F1 2026 TESTING BEGINS: SEVEN TEAMS HIT THE TRACK WHILE ASTON MARTIN WAITS
Aston Martin will miss the first three days of the 2026 F1 testing in Barcelona. Discover why the Adrian Newey-led team is delayed.
Aston Martin’s Formula One team won’t hit the track in Barcelona until Thursday at the earliest, which means they’re skipping at least one of their three days for the first pre-season test. They’re actually the second team to miss out on testing time—Williams already said they wouldn’t be able to run at all in Spain.
Testing runs from Monday to Friday this week at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Each team gets three out of those five days to work with their cars, which are all brand new this season thanks to a complete overhaul of the regulations and engines. So, the teams have three full pre-season tests this year. But when the engines fired up on Monday, Aston Martin wasn’t there. They put out a quick statement: “The AMR26 will be in Barcelona later this week for its shakedown. We intend to run on Thursday and Friday.”
It’s not a disaster, but it’s not exactly good news either. It probably means the AMR26 still needs work. This is the first car designed for Aston Martin by Adrian Newey—he’s now running the team, too. So, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will have, at best, two days between them to get a feel for the car in this first round of testing.
Astonne Martin’s owner, Lawrence Stroll, has poured a ton of money into the team, building a new factory and wind tunnel at Silverstonnee. There’s a lot of hope that the new rules and Newey’s influence can finally push them toward the front.
They haven’t said exactly what’s holding things up, but at the Honda engine launch in Tokyo last week, some Honda execs admitted the power unit isn’t where it needs to be with the season opener in Melbourne just around the corner on March 8.
Seven teams did manage to get out on track on Monday: Mercedes, Audi, Alpine, Cadillac, Racing Bulls, Haas, and Red Bull. Ferrari plans to start running on Tuesday, and McLaren—last year’s champions—still haven’t confirmed if they’ll start testing on Tuesday or Wednesday.
This Barcelona test is closed to the public, and right now, the main goal for everyone is just to rack up mileage on the new cars and engines—call it a shakedown before the next two tests in Bahrain. There’s not a lot of info coming out, but you could see all seven teams that ran on Monday managed to put in at least ten laps each. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli alone logged more than 20 laps in the first two hours—a solid start after such massive changes to the rules.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
