Barcelona Shakedown: Haas Leads Mileage as New Teams Face Early Hurdles
The 2026 F1 shakedown test began in Barcelona with Haas leading the lap count. Mercedes showed strong reliability, while Audi and Cadillac faced significant technical issues on day one.
Formula 1's 2026 regulatory era kicked off with a shakedown test at Barcelona, where Haas and Mercedes prioritized reliability over raw pace. While the session was shrouded in secrecy due to a strict closed-door policy, early lap counts suggest established teams are handling the new technical packages better than the incoming entrants.
Why it matters:
This marks the first on-track action for the new 2026 regulations, featuring significant aerodynamic and power unit changes. Reliability is the primary concern before the season starts, and early struggles for new teams like Cadillac and Audi highlight the steep learning curve they face against established outfits.
The details:
- Haas sets the pace: Esteban Ocon completed the most laps with 154, showing strong initial reliability for the American team.
- Mercedes solid: Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell combined for 149 laps, with Antonelli running the morning shakedown before Russell took over.
- New team struggles: Cadillac managed only 44 laps total, with Sergio Perez completing just 11 in the afternoon. Audi fared slightly worse with Gabriel Bortoleto logging only 27 laps due to a technical issue, though the team claims to have identified the fix.
- Red flag: Liam Lawson brought out a red flag midday, temporarily halting proceedings.
What's next:
McLaren, Ferrari, and Aston Martin are absent for now, with the former two starting Tuesday and Aston Martin not ready until Thursday. Williams has skipped the Barcelona test entirely. Teams will adjust their run plans for the rest of the week based on the weather forecast.