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Red Bull stuns Martin Brundle as Lewis Hamilton fastest as Barcelona test ends – RacingNews365 Review

Martin Brundle has been left far from surprised by what he has seen so far from Red Bull Powertrains' debut in F1 given what he saw when on a tour of its facilities by former team boss Christian Horner. Heading into the upcoming season, there was a question mark over Red Bull and its new Powertrains department, bearing in mind it has constructed its own power unit for the first time in its 20-year history. READ MORE: Martin Brundle left stunned after Red Bull tour: 'My God, this is unbelievable!' 2026 F1 Barcelona Pre-Season Test - Day 5 results And that's a wrap! The fifth and final day of private testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya has concluded, and for almost all of those present, it has been a very productive week. There were 12 drivers on track across the day, and it was Ferrari's Charles Leclerc who went quickest in the morning, before Lewis Hamilton took over in the SF-26. READ MORE: 2026 F1 Barcelona Pre-Season Test - Day 5 results Donald Trump signs order for major street race in Washington D.C US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to begin the process of bringing an IndyCar race to the streets of Washington, D.C. On Friday, in the Oval Office in the presence of Transport Secretary Sean Duffy and IndyCar owner Roger Penske, Trump signed an executive order confirming plans for the 'Freedom 250' to take place on the streets of the US capital. READ MORE: Donald Trump signs order for major street race in Washington D.C Max Verstappen reveals illness in challenging Red Bull test Max Verstappen has revealed that he has been unwell throughout this week’s five-day test in Barcelona, making it a challenging period for Red Bull. The four-time world champion’s time in the RB22 was spread out across the test, with his first outing coming during the Tuesday morning session. READ MORE: Max Verstappen reveals illness in challenging Red Bull test Exclusive: Usain Bolt in shock talks to become Formula E team investor Eight-time Olympic gold medallist and one of the greatest athletes of all time, Usain Bolt exclusively revealed to RacingNews365 that he is pushing to become an investor in a Formula E team. Ahead of this weekend’s Miami E-Prix at the Miami International Autodrome, Bolt attended an event organised by title partner ABB on Thursday evening, which was also attended by RacingNews365. READ MORE: Exclusive: Usain Bolt in shock talks to become Formula E team investor Cadillac land major Sergio Perez sponsor Cadillac has reaped the reward from its signing of Sergio Perez by landing one of the Mexican driver's long-term partners. Perez has been heavily supported throughout his F1 career by a plethora of major Mexican brands, leading to América Movil opting to partner with F1's newest team. READ MORE: Cadillac land major Sergio Perez sponsor

racingnews365.com·Jan 30

Exclusive: Usain Bolt in shock talks to become Formula E team investor

Eight-time Olympic gold medallist and one of the greatest athletes of all time, Usain Bolt exclusively revealed to RacingNews365 that he is pushing to become an investor in a Formula E team. Ahead of this weekend’s Miami E-Prix at the Miami International Autodrome, Bolt attended an event organised by title partner ABB on Thursday evening, which was also attended by RacingNews365. The event saw the Jamaican light up the Miami Tower while seated in the cockpit of a Formula E car. The 100m, 200m and 4x100m world record holder is no stranger to the all-electric series, having driven one of its cars in Mexico City two years ago. Bolt is a huge supporter of the championship and an admirer of the work it does around sustainability. Asked for his thoughts on Formula E, Bolt exclusively told RacingNews365 at the ABB event: "Yeah, I’ve tried to follow it as much as I possibly can. "I mean, it’s really growing, and that’s something that is always great because, again, it’s big on the environment, and it’s great for clean energy. So that’s something that I’m happy to see growing and getting bigger." Talks held over possible Formula E investment In recent years, an increasing number of stars from the sporting world, celebrities and influencers have invested in motorsport teams, particularly across F1, MotoGP and Formula E. The most prominent new investor in Formula E is actor Idris Elba, who became a strategic investor in the Cupra Kiro outfit in February 2025. Bolt has held talks with his inner circle about investing in a Formula E team, although he would not name which team in particular, with the 39-year-old eager to make it happen. Discussing if becoming a Formula E team investor is on his radar, Bolt revealed: "That’s something that we’ve discussed. "There have been talks; it’s just about getting the right team and the right people together to really get it off the ground. "So my team and I will definitely talk about it. And as I said, it’s always a great initiative to get into something that’s really grown and is going in the right direction." Deciding which team to invest into is something Bolt is actively thinking about, with it all being about everything fitting together correctly. Pushed on whether it is something he is actively pursuing, the Olympic legend replied: "Yeah, that’s something that we’ve discussed. "And it’s just about getting everything together, getting it on the right track, and seeing if it will be the right move."

racingnews365.com·Jan 26

Aston Martin reveal Barcelona F1 test plan after delay fears

Aston Martin has confirmed that it will not complete three days of running at this week’s official shakedown test in Barcelona. RacingNews365 discovered last week that the Silverstone-based team was facing potential delays with its AMR26, which will not be seen on track until the latter stages of the test. Aston Martin revealed in a statement that it will be at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this week but will not run until Thursday at the earliest, with the intention of also running on Friday. This means that only two days of running at best will be conducted by the British outfit, despite three being allowed for each team. An Aston Martin statement read: "The AMR26 will be in Barcelona later this week for its shakedown. Our intention is to run Thursday and Friday." https://x.com/AstonMartinF1/status/2015813301482008616?s=20 An update on Barcelona Shakedown. pic.twitter.com/dm9IWh2d32 — Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) January 26, 2026

racingnews365.com·Jan 25

Aston Martin set to face key F1 delay ahead of Barcelona pre-season test

Aston Martin is set to face a significantly disrupted start to 2026 F1 pre-season testing, with a delay to its programme in Barcelona, RacingNews365 understands. Sources with direct knowledge of the situation have confirmed that the Silverstone-based team will not be in action during the first two days of the private behind-closed-doors test in Spain, and that their "most optimistic" scenario is to be on track on Wednesday, 28th January for the first time. It is understood that minor delays in several areas have contributed to the team missing the first two days of the five-day test. When contacted by RacingNews365, a team spokesperson stated that the team would be confirming its run plan for Barcelona at the start of the new week. It is understood that equipment and team personnel have already arrived in Barcelona ahead of the start of the test on Monday. Although the test is five days in total, each team will only be permitted to run for three days, in any order they choose, which, when combined with the two, three-day Bahain tests, means there is a total of nine days of testing on offer. Earlier in the week, RacingNews365 revealed that Williams will skip the Barcelona test altogether with delays in passing the crash tests on its new FW48 machine. Aston Martin has long-targeted 2026 as its best chance to challenge for the F1 championships and race wins, with owner Lawrence Stroll embarking on a heavy-investment drive. A brand-new state-of-the-art factory has been built at Silverstone, with a works Honda engine deal being secured for the new rules. The team also managed to lure Adrian Newey to spearhead the project as technical leader from Red Bull, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll continuing as the driver pairing, and is the most experienced line-up in F1 history with a combined 614 starts.

racingnews365.com·Jan 25

Red Bull make striking decision for first 2026 F1 test

Red Bull has selected 18 sets of the C3 soft compound tyre for the upcoming first pre-season test in Barcelona, as confirmed by Pirelli. Ahead of next week’s five-day official shakedown test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Pirelli revealed that the C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium), C3 (Soft), Intermediate, and Wet compounds will be available. Upon revealing the compounds on offer to the teams in Spain, F1’s tyre supplier confirmed how many of each set every team had selected. As first reported by RacingNews365, Williams will miss the test following issues passing the FIA’s mandatory crash tests. The Grove-based outfit released a statement on Friday afternoon confirming it would be absent from Barcelona to continue focusing on preparing its 2026 F1 car. Across the five-day test, the teams present are permitted to run for three days, with McLaren and Ferrari both having revealed they will not start running on the first day. Being the first real running of the cars, each team has its own programme in mind, resulting in huge differences in how many sets of each compound the teams have taken. As mentioned, Red Bull has remarkably opted for 18 sets of soft tyres, one set of mediums, and no hard tyres. Barcelona will see the RB22 on track for the first time, with no shakedown having been conducted ahead of the test — a strategy also taken by McLaren. For Barcelona, McLaren has selected four sets of C1 tyres, 10 sets of C2 tyres, and six sets of C3 tyres. Mercedes has selected the most hard tyres in the paddock for Barcelona, opting for eight sets. Ferrari, which unveiled the SF-26 on Friday before undergoing an initial shakedown, has selected the most C2 tyres, with the Scuderia to receive 12 sets, while no team has opted for more soft tyres than Red Bull. See how many sets of each tyre compound the teams have selected below! Tyre sets selected per team

racingnews365.com·Jan 24

Haas start bold new era as new Toyota-backed car makes F1 debut

Haas has become the seventh F1 team to give its 2026 car its first taste of on-track running with an outing at Fiorano. Oliver Bearman was behind the wheel as the VF-26 ventured out for the first time, doing so at Ferrari's Fiorano test track, where 24 hours before, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completed a shakedown for the new Ferrari machine. Haas will once again be powered by Ferrari customer engines for the coming season, as the team starts the new year with a new title sponsorship with Toyota Gazoo Racing, and will officially be entered as TGR Haas F1 Team. The VF-26 has followed the new cars from Audi, Cadillac, Racing Bulls, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Alpine in getting out on track, with Cadillac, Mercedes, and Alpine all doing so at Silverstone. Audi used Barcelona for its shakedown, as Racing Bulls used Imola. It means McLaren, Aston Martin, Red Bull and Williams are yet to run their new cars on track heading to the behind-closed-doors Barcelona test, starting on Monday, which, as RacingNews365 revealed on Friday, Williams is set to miss due to problems with passing the FIA-mandated crash tests.

racingnews365.com·Jan 23

Fred Vasseur reveals Ferrari F1 testing plans after successful 2026 launch

Fred Vasseur has revealed when Ferrari will first be on-track during F1's first pre-season test in Barcelona next week. The five-day test is taking place behind-closed-doors as teams put their new 2026 generation machines through their paces, although Williams will be missing the test due to delays in passing the crash-tests, RacingNews365 understands. Across the five days in Barcelona, each team is only allowed to have its car on-track for three days, which, when added to the two Bahrain tests, allows for nine days of running in total. McLaren has already declared that it will miss the opening days of running, not appearing until potentially Wednesday, with Ferrari's SF-26 set to appear before that, on Tuesday 27th, February, before further plans are made for the rest of the week. "It's quite an emotional day for us today, the launch of a new project is always an important milestone," Vasseur told select invited media, including RacingNews365. "But I would say that it is even more true this year with the completely new regulations for 2026. It was a long way to go until today, and I think it went pretty well. "It was a good start, so let's be positive and enjoy the journey, and now we have to be focused on Barcelona. "We will start the test on Tuesday, and then with the regulation, we will decide which date to run with Thursday, we will [also] be on track on Thursday. "It has been a huge amount of work in the last weeks, month and probably also years on the engine side, but we are more than happy with the setup today, and it is not the end of the story, but the beginning of the season."

racingnews365.com·Jan 23

Breaking: Williams explain painful decision behind F1 2026 Barcelona test exit

Williams has explained the painful reasoning why it has opted to withdraw from first pre-season test in Barcelona next week. As revealed by RacingNews365 earlier today, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed that Williams has struggled recently to pass the FIA's mandatory crash tests. It is now known that, on this basis, a decision has been made that the team will not take part in the test. With Williams losing one-third of the total permitted nine days of testing before the season-opener, it means drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz will have, at best, three days each in the FW48 machine across the two Bahrain tests in February. A Williams statement read: "Atlassian Williams F1 Team has taken the decision not to participate in next week’s shakedown test in Barcelona following delays in the FW48 programme as we continue to push for maximum car performance. "The team will instead conduct a series of tests, including a VTT [virtual test track] programme next week with the 2026 car, to prepare for the first official test in Bahrain and the first race of the season in Melbourne. "We are looking forward to getting on track in the coming weeks and want to thank all our fans for your continued support – there is a lot to look forward to together in 2026." more follows

racingnews365.com·Jan 22

McLaren reveal F1 pre-season test ‘plan A’ surprise

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has revealed that "plan A" for McLaren’s shakedown is for it to take place next week in Barcelona, during the official week of running for all teams. Unlike some of its rivals, the Woking-based outfit has opted against completing any running before heading to Spain, and McLaren will also not run on the first day of testing. Stella confirmed that the team will not start testing until either the second or third day of next week’s official shakedown, but that its 2026 car has been successfully built. During a technical roundtable for select media, including RacingNews365, Stella confirmed the current whereabouts of the car and outlined McLaren’s run plan for next week. Currently, McLaren’s 2026 challenger is in Austria on the dyno at AVL RACETECH, the motorsport division of major Austrian mobility technology company AVL. Discussing AVL RACETECH and the team’s plan for Barcelona, Stella told select media, including RacingNews365 : "It’s a facility at AVL [in Austria] that we have been using for some time, and that’s where the car is at the moment. "Then the car will be in Barcelona for the shakedown on track. This will happen directly at the test. We plan to start testing either on day two or day three, so we will not be testing on day one. "We wanted to give ourselves as much time as possible for development. You all may know that you are allowed to test three days over the five that are available in Barcelona. "Then we will start from, like I said, either day two or day three, and we will test for three days." Why McLaren will not run until the Barcelona test McLaren is not alone in opting against performing a pre-Barcelona shakedown, with Red Bull having made the same decision. So far, Audi, Cadillac, Racing Bulls, and Alpine have all conducted at least some running, but in Stella’s eyes, it comes with consequences. Stella explained that the British outfit had planned all along not to run before Barcelona and to delay its track debut for as long as possible, in order to maximise development time and ensure the car that exits the garage is a competitive one. "Actually, this was always going to be Plan A," said Stella. "There’s also so much change that we don’t necessarily need to be the first on track. So we wanted to give, like I said before, as much time as possible for development, because every day of development, every day of design, adds a little bit of performance. "This also means that if you are early on track, you will have the reassurance of knowing what you need to know as soon as possible, but at the same time, it means that you might have committed to the design and realisation of the car relatively early. "So you will have compromised some development time and ultimate performance. Obviously, there will be updates, I guess, for every car between testing in Barcelona and the first race. "But we thought that in the economy of a season, it was important to start and launch the car in the most competitive package configuration. "That’s why we pushed all the timing to the limit, but within a very manageable limit. So at the moment, like I said, we are on plan to be testing on day two, and we didn’t feel any urge to plan for testing on day one."

racingnews365.com·Jan 21

Gabriel Bortoleto reveals 'useless' feeling as Audi preparations ramp up

Gabriel Bortoleto has revealed he started to feel "useless" during Formula 1’s short winter break, as Audi’s preparations ramp up ahead of its debut. The Brazilian joined Sauber last season on a multi-year contract, with the 2024 Formula 2 champion viewed as a significant part of Audi’s future. He made strong strides during his rookie campaign, although the arrival of Audi has long been seen as Bortoleto’s opportunity to truly show his value. With three separate tests scheduled ahead of the F1 season opener in Australia, all 22 drivers were given an incredibly short winter break. For Bortoleto, even that proved too long, with the youngster eager to continue working with Audi ahead of its first season in the championship. Asked if he had time to reset, Bortoleto told select media, including RacingNews365 , at Audi’s launch: "It’s only my second season in F1. If I could, I wouldn’t even have a winter break. So for me, yeah, it was nice to spend a bit of time with family. "But I feel like after five days at home, I was already feeling a bit useless, that I was away from the factory and the team. And I was like, 'I want to go back. I want to start it again.'" Throughout the short winter break, simulator driving—both at home and at Audi’s factory—was something Bortoleto invested significant time in. The 21-year-old has always been a regular simulator driver at home, but he has ensured that not a single day was wasted preparing himself for the new power unit regulations. When asked how much time he had spent in the simulator, he added: "Oh, a lot. How many days? It’s difficult to say. Since last year, obviously we had a shutdown break. At home, I was in the sim every day. "But since I came back [on January 6], I think I did five days already, something like that. So obviously, a lot of events in between this. "So far, I haven’t really stopped much at home, but every time I can and I have free time to go to the team and work, I’m there."

racingnews365.com·Jan 21

Nico Hulkenberg remains tight-lipped after Audi 'temptation'

Nico Hulkenberg has remained tight-lipped on the performance of Audi’s first Formula 1 car, although he revealed that being involved in the project was always "very tempting". Audi is one of two new teams on the grid this season—Cadillac is the other—having successfully acquired the Stake F1 operation. The German manufacturer unveiled its livery for the 2026 campaign on Tuesday evening in Berlin, although a filming day with its R26—the name of its new car—has already been completed. Hulkenberg knew when he joined Stake ahead of the 2025 campaign on a multi-year deal that he would be involved in the Audi project, which was a major reason for his move from Haas. Asked if it was a dream to be with Audi, Hulkenberg told select media, including RacingNews365 , at the team’s launch: "It’s definitely something very tempting and exciting. "That’s why, two or three years ago, when I decided to go for this project—quite some time before now, before it became a reality—I could already see the temptation and what it would become. "So yes, now to see it come to life, to become a reality, it’s nice." Audi conducted a filming day in Barcelona on January 9. However, with limited running completed and the car not fitted with the correct F1 tyres, Hulkenberg has remained quiet on what it felt like. Discussing what the car felt like during Audi’s filming day, Hulkenberg replied: "I can’t share much because it’s a filming day. "You don’t have the real tyres, and it’s not running in anger, so unfortunately, we need to wait."

racingnews365.com·Jan 20

Isack Hadjar handed '100% convinced' boost after stepping into 'different universe'

Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer has revealed that former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was "100 per cent convinced" about Isack Hadjar despite him leaping into the "different universe" that is F1. Hadjar has come a long way in a short period after finishing runner-up in the F2 championship just over 13 months ago. Promoted initially into F1 with Racing Bulls, the French-Algerian driver will serve as Max Verstappen's team-mate at Red Bull this year. It was a run-out at Imola last January, however, that the team - then run by Laurent Mekies before taking up the reins at Red Bull, and with current Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane then serving as racing director - recognised Hadjar as a talent. "If we go back to January, looking at the data we had, and the initial meetings we had with Isack, we certainly knew we had a young driver who was extremely focused and extremely willing to work hard for his success," said Bayer, speaking to RacingNews365 in an exclusive interview at the end of last year. "But in that moment, you didn't know if he would be able to take to the car, to the team, to the pressure, everything. "That's because, and a lot of the juniors have said this, that stepping up from F2 to F1 is a different universe, not just a different planet. You're making a phenomenal step in every regard. "I remember Alan and Laurent, when Isack was running at Imola, they called me and said that there's something there. So you see the bits and pieces. You put the puzzle together. "As for Helmut, he was 100 per cent convinced that Isack is the new talent. "Laurent and Alan, who are quite down to earth in their assessments, sent positive signals. It was a rainy day in Imola, and he [Hadjar] kept it on track. He was solid, he was consistent. Everything pointed towards the right direction." 'Nothing to lose' after Melbourne For Bayer, it was what then unfolded in the aftermath of the Australian Grand Prix that, in his eyes, cemented Hadjar's status as one for the future. On his F1 debut, Hadjar suffered the worst possible start when he crashed out on the formation lap in tricky conditions. Initially, and understandably so, the then 20-year-old was distraught. To such an extent that even Anthony Hamilton, father of seven-time F1 champion Lewis, threw a consoling arm around the young driver's shoulders as he trudged disconsolately down the Albert Park paddock, and offered words of advice. Hadjar rebounded superbly, doing enough to go on and secure a drive with Red Bull this season. "We went to Melbourne, and we all know what happened in Melbourne," reflected Bayer. "In a way, it was the whole pressure of one season on this kid in one second. Why was it like that? Because it happened on the formation lap. "If it had happened during the race, people would have said, 'Okay, rookie mistake. First race, this is what happens', and then 20 seconds later, the cameras would move on, back to the race, and nobody would think of Isack anymore. "But because this happened on the formation lap, they had to abort the start, and the whole world kept watching Isack for five minutes. "I think, to a certain extent, all the pressure was gone. It was such a low moment that he probably thought, 'Okay, that's it. I've got nothing more to lose. All I can do now is work hard and focus', and that's what he did."