Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar delivered a stunning performance by topping the timesheets on Day 1 of the 2026 Formula 1 Barcelona pre-season testing, edging out Mercedes.
The behind-closed-doors shakedown at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya marked the first real taste of the all-new 2026 regulations, with teams prioritizing reliability over outright pace as they bed in fresh power units and chassis designs under the significantly revised technical framework.
Hadjar’s Red Bull RB22 clocked an unofficial fastest lap of 1:18.159 in the afternoon, beating George Russell’s Mercedes W17 by 0.537 seconds, a margin that while not indicative of race trim signaled strong early preparation from the team.
Unofficial 2026 F1 Barcelona pre-season testing Day 1 Results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 1:18.159 | 107 | |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:18.696 | +0.537 | 93 |
| 3 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:20.189 | +2.030 | 60 |
| 4 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:20.700 | +2.541 | 56 |
| 5 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:21.301 | +3.142 | 154 |
| 6 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:21.513 | +3.354 | 88 |
| 7 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:24.651 | +6.492 | 33 |
| 8 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:25.296 | +7.137 | 27 |
| 9 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 1:25.974 | +7.815 | 11 |
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