The first day of testing in the 2026 Formula 1 preseason took place on Monday (26th) at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit with low temperatures and a bit of rain, but with high expectations. Mercedes, with Kimi Antonelli behind the wheel, was the first team to leave the pits, followed by Gabriel Bortoleto of Audi and Franco Colapinto of Alpine. However, both Bortoleto and Colapinto faced technical issues during the morning, but due to the ‘closed-door’ policy of the session, where the presence of the press or fans is not allowed, it was not possible to identify the causes of the setbacks.
Meanwhile, other teams also began their testing, including Liam Lawson with Racing Bulls, Isack Hadjar with Red Bull Racing, Valtteri Bottas with Cadillac, and Esteban Ocon with Haas. By noon, Ocon had completed 67 laps, leading the lap count at that time. However, the pace was interrupted by a red flag caused by Lawson, who stopped on the track.
Despite some YouTubers’ attempts to disclose lap times through the timing system, the information was not official, and in any case, did not represent the teams’ actual performance, since the main objective at this point is the validation of new systems, not the completion of fast laps. The fastest time, according to leaked information, was Hadjar’s with 1m18.159s, but as expected, this does not reflect the true capacity of the cars at the moment.
The security apparatus around the circuit increased throughout the day, with the security team intensifying surveillance and keeping anyone who approached the perimeter at bay. The teams’ coverage was also limited, with some social media posts, but a growing online dissatisfaction with access to information led to reduced posts, in addition to a brief release of a video showing Audi’s car leaving the pits.
In terms of the number of laps, the focus of the day was more on the volume of data collected than lap times. In this regard, Haas stood out, with Esteban Ocon completing 154 laps, while Mercedes, with George Russell and Antonelli, totaled 149 laps. The new teams, such as Audi and Cadillac, faced more difficulties. Bortoleto’s team managed to complete only 27 laps, while Cadillac completed 44, with Sergio Perez completing only 11 laps. Audi confirmed that it has already identified the problem and is preparing to correct it for the rest of the week.
The weather forecast will be a crucial factor for the next few days, and teams plan to adjust their testing plans according to the weather conditions. For tomorrow (Tuesday), there is a forecast of heavy rain and even storms in the Spanish circuit region. McLaren, Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Williams did not participate in this first day, with McLaren and Ferrari already confirming that they will only enter the track from Tuesday, and Williams not participating in the Barcelona tests.
