ISACK HADJAR’S BARCELONA CRASH: A ROOKIE MISTAKE OR RED BULL'S 2026 WARNING SIGN?
Isack Hadjar crashes the RB22 in Barcelona while Lewis Hamilton clocks his first laps for Ferrari. Get the full Day 2 report here.
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull’s recruit, crashed his car in the rain during the second day of F1 pre-season testing in Barcelona. He’s only 21, just wrapped up his rookie year, and already has a promotion lined up for 2026. On his first lap out on intermediate tyres—right after swapping from full wets—he lost it at the last corner and slammed into the barriers.
Red Bull’s keeping things quiet. The test is private, no independent media around, and they haven’t said a word about the crash. Still, people trackside saw what happened: the track was slick, drizzle still coming down, and Hadjar spun out backwards into the wall.
Up until then, Red Bull looked solid. They’d picked up where they left off on day one, and Max Verstappen even got his first taste of the car that morning. Verstappen had his own moment too—slid off at Turn Five on his out lap—but managed to keep going.
The weather played havoc with everyone’s plans. Only Red Bull and Ferrari bothered to run on Tuesday; teams only get three of the five days, so they have to pick their moments. McLaren, the reigning champs, weren’t ready until late in the morning and, looking at the weather, decided to hold off until Wednesday. Now they’ll run through the last three days.
Ferrari split their day between Charles Leclerc in the morning and Lewis Hamilton in the afternoon. They racked up 123 laps—almost the equivalent of two full races. Leclerc admitted it wasn’t ideal: “It’s not been the best conditions because it was a bit rainy, but we did our programme because we are not focusing on performance.”
This year, F1 has thrown out a bunch of new rules—fresh chassis, engines, tyres, and fuel. The hybrid system is more important than ever, so energy management is going to be a big deal. But Leclerc says it’s too soon to draw any conclusions about the new car.
“We haven’t pushed any bit of the car just yet; it was all about doing a proper system check on track,” he said. “We’ll know more as we rack up miles. First impression? Managing everything is going to be more challenging for us drivers—maybe that’ll spice things up. For now, we’ve ticked off the first checks, everything went as planned, and next is figuring out performance. That comes later in the week, once we see how everything works together.”
Ferrari needs a turnaround after a rough 2025—no wins for either Leclerc or Hamilton. The new rules are their shot at closing the gap. Leclerc’s upbeat: “I’m really excited to see what the others have and how we stack up when we start pushing. This year, every team’s got a chance to try something bold, maybe pull ahead. I hope we’re the ones who get it right, but no matter what, we’ll give it everything to get Ferrari back on top.”
CHECO RETURNS: SERGIO PEREZ OFFICIALLY DEBUTS FOR CADILLAC AT THE 2026 AUSTRALIAN GP
A new era for Checo: Get the report on Perez’s Red Bull exit, his year away, and his partnership with Bottas at Cadillac Racing.
Sergio Perez looks like a new man. He’s back in Formula 1 after a year away, and honestly, he seems more alive than he ever was at Red Bull. Now he’s rolling with Cadillac, who are making its debut in the sport, and you can see the energy in him; he’s excited, refreshed, and just really happy to be back.
People have been talking about his age and the time he spent away from racing, but Perez isn’t worried. He believes in what Cadillac can do, and he’s clear about what he can bring to the table. Sure, his pre-season testing didn’t exactly blow anyone away, but that’s not stopping him. After a rough stint at Red Bull, he’s ready to chase success all over again.
The pressure of Red Bull is gone, and you can tell. Anthony Davidson noticed it too. On Ted Kravitz’s Melbourne Podbook, Davidson mentioned seeing Perez smile in a way he hadn’t since before Red Bull. That says a lot. The Red Bull years really took it out of him.
Davidson said, “I haven’t seen that smile on Checo’s face in a long time. I think since before he joined Red Bull. So it’s great to see both drivers happy.” And it’s not just Perez; Rachel Brookes pointed out that his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, was also in great spirits during the media day. Bottas even joked about his championship picks, saying Fernando, Lance, and George, because, according to him, they were all sandbagging.
Brookes added that Bottas is in such a good mood now, and taking that year away really gave him a new appreciation for the sport. It’s brought out a whole new energy in him.
So here they are: Perez and Bottas, lining up for Cadillac’s first season in F1. No one’s expecting them to win a bunch of races or stand on the podium every weekend, but their job is huge. Being the first drivers for a brand-new team is a massive challenge, and they’ve got to prove that both they and Cadillac have what it takes.
Their main goal? Get points as often as possible. Perez probably feels the pressure a bit more than Bottas, but both know what’s expected of them. Cadillac wants to make a splash in its debut season, and everything depends on how Perez and Bottas perform. They’re front and centre for whatever success comes Cadillac’s way.
WHY NUMBER 3? THE HIDDEN MEANING BEHIND MAX'S NEW RACING DIGIT FOR THE 2026 SEASON
Max Verstappen is Number 3: Read about his 2026 F1 "Evolution," life as a dad, and why he’s not bothered by Lando Norris's title.
For the first time since 2021, the four-time champ kicks off the 2026 season without the number 1 on his car. Last year, Lando Norris took the title, so Verstappen is switching things up.
Still, Verstappen doesn’t seem bothered. “That’s just how it goes,” he told Kicker. “It happens in Formula 1 and everywhere else; sooner or later, someone else takes the top spot. It’s not a big deal for me. I don’t own first place.”
So, instead of the champion’s number, Verstappen’s going with number 3 in 2026.
Even though he’s known for being fiercely competitive, Verstappen says there’s something he cares about more these days: family. “I always wanted this,” he said, talking about becoming a dad. “I’d already seen how amazing it is. It’s honestly better than winning a race or a championship. Watching your kids grow up – that’s the best thing.”
He and Kelly Piquet had a daughter last year, and he has also grown close to Piquet’s daughter, Penelope, from her previous relationship.
Speaking to GQ Australia, Verstappen said his entire perspective on racing has shifted as he has grown older. “I’ve already achieved a lot, and sure, I want to keep going, but honestly, I just want to enjoy myself. That’s why I fell in love with racing as a kid. Just having fun out there, driving.”
He admits he’s changed on track, too. “When I was 17 or 18, all I wanted was to go flat out, all the time. Now, I build up to it more. With experience, you learn when to push and when to hold back.”
Thinking back to one of his best qualifying laps at Silverstone last year, he said, “After the first two sectors, I could see I was way ahead. So in the final sector, I took it a bit easier, just to avoid making a mistake.” That’s a big change from earlier in his career. “There was a lap in Jeddah in 2021 where I was flying, but I pushed too much in the final corner and hit the wall. Sometimes you just have to know your limits, maybe play it a little safe.”
Verstappen says he actually enjoys hanging out with the new wave of young drivers coming into Formula 1. “It’s kind of refreshing to talk to them. They’re all pretty friendly, and I feel like I can relate to them.”
But he’s realistic; he won’t be around forever. “I hope I’m still here to see that new generation take over Formula 1.”
When he looks ahead, Verstappen sums it up in one word: 'evolution'.
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