Former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports analyst Martin Brundle claimed that Mercedes had “hit the sweet spot” with the W17 after private testing in Barcelona last week. With a new wave of regulations beginning this season with more of a focus on electrification, Mercedes has been touted as a favourite thanks to its record … Read more
It didn’t take long for the AMR26 to capture the curiosity of fans and insiders alike when it finally took to the track at Formula 1’s Barcelona shakedown yesterday. The three laps it completed late in the day were enough for it to be immortalised in its first photos, which were immediately scrutinised by the … Read more
F1 fans have latched onto the distinct design of Aston Martin’s 2026 challenger – the first car entirely managed by Adrian Newey as he takes over the Silverstone outfit this year. Newey’s jump from Red Bull to Aston Martin was always going to be viewed under intense scrutiny, but early reports from Barcelona hint at … Read more
Like Indiana Jones snatching his misplaced fedora from under a rapidly descending stone doorway, Aston Martin’s timing was dramatically close to the edge this week. The team arrived for the Barcelona ‘shakedown week’ late on the third of the five days and only achieved a handful of laps when its AMR26 emerged from the garage … Read more
Aston Martin has finally taken to the track at Formula 1’s Barcelona pre-season test, but caused a red flag within just an hour. The Silverstone-based team skipped the first three days of testing as it couldn’t produce its new challenger, the AMR26, on time. The Barcelona shakedown is taking place behind closed doors over five … Read more
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton branded his Thursday morning mileage “amazing” at Formula 1’s Barcelona ‘shakedown’. As the world championship holds its first pre-season test behind closed doors amid 2026’s technical overhaul, with teams allowed to run on three days between 26 and 30 January, the Scuderia picked a Tuesday-Thursday-Friday strategy. Both Charles Leclerc and Hamilton … Read more
It has been a very weird week in the world of Formula 1: cars have hit the track for the first time in 2026 but the general public, media included, has only been drip-fed information. In a world where everything is usually on constant demand, putting the Barcelona shakedown behind closed doors as teams gear … Read more
Williams Formula 1 team boss James Vowles says it is “incredibly painful” for his squad to miss out on the Barcelona shakedown this week, and has denied rumours the team’s car will be significantly overweight. Last week, Williams decided to abandon its plans to attend F1’s first testing opportunity of the 2026 pre-season in Barcelona, … Read more
George Russell has accused Max Verstappen of deliberately crashing into him during the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix and claimed the move was “totally unnecessary”. Drama escalated in Barcelona after the lap 61 safety car restart, as third-placed Verstappen was immediately put under pressure from behind following a slide out of the final corner. Charles … Read more
Just under six tenths of a second separated Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda in the first segment of qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix – but it was enough for the Japanese Formula 1 driver to be eliminated in last. It was another miserable afternoon for Tsunoda, who said after Friday’s practice … Read more