F1’s 2026 technical overhaul forced teams into an early, fundamental reshaping of chassis, aerodynamic packaging, and power units, and introduced substantially tougher crash and driver‑protection tests. Key rule changes include a lower minimum car mass (from 1763.7 to 1693.15 lbs), higher roll‑hoop static loads (from 105/140 kN to 129/172 kN), a survival‑cell fuel‑tank side‑load increase (from 50 kN to 110 kN), stiffer wheel‑contact, cockpit‑floor, and nose push‑off checks. The alterations for the upcoming session also include a new lateral push‑off‑to‑failure test that requires failure rearward of 650 mm at thresholds above 52.5 kN. Many early‑launch cars already show larger roll hoops, bulkier airboxes, and noses reinforced by stronger structures. Teams are expected to iterate designs throughout the season as they balance compliance with competitive pace.

Williams has faced early development setbacks. The team skipped a behind‑closed‑doors Barcelona shakedown to concentrate on its FW48. Initial reports said the car failed three mandatory FIA crash tests. However, an Italian outlet later reported the FW48 had passed the crash test required for homologation. Those accounts conflict, and the pass report has not been independently verified. Multiple sources place the FW48 roughly 44-66 lbs over the new 1693.15 lbs minimum, and missing the Barcelona running trimmed on‑track preparation time ahead of the opening races.

Any remedial chassis work to meet the new mass and safety limits will count against the sport’s cost cap, potentially reducing funds available for mid‑ and late‑season upgrades. Williams is reported to be shifting focus to aggressive weight‑reduction work before its next scheduled on‑track running in Bahrain. Whether those fixes restore on‑track competitiveness without creating further homologation or budget issues is a pivotal early‑season question.

The situation highlights the wider 2026 tension between much tougher mandatory safety requirements and the cost‑cap constraints that now shape development across the grid. This presents a particular challenge for teams that showed momentum in 2025, with Williams having finished fifth in the Constructors’ Championship on points from Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.

McLaren’s new 2026 car, the MCL40, made its on‑track debut when Lando Norris drove it out of the garage on day three of the Barcelona pre‑season test at the Circuit de Barcelona‑Catalunya. The installation lap came shortly before 11 a.m. local time and the car ran in a predominantly black testing livery to underline that this was a shakedown rather than a race specification. Norris, the reigning world champion, ran for the first time with the number 1 on his nose and was credited with the MCL40’s first laps.

The Woking‑based team deliberately sat out the first two days of the five‑day test and confirmed it would use its permitted three consecutive days of running, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, as part of a planned program to maximize development time. Team principal Andrea Stella framed the delayed start as “Plan A,” not a sign of preparation delays, and McLaren had earlier released renders but chose not to carry out a prior shakedown before the test. As a consequence of that preparation choice, McLaren was the only team that needed to run on three straight days during the Barcelona test. The outing was described as a controlled shakedown intended to confirm systems and gather initial data rather than provide lap times or performance benchmarks, and at the time no official on‑track photograph had been released.

Wednesday’s running was interrupted by about 40 minutes of red flags after incidents involving Audi and Haas, underscoring a disrupted opening that affected several teams’ programs. Other outfits faced preparation issues, too. Red Bull’s program remained uncertain after Isack Hadjar’s crash earlier in the week, Aston Martin planned to concentrate running on Thursday and Friday, and Williams withdrew from the test citing build delays even though its FW48 chassis had passed FIA homologation. McLaren’s MCL40 debut, therefore, arrived amid differing timetables across the paddock and represented an early, practical step in the team’s validation and setup work for the 2026 season, with no technical performance details disclosed.

Ferrari launched its 2026 challenger, the SF-26, at Maranello and completed an initial shakedown that the team called a meaningful milestone. Team principal Fred Vasseur warned that, with F1 entering an all-new active-aerodynamic era, the season-opener in Melbourne will be unlikely to decide the championship.

The 2026-spec changes are substantial, ranging from a chassis roughly 20 cm shorter, about 30 kg lighter, and movable front and rear wings that provide new aerodynamic control. Power-unit changes include full use of sustainable fuel and a power delivery split of roughly 50/50 between electrical and combustion sources. Vasseur said drivers will have a larger operational role managing wing settings, engine modes, and overtake/boost functions.

Ferrari ran the SF-26’s shakedown in Barcelona with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc taking baseline runs. Hamilton briefly went into the gravel on his first outing as the team deliberately concealed its final design.

The car’s package features a return to push-rod suspension after 2025 ride-height problems, very compact sidepods, and a hole in the rear diffuser as part of a low-drag approach.

The FIA has delayed formal approval, describing Ferrari’s concept as “aggressive” and saying it will take a closer look under the updated regulations before clearing the design to race. Regulators took extra time partly because the approvals timeline was affected by the departure of Jason Somerville in November 2025, which prompted heightened scrutiny of team proposals.

Vasseur emphasized that teams are effectively starting from scratch given the scale of the rule changes. Several squads, including Ferrari, missed the opening day of Barcelona testing and are likely to bring more basic cars to Australia. The initial focus will be on fundamentals, data collection, and iterative improvements as teams develop active-aero systems and power-unit integrations. Rapid in-season evolution means early race results will be unlikely to reflect ultimate championship trajectories.

Formula 1’s closed-door 2026 pre-season test got underway at Barcelona with seven of 11 teams running on Monday. Mercedes provided the first car on track when Kimi Antonelli rolled out shortly after 9 a.m. Isack Hadjar set the quickest unofficial lap of the day in the Red Bull RB22, with widely reported timing showing a 1:18.159, while George Russell ended the day around half a second back. Red Bull ran its new RB22, debuting its bespoke power unit developed with Ford. Teams used the session mainly to gather mileage and debug systems rather than make definitive performance comparisons. The day featured multiple stoppages, including a sensor-related red flag for Alpine and a separate Audi stoppage. Several entrants, including Audi and Cadillac, had limited running while Haas and others piled up laps.

On Tuesday morning, limited running was compounded by mixed weather and another red flag when Max Verstappen briefly beached the RB22 at Turn 5 after taking over from Hadjar, prompting a stoppage before the car was recovered. Rain curtailed programs across the paddock, with Mercedes, Alpine, Audi, and Cadillac canceling their morning runs and Haas sitting out to analyze data from day one. Only Red Bull and Ferrari logged laps during the wet first half of the second day, while Aston Martin confirmed it would not run until later in the week. Teams are allowed to use any three of the five test days, so the disrupted sessions shifted many squads’ plans for system checks, aerodynamic evaluations, and tire work.

Mileage figures underlined the differing priorities. Esteban Ocon completed a session-leading 154 laps for Haas, and several teams reported curtailed programs owing to reliability or set-up work, most notably Cadillac and Audi. The private nature of the shakedown, removal of unofficial timing streams, and the succession of red flags and weather interruptions mean early lap times should be treated as provisional rather than conclusive. Still, Red Bull’s early pace and the RB22’s consistent running provided an encouraging first read for the defending constructors. The coming days in Barcelona will be crucial for teams that have yet to complete meaningful mileage. Overall, the Catalunya shakedown delivered a mix of useful data gathering and interrupted running as teams began to evaluate their new cars and power units under the 2026 regulations.

Multiple outlets reported that Christian Horner is part of a group in talks to buy Otro Capital’s 24% stake in Alpine. Alpine and de facto team boss Flavio Briatore said approaches have been made to existing shareholders, including Otro Capital and Renault. However, the Italian stressed these were shareholder-level discussions rather than direct approaches to team management. Under the terms of the 2023 sale, Renault retained a veto, so any transaction would require Renault’s approval. As it stands, Alpine said no sale has been announced, and talks remain exploratory.

Otro acquired the stake in 2023 for around £170 million (about €200 million at the time), and it is being marketed for roughly $800 million (around £585 million). Interest in the stake reflects rising valuations across F1, despite Alpine’s recent on-track struggles, where the team finished last in the 2025 constructors’ championship.

Horner was dismissed from Red Bull after the July 2025 British Grand Prix and left the organisation in September 2025, but he cut a deal to shorten his gardening leave and will be eligible to return to the paddock at the end of April. He has denied the allegations that prompted 2024 inquiries and was cleared in an internal probe at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix and later by an independent KC in August 2024.

Reports say Horner is working with wealthy backers rather than putting up all purchase funds personally, but financing details remain unconfirmed. Briatore described the situation as “a lot of confusion,” and Alpine reiterated that any sale would require negotiation with Otro, consensus among shareholders, and Renault’s sign-off. Horner is also scheduled for a speaking tour in Australia in late February and early March before the season opener.

At the time of reporting, the potential buy-in remained an unfolding, unfinalized development.

The opening morning of the Barcelona shakedown ran behind closed doors and was interrupted several times, with Red Bull leading the running and new signing Isack Hadjar setting the unofficial pace.

Hadjar’s best-reported laps were in the mid-to-low 1:18s, with accounts listing times such as 1:18.159, 1:18.835, and 1:18.1, and a 1:20.3. Media and teams cautioned that differing tire choices and private running programs made direct comparisons unreliable. An unofficial timing stream that had been available during the session was later removed, and at least three red flags stopped running for incidents involving Franco Colapinto (Alpine), Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), and Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls).

Only seven of the 11 teams ran on the opening day. McLaren and Ferrari deferred their appearance to later in the week, while Williams missed the shakedown after failing initial FIA crash tests, and Aston Martin’s appearance was pushed back. Mercedes completed more than 20 laps in the morning, made a midday driver change with Kimi Antonelli giving way to George Russell after lunch, then spent significant time in the garage later in the session. Haas driver Esteban Ocon logged the highest reported mileage of the day with around 154 laps, Sergio Perez largely did installation laps, and Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz described Red Bull’s heavy program of 108 laps as “eye-catching.”

The stop–start, closed nature of the shakedown made it primarily a debugging and mileage-gathering exercise rather than a conclusive performance test. Teams focused on reliability checks, systems validation, and running different tire compounds while keeping program details private. Hadjar’s strong debut and Red Bull’s substantial mileage were the clearest takeaways from the opening morning. However, the limited participation and red-flag interruptions mean a fuller picture of relative competitiveness will have to wait for subsequent sessions.