday, January 26

The first day featured three red flags, with Franco Colapinto, Gabriel Bortoleto at Turn 11, and Liam Lawson, who stopped on the main straight during a launch practice, likely triggered by the anti-stall system. While Audi’s Brazilian driver remained in the garage all afternoon, Red Bull impressed with Isack Hadjar, who not only set the fastest lap of the day but also completed a significant number of laps using the first-ever Power Unit fully built in Milton Keynes in collaboration with Ford.

The debuting 2026 cars completed a total of 629 laps on day one. Haas surprisingly led the way with 154 laps, covering 700 kilometers with a Ferrari power unit.

Tuesday, January 27

The second day was limited to the debut of the Ferrari SF-26 with Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, partly due to bad weather. Despite the shakedown not being aimed at peak performance, Verstappen set the fastest time on dry track before rain arrived late in the morning. The day also saw Hadjar crash at Turn 14, damaging the rear of the RB22.

Wednesday, January 28

Audi continued to face early reliability issues with its new power unit. Nico Hulkenberg was limited to just five laps in the morning due to a hydraulic leak, while Bearman experienced sensor problems but returned to the track before lunch. Mercedes stood out with 92 morning laps, indicating strong reliability. Kimi Antonelli’s long-run simulation showed consistent pace across two stints (33 laps at 1:21 and 17 laps at 1:20) without significant W17 issues. Racing Bulls faced minor problems with Arvid Lindblad later in the day.

Thursday, January 29

After Lando Norris’ debut the day before, Oscar Piastri took over the MCL40. The Australian completed 48 laps and set the second-best time in the morning but did not run in the afternoon due to a fuel system issue. Mercedes remained solid, while Ferrari logged 174 laps for the day. Adrian Newey’s first Aston Martin AMR26 appeared near the end, completing a few installation laps with Lance Stroll before stopping and causing a red flag. Notably, the AMR26 features an extreme rear push-rod suspension, with the upper wishbone positioned high enough to connect to the wing support, enhancing aerodynamic efficiency.

Friday, January 30

With Mercedes and Racing Bulls having completed their programs Thursday, Ferrari took the spotlight. Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap of the shakedown with a 1:16.348, completing 147 laps alongside Charles Leclerc (78). Alpine’s Pierre Gasly logged 164 laps, the highest of the week. Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin finished penultimate in times on what was effectively its first proper day after Thursday installation laps.

Looking ahead to Bahrain

As always, lap times from a closed-door shakedown should be taken with caution. The primary goal was mileage, identifying technical issues, and learning the new cars and procedures.

PU mileage by manufacturer:

Total laps by team:

Fuel testing remains crucial: teams used previous-generation fuel during the Barcelona shakedown to allow further bench testing before final production. The FIA granted a temporary exemption due to costs (approx. 85% higher than 2025 fuel). This will end in Bahrain, where the homologation of biofuel and e-fuel is planned ahead of the official pre-season tests in Sakhir.