Rain Disrupts Barcelona Testing as Teams Strategize for 2026
Rain disrupted the second day of 2026 F1 pre-season testing in Barcelona, limiting track action to just Verstappen and Leclerc. With wet weather forecast for Wednesday, teams face strategic decisions on how to best utilize their restricted three-day testing allocation.
The 2026 pre-season testing in Barcelona has hit a wet patch, with rain severely limiting track time on Tuesday. While the forecast predicted potential disruption, only Red Bull and Ferrari opted to send their drivers out, highlighting the cautious approach teams are taking with the new regulations and the limited three-day allocation.
Why it matters:
With teams restricted to just three days of running across the five-day schedule, every dry lap is critical for data collection. The unpredictable weather forces team principals into a high-stakes gamble: waste a valuable day on a wet track or save the allocation for potentially better conditions later in the week.
The details:
- Tuesday's Action: Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc were the sole representatives on track. They began on dry tyres before switching to wet weather compounds as rain arrived late morning, continuing on intermediates after the lunch break.
- Midweek Washout: Wednesday's forecast looks bleak, with drizzle and light rain expected throughout the day. This creates a significant dilemma for teams yet to log meaningful mileage.
- Improving Conditions: Thursday and Friday appear to be the saving graces. Thursday may see odd morning showers, but Friday is set to be dry and overcast, offering the best track conditions for performance running.
What's next:
Teams that ran on Monday are likely to sit out Wednesday to maximize performance on Thursday and Friday. Red Bull faces a unique strategic puzzle after running with Isack Hadjar on Monday and Verstappen on Tuesday. They must now choose their final day carefully to ensure they get representative data on the 2026 machinery.