Hadjar Crash Ends Red Bull's Day as Ferrari Braves Rain in Barcelona

Persistent rain and a late crash by reserve driver Isack Hadjar brought a premature end to Red Bull’s running on the second day of Formula 1’s closed-door 2026 shakedown in Barcelona. While the Milton Keynes outfit faces a race to repair the RB22, rival Ferrari successfully navigated the tricky conditions to complete valuable system checks with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

Why it matters:

With teams strictly limited to just three permitted test days during this shakedown period, losing significant track time to an accident is a costly setback for Red Bull's data collection and development program. Conversely, Ferrari's ability to execute a full program despite the adverse weather suggests early reliability for the SF-26 and a smooth integration for their new driver lineup.

The details:

• The Incident: Hadjar lost control at the fast Turn 14 right-hander with less than 30 minutes remaining. The car slid backward into the barriers, shedding its rear wing, though the Frenchman walked away uninjured. It marked his first crash as a Red Bull F1 driver.
• Red Bull's Reaction: Max Verstappen had handed over the car after a morning session that included his own brief off-track moment at Turn 5. Team principal Laurent Mekies stated the immediate priority is assessing damage to determine when to deploy their final remaining test day.
• Ferrari’s Focus: The Scuderia prioritized systems validation over performance. Leclerc completed 66 laps, noting the car is "very different" to drive, while Hamilton took over in the pouring rain to complete 57 laps.
• Wet Weather Learning: Hamilton highlighted that figuring out tire activation in the wet was "really productive," providing valuable data despite the red flag stoppage.

What's next:

The shakedown continues on Wednesday, with McLaren expected to join the fray for their first on-track appearance of the week. Teams will look to maximize dry running opportunities as they prepare for the upcoming 2026 season.