Fernando Alonso described his first experience driving an Adrian Newey-designed F1 car at the Barcelona shakedown, highlighting the intense effort to ready the new Aston Martin AMR26 and the motivating presence of the design legend in the garage, who is "always teaching us something."
Ferrari led pre-season testing, but Anthony Davidson warns that converting that speed into a title requires building a car that gives drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc confidence—a 'game' Ferrari has often lost in the past. Hamilton's deep technical involvement with the new SF-26 from the start could be the key differentiator.
Mercedes-AMG will be the sole supplier of the F1 Safety Car from 2026, deploying a new red AMG GT Black Series. This ends the recent rotation with Aston Martin and celebrates 30 years of Mercedes' partnership with the FIA in this critical safety role, alongside driver Bernd Mayländer approaching 500 races in the seat.
Max Verstappen highlighted the importance of completing over 100 laps during Red Bull's Barcelona shakedown, calling it key to understanding the team's new in-house engine for 2026. The initial test showed promising reliability for the Red Bull Powertrains-Ford power unit, with the team now focused on data analysis before pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Mercedes has revealed the livery for its 2026 F1 car, the W17, ahead of a full launch event on February 2nd featuring new driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The team comes off a positive private test in Barcelona focused on reliability, with real performance assessment set for Bahrain.
The 2026 F1 pre-season shakedown in Barcelona revealed a clear hierarchy in early reliability, with Mercedes dominating the mileage charts. Ferrari and McLaren showed promising pace, while Aston Martin's severely limited running leaves them with a mountain to climb before the season opener.
Audi F1 boss Mattia Binotto has dismissed the power unit issues that disrupted the team's Barcelona test as minor, expressing strong satisfaction with the overall progress of the new project. He emphasized the test's importance for development despite lost track time for drivers Bortoleto and Hülkenberg.
Fernando Alonso has praised the immediate impact of Adrian Newey at Aston Martin, revealing the team is highly motivated by the legendary designer's hands-on approach and meticulous focus on details with the new AMR26 car.
Lando Norris called driving with the champion's #1 a 'special moment' for McLaren after the Barcelona test, where the team battled technical issues but finished strong. He confirmed the squad has already found areas to improve before the final pre-season test in Bahrain.
Mercedes engineering director Andrew Shovlin says the team successfully completed all reliability checks during its Barcelona shakedown, paving the way for a performance-focused program at the upcoming Bahrain pre-season tests. The warmer conditions will be crucial for setup work and race preparations ahead of the 2025 opener.
Oscar Piastri is using his agonizing 2025 title defeat to McLaren teammate Lando Norris as fuel for a vengeful 2026 comeback. Experts believe the painful experience has been a vital lesson, and with new technical regulations leveling the field, Piastri is focused on addressing his weaknesses to challenge again.
Lewis Hamilton set the fastest overall time in Barcelona testing with a late soft-tire run, while Lando Norris showed promising early pace for McLaren. The results offer hints of competitive form for Mercedes and McLaren as F1 prepares for the final test in Bahrain.
