Honda is finalizing plans to enter the WEC's Hypercar class, likely in partnership with Inter Europol Competition. The manufacturer can leverage its existing Acura IMSA engine, marking a strategic expansion while it maintains its core focus on F1 and MotoGP.
Aston Martin's 2026 F1 car, the AMR26, completed its first laps in Barcelona after a delayed arrival, highlighting the team's immense challenge of adapting to new rules, building its own gearbox, and integrating new engine partner Honda under the guidance of Adrian Newey.
George Russell set the fastest time for Mercedes in Barcelona F1 testing but immediately cautioned that lap times are misleading. He praised rival teams' power units as 'impressive' and surprising, warning that the true competitive order is still unknown with the Bahrain test and upgrades still to come.
Red Bull and Ford's new in-house F1 power unit passed its first major test with flying colors, earning high praise for reliability and drivability during pre-season running in Barcelona. The successful debut is a major boost for the new partnership as it aims to challenge established engine manufacturers.
Aston Martin's AMR26 only appeared in the final hour of pre-season testing due to a perfect storm of major changes: becoming a Honda works team, building its first in-house gearbox in years, and designing for all-new 2026 regulations. Team boss Mike Krack called making the test at all an achievement.
Fernando Alonso set a much faster time for Aston Martin as the team resolved its reliability issues on the final day of Barcelona testing. McLaren, Haas, and Red Bull also returned to the track after fixing their own problems, allowing most teams crucial running time for 2026 development.
Charles Leclerc led the final morning of F1's 2026 pre-season test in Barcelona for Ferrari, with Oscar Piastri second for McLaren. Max Verstappen returned to action for Red Bull, taking third after the team resolved a parts delay that kept them off track on Thursday.
Aston Martin's new Adrian Newey-designed F1 car had an emotional but brief debut in Barcelona, completing only four laps before stopping. The team now races to fix issues before the crucial Bahrain test.
On the final day of F1's 2026 pre-season test in Barcelona, eight teams are running while three are absent. Williams skipped the test entirely, while Mercedes and Racing Bulls have already used their maximum three days of permitted track time, highlighting different team strategies ahead of the new season.
The 2026 F1 pre-season test in Barcelona concludes, with Mercedes wrapping up early after 500 laps. Aston Martin begins its delayed program, while Red Bull urgently repairs Max Verstappen's car ahead of the final test in Bahrain next month.
Netflix is producing 'Schumacher '94,' a documentary featuring insights from Corinna Schumacher about Michael's intense first championship-winning season in 1994. The film will explore his dual identity as a relentless racer and a private individual during one of F1's most dramatic years.
Max Verstappen surprised fans by speaking French during a gaming stream, revealing another layer of his multilingual skills. The moment occurred as he waited in Barcelona for a delayed preseason test with Red Bull Racing, offering a casual look at the champion's off-track life.
