Max Verstappen Battles Illness Through Challenging Barcelona Test

Max Verstappen completed the final day of Red Bull's pre-season test in Barcelona while fighting an illness, capping a disrupted week for the team that also included a heavy crash for junior driver Isack Hadjar. Despite the setbacks, the four-time champion logged 118 laps on Friday and described the test as a positive start, albeit with clear areas for improvement.

Why it matters:

Pre-season testing is a critical, limited window for teams to gather data and build operational rhythm ahead of the opening race. For a reigning champion team like Red Bull, any disruption—whether a driver's illness or a damaged car—eats into precious track time that can't be recovered, potentially leaving performance on the table in the early season.

The details:

• Verstappen's running was severely limited early in the week. After driving only in the Tuesday morning session, he was sidelined until Friday due to the extensive repairs needed on the RB22 following Hadjar's crash.
• On the final day, Verstappen managed to complete a full race distance-plus, turning 118 laps and setting the fifth-fastest time of the day with a 1:17.586.
• The Dutch driver confirmed his illness in post-session interviews, sounding noticeably unwell but remaining focused on the work completed.
• Verstappen emphasized the positive of achieving high mileage with a new power unit, stating, "the fact that we were able to do so many laps this week with a new engine is positive."

What's next:

The focus for Red Bull now shifts to the factory, where engineers will analyze the data collected over the five days. Verstappen expressed confidence he would be fully recovered by the season opener, noting the test was "a good start, but it's also still very early in the year." The team will aim to address the improvement areas identified before the cars are shipped to Bahrain for the first Grand Prix.