Hamilton debuts for Ferrari as Hadjar crashes Red Bull in Barcelona testing

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen completed their first laps of the 2026 season during a rain-affected shakedown test in Barcelona, though Red Bull's day ended prematurely with a crash. Isack Hadjar damaged the rear wing and suspension of the RB22 at Turn 14, while Hamilton ran wide into the gravel but avoided damage to his Ferrari.

Why it matters:

This test marks the first real-world validation of F1's massive 2026 regulatory overhaul, with new power units and aerodynamic rules taking to the track. For Ferrari, seeing Hamilton in the red car is a significant milestone, while the incident for Red Bull highlights the fine line between gathering data and costly accidents in tricky conditions.

The details:

• Weather Impact: Rain dominated the second day of testing, forcing teams to switch from slicks to wet tyres and limiting meaningful performance data.
• Hamilton's Run: The seven-time champion took over from Charles Leclerc after lunch. Despite a brief off-track excursion at Turn 5, he completed the program without significant damage to the SF-26.
• Red Bull's Crash: After Verstappen set the early dry-tyre pace, reserve driver Hadjar crashed in the final hour. The incident compromised Red Bull's running time on a day they chose to participate despite wet forecasts.
• Team Strategies: Ferrari and Red Bull were the only teams on track Tuesday. Mercedes, McLaren, and others sat out after running in dry conditions on Monday, while Williams skipped the event entirely.
• Reliability Focus: Lap times are being ignored this week. Leclerc confirmed Ferrari is focused solely on systems checks, stating the car is "working as expected" despite the weather.

What's next:

Testing continues through the week, with McLaren and Aston Martin yet to debut their new cars. As the grid completes their shakedowns, attention will turn to the first official pre-season test where performance pecking orders will begin to emerge.