F1’s New Era Begins as Barcelona Shakedown Delivers First Taste of 2026 Cars

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Formula 1 officially entered a new chapter as the first day of the 2026 Barcelona Shakedown brought the sport’s next generation of cars onto the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya for their maiden collective outing. Held privately and away from public timing screens, the opening day focused on reliability checks, installation laps and gathering early data rather than outright performance.

Seven teams took part in Day 1, including Mercedes, Red Bull, Racing Bulls, Haas, Alpine, Audi and Cadillac. Drivers rotated through morning and afternoon sessions as engineers monitored power unit behaviour, active aerodynamics and hybrid systems introduced under the new regulations. The goal was simple: make sure everything works and build a baseline understanding of how the radically redesigned cars behave on track.

Mercedes led the early running, with Kimi Antonelli completing the first official laps of the shakedown before George Russell took over later in the day. Alpine handed full duties to Franco Colapinto, allowing the team to rack up steady mileage, while Haas focused on system validation and cooling performance. Red Bull used Isack Hadjar for valuable early feedback, and Audi continued development with Gabriel Bortoleto as it prepares for its full factory entry.

Cadillac also made its presence felt, with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez sharing driving duties as the new outfit gathered crucial information during its first collective Formula 1 running. Racing Bulls and Esteban Ocon’s Haas added to the growing lap count as teams quietly worked through early setup programmes.

Not all teams joined the action immediately. McLaren and Ferrari opted to delay their first on track appearance until later in the week to allow extra development time at their factories. Aston Martin confirmed it would begin running later due to final build preparations, while Williams will skip the Barcelona shakedown entirely as it continues assembling its car and relying on simulator work ahead of official testing.

Although lap times were not released, paddock insiders reported largely smooth running across the field, with most teams completing installation programmes without major interruptions. Engineers concentrated on software calibration, brake systems and energy deployment, while drivers offered initial feedback on balance and drivability.

The Barcelona Shakedown allows each team three days of running, with activity expected to ramp up as confidence grows in the new machinery. Data gathered here will feed directly into development plans ahead of the full pre season test, where performance comparisons will finally begin.

Day 1 may not have produced headlines on speed, but it marked a vital milestone. Formula 1’s 2026 era is officially underway, and with sweeping technical changes in place, the quiet laps in Barcelona could shape the competitive order for seasons to come.