Red Bull Hit Early Setback as Isack Hadjar Crashes During Wet F1 Testing

Formula 1’s first major on-track preparations for the 2026 season took a dramatic turn in Barcelona after Red Bull rookie Isack Hadjar crashed his newly built car in wet conditions during private pre-season testing. The incident underlined both the challenges of the sport’s sweeping new regulations and the risks faced by teams integrating young drivers into radically different machinery.

Isack Hadjar, 21, lost control at the final corner of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during the second day of running. The Frenchman, promoted to Red Bull’s senior team after just one full Formula 1 season, spun on a damp track and struck the barriers rear-first. The session took place without independent media access, but eyewitnesses reported that Hadjar had just switched from full wet tyres to intermediates as light rain continued to fall.

Red Bull Faces Repairs and Tough Choices

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies described the conditions as “very tricky” and stressed that incidents like this are part of pre-season learning. He added that the crash followed an otherwise productive opening to the test, during which Isack Hadjar completed significant mileage and provided valuable feedback to engineers.

Despite the setback, Red Bull had shown encouraging pace earlier in the week. Max Verstappen completed his first laps in the new car on Tuesday morning, briefly running wide at Turn Five but continuing without damage. However, the crash has forced Red Bull to rethink into strategy. With teams limited to just three days of running during this test week, Red Bull has now opted not to run on Wednesday while assessments and repairs are carried out, leaving the team with only one remaining day in Barcelona.

 

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McLaren Waits, Ferrari Pushes On

While Red Bull and Ferrari were the only teams running on Tuesday due to poor weather, reigning world champions McLaren chose patience over risk. The team, which had planned to debut its new car midweek, delayed its first outing until Wednesday after conditions failed to improve. McLaren will now use all three of its permitted remaining days to complete its programme.

Ferrari, meanwhile, focused on mileage rather than outright performance. Charles Leclerc drove in the morning session, with Lewis Hamilton taking over in the afternoon as the pair logged more than 120 laps combined. Lewis Hamilton described the wet-weather running as demanding but useful, highlighting the importance of understanding energy deployment under Formula 1’s new hybrid-heavy regulations.

A New Era Begins Under New Rules

The 2026 season introduces comprehensive changes to chassis design, power units, tyres, and fuel, placing a much greater emphasis on electrical energy management. Drivers and teams are still in the early stages of understanding how these systems behave on track.

Leclerc acknowledged that it was too soon to draw conclusions, noting Ferrari’s focus on system checks rather than performance. After a winless 2025 season, Ferrari hopes the new ruleset will help it close the gap to the front.

As testing continues, Hadjar’s crash serves as an early reminder that Formula 1’s new era will reward adaptability—and punish mistakes—more than ever.