Spare Parts Arrive, Boosting Verstappen's Barcelona Test Hopes

Red Bull has received the necessary spare parts to repair Max Verstappen's RB22, significantly increasing the likelihood of the four-time world champion running on the final day of pre-season testing in Barcelona. The team's participation had been in serious doubt following a heavy crash by rookie Isack Hadjar earlier in the week, which caused extensive rear-end damage and forced Red Bull to skip two full days of running.

Why it matters:

Pre-season testing is a critical window for teams to gather data and for drivers to acclimate to their new cars. For Verstappen, the reigning champion, every lap is valuable for fine-tuning the RB22 ahead of the season opener. Missing another full day of running would be a significant setback for the team's preparation, making the arrival of these parts crucial for their pre-season program.

The details:

• The setback occurred on Tuesday afternoon when Red Bull junior driver Isack Hadjar crashed heavily at the final corner of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
• The impact caused major damage to the rear of the car, prompting Red Bull to withdraw from running on both Wednesday and Thursday to conduct repairs.
• Verstappen is the only Red Bull driver with remaining allocated track time, permitted a full day on Friday.
• So far this week, Verstappen has completed only 27 laps, all during a single session on Tuesday morning.
• While the parts have arrived from the factory in Milton Keynes, the team has stated a final decision on whether to run on Friday will be made in the morning.

What's next:

All eyes will be on the Red Bull garage Friday morning to see if the repairs are completed in time for Verstappen to take to the track. A successful day of running would allow the team to salvage valuable data from the test, while another missed session would leave them with a substantial deficit in mileage compared to their rivals just weeks before the first race.