Barcelona Shakedown Times Emerge as Isack Hadjar Steals the Spotlight
Formula 1’s long road to the new season officially began on Monday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as teams took to the track for the opening day of a tightly controlled private shakedown test. While fans were left in the dark due to a strict broadcast blackout, limited timing and lap-count data released by F1 offered the first clues about who has hit the ground running ahead of the sport’s sweeping regulatory overhaul.
With 11 days of pre-season running scheduled before the opening race, the FIA and Formula 1 have granted teams extended preparation time to adapt to the radically revised technical rules. Even so, the lack of live footage only heightened intrigue, making every fragment of information from Barcelona feel significant.
A Busy Morning Despite a Reduced Grid
Only seven teams were present for the opening day, with Williams absent altogether and McLaren, Ferrari, and Aston Martin set to join later in the week. Despite the limited attendance, those on track wasted no time in racking up mileage, particularly during a productive morning session.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli made an immediate impression, logging 56 laps and sitting at the top of the timesheets for much of the morning. His early pace suggested that Mercedes have started the new era on solid footing, continuing the positive momentum seen in previous private simulations.
However, it was Red Bull’s newest recruit, Isack Hadjar, who ultimately emerged as the fastest driver of the morning. The Frenchman edged out Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson to lead the session, offering an encouraging first signal for Red Bull’s new power unit package. The close proximity between the two sister teams also hinted at a strong baseline across the Red Bull family.
Elsewhere, Haas quietly had one of the most productive mornings. Esteban Ocon completed an impressive 67 laps — the highest total of the session — a result that would have delighted the American team as they look to establish early reliability under the new rules.
The first red flag of the 2026 pre-season era was triggered by Alpine, though details surrounding the interruption were scarce due to the private nature of the test.
Afternoon Pace Increases as Hadjar Shines Again
Information from the afternoon session was more limited, but a few key details did emerge. George Russell took over driving duties for Mercedes from Antonelli and continued the team’s strong opening day. Russell reportedly set a lap of 1:18.696, roughly two-tenths quicker than Hadjar’s morning benchmark.
However, further reports suggested that Hadjar went even faster later in the day, clocking a 1:18.452 to once again top the timing data. If accurate, it would cap off a standout debut day for Red Bull’s newest driver, marking him as one of the early stars of the shakedown.
By the end of the day, both Mercedes and Haas had surpassed the 100-lap mark — a significant achievement for day one — while Red Bull and Racing Bulls each completed more than 50 laps. Crucially, teams present were said to enjoy strong reliability overall, an encouraging sign given the scale of the technical reset.
What Exactly Is a Shakedown?
A shakedown is essentially Formula 1’s first on-track health check. It allows teams to run their brand-new cars without competitive pressure, verifying systems, gathering baseline data, and ensuring that new components function as intended. Unlike standard testing sessions, shakedowns place no formal restrictions on lap counts, giving engineers maximum flexibility.
Because this Barcelona running is private, media access is heavily restricted. Only minimal filming is permitted for team and sponsor content, with journalists relying on limited official data feeds.
Despite the secrecy, fans won’t be completely left out. Sky Sports will provide daily analysis and discussion through a testing highlights show, airing live at 7pm UK time on YouTube before being broadcast later on Sky Sports F1.
While lap times at this stage should be treated with caution, the opening day in Barcelona has already offered plenty to talk about — and Isack Hadjar has made sure his name is firmly in the conversation.
