Red Bull's Hadjar Sets Pace on First Day of 2026 Barcelona Testing

Isack Hadjar set the pace for Red Bull Racing on the opening day of the first 2026 winter test at Barcelona. Despite the lack of official timing broadcasts, the French driver reportedly clocked an unofficial lap of 1:18.159, securing the top spot ahead of Mercedes' George Russell by over half a second.

Why it matters:

This marks the first on-track glimpse of the new 2026 regulations era, featuring a revised grid with new factory entries like Cadillac and Audi. While early lap times are not indicative of true race pace, the session provides the initial benchmark for performance and reliability as teams adapt to the significant technical changes for the upcoming season.

The details:

• Unofficial Timing: Although lap times were not officially broadcast, a stream on a YouTube channel revealed the running order. Hadjar improved his time from the morning session to top the sheet.
• The Standings: George Russell ended the day second for Mercedes, 0.537s behind Hadjar. Franco Colapinto was third for Alpine, followed by teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli in fourth.
• New Entrants: The session featured the highly anticipated debut runs for new teams. Cadillac fielded Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, while Audi ran Gabriel Bortoleto. Both teams finished towards the bottom of the timesheet as they focused on shakedown procedures.
• Driver Market: The timesheet reflected the reshuffled driver lineup for 2026, with Esteban Ocon noted in a Haas and Liam Lawson driving for Racing Bulls.

Looking Ahead:

With this being just the first of three days, teams are expected to prioritize mileage and system checks over raw performance. The competitive order is likely to shift significantly as teams unlock more potential from their new cars throughout the remainder of the test.