Barcelona Shakedown
Aston Martin faced four-month delay in 2026 F1 car design
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Aston Martin encountered a significant setback in developing its 2026 Formula 1 car, the AMR26, due to a four-month delay in starting wind tunnel testing. Adrian Newey, the team's managing technical partner, revealed that the program began in mid-April 2025, later than rivals who commenced in January. This compression affected preparations for the recent Barcelona shakedown.
Formula 1 drivers have shared their first impressions after the Barcelona shakedown of the 2026 cars, highlighting both challenges and excitements in the new regulations. Key aspects include energy management issues, handling differences, and powerful acceleration. While some features like active aerodynamics fell short of expectations, the cars still feel like high-performance racers.
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Fernando Alonso has shared his excitement after taking the new Aston Martin AMR26 for its first laps during the Barcelona Shakedown. The Spaniard highlighted the significant impact of designer Adrian Newey on the team. He described the experience as special amid major changes for the squad ahead of the 2026 season.
Arvid Lindblad expressed satisfaction after his debut in Racing Bulls' 2026 challenger during the Barcelona Shakedown. The 18-year-old British rookie completed extensive mileage on Wednesday, adapting to the new regulations despite a rain delay. He highlighted the positive experience and the team's reliable performance.
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Lewis Hamilton completed 85 laps in Ferrari's SF-26 during Thursday morning's dry running at the Barcelona pre-season shakedown, calling the mileage 'amazing' after a wet start earlier in the week. The session marked his first substantial track time in dry conditions with the 2026 car, focusing on tyre understanding and reliability. Hamilton expressed optimism compared to last year's testing woes amid the new regulations.
Ferrari and Red Bull were the only teams to hit the track on the second day of the 2026 Barcelona Shakedown, completing extensive laps despite rainy conditions. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton shared duties in Ferrari's SF-26, while Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar ran for Red Bull in the RB22. Both teams gathered valuable data on their new cars amid the wet weather.
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Haas F1 Team encountered two reliability problems during Wednesday's session at the Barcelona shakedown test for the 2026 season. Driver Oliver Bearman managed limited laps due to a morning power-unit issue and a more serious afternoon problem. Team principal Ayao Komatsu views the setbacks as early learning opportunities.
Russell confident Mercedes 2026 car performs well but title talk premature
February 01, 2026 04:13Mercedes leads early 2026 F1 favorites after Barcelona test
January 31, 2026 05:06Mercedes tops mileage in F1 2026 Barcelona shakedown
January 30, 2026 23:13Mercedes impresses in Barcelona F1 shakedown test
January 30, 2026 21:56Lewis Hamilton tops timings on final day of Barcelona F1 shakedown
January 29, 2026 14:44Mercedes impresses with race simulation at Barcelona F1 shakedown
January 29, 2026 09:07Aston Martin's AMR26 debuts late at Barcelona shakedown
January 29, 2026 08:25McLaren's Barcelona testing hit by fuel system issue
January 29, 2026 01:36Williams denies major weight issues after skipping Barcelona F1 test
January 28, 2026 22:35Mercedes leads day three of F1's Barcelona shakedown