Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar crashed his car during the second day of Formula One pre-season testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya on Tuesday. The 21-year-old Frenchman, promoted to Red Bull's team for the 2026 season, lost control at the final corner and hit the barriers in drizzly conditions, according to reports from the BBC and Channel News Asia.
Immediate Action & Core Facts
Hadjar spun and struck the barrier backward during the private test session, with videos and photos of the incident circulating on social media. Neither Red Bull nor the FIA immediately responded to requests for comment.
World champions McLaren postponed their track debut until Wednesday due to weather conditions, while Ferrari completed 123 laps between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Deeper Dive & Context
Testing Conditions and Schedule
The Spanish track is hosting a five-day shakedown, with teams allowed to run for three of those five days before two pre-season tests in Bahrain in February. Only Red Bull and Ferrari ran on Tuesday due to the weather forecast.
Driver and Team Reactions
Hadjar described Monday's running as "pretty productive" after completing numerous laps in the RB22 chassis with Red Bull's new power unit. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc noted that the team focused on system checks rather than performance, stating, "It's not been the best conditions because it was a bit rainy, but we did our programme."
New F1 Regulations for 2026
The 2026 season marks the start of a new engine era with an overhaul of technical regulations. F1 has introduced revised rules for chassis, engines, tires, and fuel, meaning the cars are completely new. A bigger role for the hybrid part of the engine will make energy management a major factor in F1 this season.
Ferrari's Performance and Expectations
Ferrari had a poor 2025 season, with both Leclerc and Hamilton failing to win a grand prix. Leclerc expressed excitement about the new rules, hoping they would enable the team to be more competitive. He said, "I am very excited to see what the others have in store and when we start pushing a bit more to see where we are compared to the others."