Engine manufacturers and the FIA scheduled two meetings for next week. A Monday technical workshop followed by Thursday’s Power Unit Advisory Committee (PUAC) to try to resolve a dispute over an alleged compression-ratio loophole in the 2026 Technical Regulations. The issue centers on Article C.5.4.3, which caps geometric compression ratio at 16.0 and requires measurement at ambient temperature. Checks to date have been performed under ambient conditions, while the FIA is exploring methods to measure compression ratios with engines hot, after an earlier expert gathering produced only partial agreement and requested additional test data. Ferrari power unit technical director Enrico Gualtieri described talks as positive but said more work and data were needed. In addition, FIA single-seater technical director Nikolas Tombazis said officials wanted the matter “put to bed in a totally absolute black and white way” before the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.

Reports have identified Mercedes as the team most likely to have exploited the regulatory ambiguity, with Red Bull implicated to a lesser extent. The interpretation is said to allow higher on-track compression and a potential performance gain of up to about 15 bhp, roughly 0.4 seconds per lap. Several manufacturers, including Ferrari, Honda, and Audi, sent a joint letter to the FIA before Christmas raising concerns, and Red Bull’s similar interpretation helped align other firms politically in calls for guarantees about engine legality. Former driver Ralf Schumacher publicly urged Ferrari to “keep their mouths shut,” invoking the team’s 2019 fuel-flow controversy and a subsequent confidential agreement with the FIA, while also praising the engineers who flagged the loophole.

The FIA has outlined three possible remedies to address the situation, including permitting additional spending to redesign engines (considered unlikely). Secondly, the imposition of limits on the performance extractable from Mercedes’ Petronas fuel, or requiring a legal declaration from Mercedes affirming compliance. Motorsport Italia noted that a false declaration could carry severe consequences, including potential disqualification. No immediate rule change or sanction has been announced. However, officials emphasize that next week’s meetings are intended to build consensus on a technical testing method, and any formal testing procedure or rule amendment would be handled at the PUAC level. It remains unclear whether teams unhappy with the pace or outcome of the process will lodge formal protests at the start of the 2026 season if a clear resolution is not reached in time.

Christian Horner broke his public silence at the European Motor Show in Dublin, saying he has ‘unfinished business’ in Formula 1 (F1) after his dismissal in July 2025. He reflected on 21 years leading Red Bull and the team’s record under his stewardship, which included 124 Grand Prix wins and a combined 14 world titles (eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ crowns). Horner said he misses the sport and defended the often-stormy but respectful rivalry with Mercedes chief Toto Wolff. He confirmed he had met FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and that these were his first public remarks since leaving Red Bull when Laurent Mekies was named Red Bull’s successor shortly after his departure.

Horner made clear any return would be selective and strategic. He said he is eligible to return to the paddock from this spring and would only consider roles that offer real influence and a realistic chance to win, preferring a partner or ownership role rather than being a ‘hired hand’. He stressed he is not in a rush to re-enter the paddock and would only come back with a clear purpose and pathway to success.

Media reports link Horner to several potential avenues back into the sport. The most prominent is a reported consortium eyeing Otro Capital’s 24% stake in Alpine, a move Flavio Briatore has confirmed he was involved in. Alpine has said the sale cannot proceed before September without Renault Group approval, a timing constraint that affects this investment route. Other reports have connected Horner with possible roles or ties to Ferrari, Aston Martin, Cadillac and Haas.

Taken together, his statements and the ongoing talks signal a measured, ownership-centred approach to any return to F1.

Red Bull’s 2026 car showed encouraging pace during the Barcelona shakedown, but the test week was disrupted when Isack Hadjar, who topped day one, crashed at the end of day two. The incident forced the team to fly spare parts in from Milton Keynes, sidelining their schedule for Wednesday and Thursday. Max Verstappen was kept off the track until Friday, but Red Bull still completed 185 laps across the opening two days, while sister team Racing Bulls logged 319.

The primary objective of the preliminary test, which verified the reliability of Red Bull’s first-ever power unit, the DM-01, was achieved, with the engine running reliably in both Red Bull’s and customer Racing Bulls vehicles. Team principal Laurent Mekies said the power unit had “surpassed expectations” and provided a usable baseline, while Sky Sports commentator Karun Chandhok noted that chassis and power unit appeared well-matched during initial running. The DM-01, developed in collaboration with Ford and named in honor of late co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, delivered the mileage rivals found impressive and underpinned the optimistic technical readout from Milton Keynes.

Aerodynamically the new car drew praise despite being the first Red Bull design created without Adrian Newey’s direct input after his spring 2024 move to Aston Martin. Technical director Pierre Wache’s group retained Newey-like principles, notably keeping the front wheels as far from the sidepods as possible to reduce tyre wake and adopting push-rod suspension at both ends. That combination of conservative suspension choices and carried-over aerodynamic thinking suggests Red Bull favored a more traditional interpretation of the 2026 regulations. Drivers and commentators described the RB22 as more predictable, with Hadjar saying the 2026 cars “don’t feel too different.” At the same time, former driver Juan Pablo Montoya cautioned that the main risk might lie in electronics and system integration, and drivability and smooth power delivery could reveal “glitches” as engineers optimize the package. Taken together, the shakedown left Red Bull technically strong on the power-unit front and aero development, while flagging integration and drivability work as the next priorities. The crash-related parts logistics were the only notable brake on early progress.

On the penultimate day of the Barcelona pre-season test, Mercedes established a clear benchmark, as George Russell posted the fastest unofficial lap of 1:16.641, and the Silver Arrows completed 168 laps to wrap up their allocated three days of running. Kimi Antonelli also featured near the top in the morning running, and Mercedes’ mileage advantage contrasted with other teams still sorting out reliability work. Ferrari ran both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc across the sessions, combining for about 170 laps, despite Hamilton recovering from a minor spin. Leclerc posted a 1:19.128 on Day 4 before closing to within 0.2 seconds of Russell’s benchmark on the final shakedown day. Those times framed the early performance picture heading into the next test and the season opener in Bahrain.

Aston Martin’s Adrian Newey–designed AMR26 finally arrived in Barcelona and made a headline-grabbing debut. Lance Stroll completed a single timed lap of 1:46.404 on Day 4 before the car stopped on track and triggered a red flag. The all‑black AMR26 was powered by a Honda unit, and the team followed up on Friday with Fernando Alonso at the wheel for a more measured run. Reports indicated that Aston Martin ran Alonso with a restricted speed range of roughly 230–275 km/h while checking systems and the new power unit. The late introduction, brief stoppage, and the high-profile driving rotation put the revised Aston Martin–Honda pairing at the center of attention throughout the shakedown.

The rest of the test was marked by a mix of reliability and logistical setbacks. McLaren curtailed running for Oscar Piastri after a fuel‑system issue. Red Bull stayed away while awaiting spare parts following Isack Hadjar’s heavy crash earlier in the week, Haas missed a day with mechanical problems, Alpine and Audi postponed their programs to Friday, and Williams was absent for the entire shakedown because of FW48 build delays. Taken together, the Barcelona sessions left Mercedes with the clearest pace and mileage advantage, as several teams continue to address technical and logistical concerns before further pre-season running.