F1 TESTING 2026 RESULTS: Max Verstappen Wobbles as Barcelona Outing Ends with Crash… Read more
F1 Testing 2026 Results: Max Verstappen Wobbles as Barcelona Outing Ends with Crash
By Hugo Harvey
Formula 1’s 2026 private shakedown in Barcelona delivered its first moment of real drama on day two, as a rain-soaked Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya tested both cars and drivers in treacherous conditions. While much of the paddock chose to sit out the wet weather, Red Bull and Ferrari rolled the dice, resulting in a brief wobble for Max Verstappen and a late crash for Red Bull rookie Isack Hadjar that brought an abrupt end to the team’s running.
With heavy rain falling throughout the day, only four drivers took to the track on Tuesday: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc for Ferrari, and Verstappen alongside Hadjar for Red Bull. The remaining nine teams elected to stay in the garage, unwilling to sacrifice one of their limited three permitted shakedown days on a damp and unpredictable surface. As a result, Ferrari and Red Bull stood alone in gathering valuable early data on their brand-new 2026 machines.
Red Bull entered the second day with confidence after Hadjar topped the times on Monday, but the conditions on Tuesday were far more demanding. Verstappen was handed the RB22 for the morning session, tasked with feeling out the car’s balance in low-grip conditions. Early on, the reigning world champion suffered a moment that briefly halted proceedings when he spun and ran into the gravel at Turn 5. The incident triggered a short red flag, but the damage was minimal, allowing Verstappen to return to the track shortly after and continue with his programme.
Although the spin raised eyebrows, it was widely viewed as a minor setback rather than a cause for concern. Verstappen went on to complete 27 laps, focusing primarily on system checks and wet-weather handling rather than outright performance. In the context of radically overhauled 2026 regulations, teams are far more interested in reliability and correlation than lap times at this stage.
Ferrari, meanwhile, quietly logged the most mileage of the day. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc shared running duties in the SF-26, with Leclerc completing an impressive 64 laps despite the worsening conditions. For Ferrari, the priority was clear: understanding how their new car behaves across varying track states and ensuring all systems function as expected. Observers noted that the SF-26 looked stable and composed in the wet, an encouraging early sign for a team determined to return to championship contention.
The most dramatic moment of the day came in the final hour of the afternoon session. Hadjar, back in the RB22, lost control at Turn 14 and struck the barriers, bringing out the second red flag of the day and ending Red Bull’s running altogether. Sky Sports F1 later confirmed that the crash resulted in damage to the rear wing and suspension, ruling out any further laps. Dutch journalist Erik van Haren reported shortly after that Hadjar was physically unharmed, easing concerns over the young driver’s wellbeing.
While the crash was a setback, it is unlikely to dampen Red Bull’s overall confidence. Shakedowns are designed precisely to uncover weaknesses and push cars to their limits in controlled environments. However, the incident does come with strategic consequences. By running on Tuesday, Red Bull used up one of their three allotted shakedown days, leaving them with just one remaining for the rest of the week. Ferrari, having also run on Tuesday, still have two days in hand.
Elsewhere, the absence of the majority of the grid was notable. McLaren, the reigning world champions, have yet to appear in Barcelona and will instead begin their 2026 programme on Wednesday, running consecutively through to Friday. Williams had already confirmed they would not attend any of the shakedown days due to delays in their 2026 car development, while Aston Martin are scheduled to run only on Thursday and Friday. Mercedes, Audi, Cadillac, Alpine, Racing Bulls and Haas all opted against taking to the track in the wet, with Haas stating they had never planned to run on day two regardless of conditions.
The Barcelona shakedown, held behind closed doors, represents the first real opportunity for teams to evaluate their new cars on track. Unlike official pre-season testing, there is no limit on the number of laps teams can complete each day, but access is tightly controlled, with no general media presence and only small filming crews allowed. The focus is firmly on reliability, system checks and gathering baseline data rather than performance benchmarks.
As the week progresses and conditions are expected to improve, attention will shift to the teams yet to show their hand. For now, day two will be remembered for Verstappen’s brief wobble, Hadjar’s costly crash, and Ferrari’s steady accumulation of mileage — early signs of a 2026 season that is already shaping up to be unpredictable.
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