Source: Radio New Zealand
Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar Hadjar spun at turn 14 and hit the barriers. Eric Alonso
A crash involving new Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar ended testing early on day two of Formula 1’s Barcelona Shakedown.
Adverse weather meant just a couple of teams took part as they run their new 2026 cars.
Cars this year are smaller and lighter and no longer use the Drag Reduction System. Fifty percent of the power output will be from battery with the other half from the internal combustion engine.
New Zealand’s Liam Lawson did not take to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya after completing 42 laps in his Racing Bulls car the previous day.
Ferrari were involved for the first time with Charles Leclerc running in the morning and Lewis Hamilton in the afternoon.
Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, who was promoted from Racing Bulls at the end of the 2025 season, also shared time in the new Red Bull car.
In wet conditions Hadjar spun at turn 14 and hit the barriers which prompted a red flag.
Kicking up the spray #F1 pic.twitter.com/8gGEEClE7k
— Formula 1 (@F1) January 27, 2026
The French-Algerian, who also ran on the first day, completed another 51 laps before his accident.
McLaren were expected to have their first run but did not take part.
Each team is permitted three days of running during the five-day ‘shakedown.
Williams had said they wouldn’t be involved this week, while Aston Martin is yet to confirm their involvement.
There is another three days of testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya before the teams head to Bahrain for two testing sessions ahead of the season opening Grand Prix in Australia in early March.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
