F1’s 2026 Power Revolution: Barcelona Shakedown Reveals Promising Reliability Amidst Early Challenges for the Grid

The initial shakedown for Formula 1’s radically overhauled 2026 regulations, held behind closed doors at Barcelona’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, concluded with an unexpectedly smooth start for most teams. Faced with the immense complexity of new power unit architectures, featuring a significantly enhanced electric MGU-K system, teams had proactively requested this additional testing period beyond the two planned three-day sessions in Bahrain. The apprehension regarding widespread reliability issues or engines failing prematurely, reminiscent of the turbulent 2014 V6 turbo-hybrid introduction, proved largely unfounded. Overall, the five-day event, during which each team was permitted three days of running, marked a positive initial phase for the new era.

While absolute lap times on the cold Montmelo asphalt were, as expected, largely irrelevant for performance assessment – with Lewis Hamilton topping an unofficial leaderboard ahead of George Russell – the focus remained firmly on system validation and data acquisition. Teams are anticipated to bring more evolved specifications of their cars to the official winter testing in Bahrain and the subsequent season opener in Melbourne in March.

Team-by-Team Overview:

McLaren – 291 laps
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The Woking-based outfit, with its MCL40, opted for a slightly delayed debut, commencing its programme on Wednesday. This necessitated an intensive three consecutive days of running. While a fuel system issue on its second day restricted Oscar Piastri to 48 laps, both he and Lando Norris managed over 80 laps on the final Friday. This mileage, while not the highest, suggests no critical showstoppers for McLaren. Technical director for engineering Neil Houldey provided a candid assessment, acknowledging that the team still faces considerable work to fully master the new power unit dynamics, particularly the driving and setup requirements imposed by the more powerful MGU-K motor. This admission, while perhaps universally applicable, underscored the ongoing learning curve for all teams. Houldey emphasized the value of track time for refining solutions in collaboration with Mercedes High Performance Powertrains and for sharpening simulator realism. McLaren’s strong performance in recent seasons, including multiple podiums and a race win in 2024, sets a high bar for their 2026 aspirations, making a reliable development phase crucial.

Mercedes – 500 laps
Mercedes emerged from the Barcelona shakedown as the clear leader in terms of mileage, with George Russell and junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli amassing a remarkable 500 laps across Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The Mercedes W17, their first completely new car under these regulations, ran with impressive consistency, allowing the team to progress rapidly to tentative race simulations and qualifying-style runs by Thursday. Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin praised the car’s reliability and the successful execution of their testing objectives. Despite the strong reliability, the team cautioned that consistency does not immediately translate to outright pace, requiring further setup exploration in Bahrain. Mercedes’ historical pedigree, particularly their dominant hybrid era, places immense pressure on them to hit the ground running in 2026, and this shakedown represents an ideal start to that endeavour.

Red Bull – 303 laps
Red Bull’s entry into the manufacturer era with its in-house Red Bull Ford Powertrains (RBPT) power unit began on an impressively productive note. The team logged 107 laps on day one, signalling a strong debut for their new engine. However, a mishap on a rainy second day saw junior driver Isack Hadjar crash, necessitating a rapid airlift of spare parts from Milton Keynes. Despite this setback, four-time world champion Max Verstappen took the wheel on Friday, adding a healthy 118 laps and allowing Red Bull to leave Barcelona with a solid data haul. The sister team, Racing Bulls, also contributed significant mileage with the RBPT unit, providing a wealth of information for analysis. Team Principal Laurent Mekies expressed pride in the RBPT team’s delivery, acknowledging that while it is early days, a strong learning process has already begun. Red Bull’s recent dominance makes their power unit development a focal point, and this initial reliability is a crucial confidence booster.

Ferrari – 444 laps
Ferrari conducted a quietly effective shakedown, logging 444 laps across its chosen three days. Unlike many rivals, the Scuderia embraced the wet conditions on Tuesday, allowing Charles Leclerc and incoming driver Lewis Hamilton to gather valuable data in diverse weather. Both drivers reported a more straightforward start to the season compared to previous years, indicating a positive development trajectory for the new chassis and power unit. Lewis Hamilton, in a significant unofficial achievement, set the fastest time of the test on Friday afternoon with a 1m16.348s. However, as with all Barcelona shakedown times, this result is widely considered meaningless for true performance prediction. Ferrari engines, including those supplied to Cadillac, collectively completed nearly 1,000 laps, a tally not far behind Mercedes, underscoring their robust start to the new power unit era. Team boss Fred Vasseur highlighted the productive nature of the week, stressing the importance of data collection and reliability checks in varied conditions.

Williams – 0 laps
Williams was notably absent from the Barcelona shakedown, a decision that stemmed from an aggressive production schedule leading to insufficient spare parts. Team boss James Vowles stated that attending the shakedown would have jeopardized the team’s spare parts availability for the crucial early races in Bahrain and Melbourne, a risk he was unwilling to take given the "traumatising" start to their 2024 season. Instead, Williams intensified its virtual testing and simulator programme with drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon. While this approach allows some data gathering, missing track time means Williams will be behind rivals in identifying and rectifying unforeseen gremlins on their 2026 machinery. A mitigating factor is their continued use of Mercedes power units and gearboxes, components that demonstrated strong reliability with Mercedes and Alpine. Despite the early setback, Vowles remains confident that the six full days of testing in Bahrain will provide ample opportunity to prepare the FW48 car for the season.

Racing Bulls – 319 laps
The Anglo-Italian Racing Bulls squad executed an efficient programme, completing its allocated running by Thursday evening and opting out of the rain-affected Tuesday. Like its Red Bull counterpart, the team achieved an impressive lap count with the new Red Bull Ford Powertrains unit. Arvid Lindblad, identified as F1’s sole rookie for 2026, gained valuable experience, completing 167 laps, with Liam Lawson adding a similar number. Both drivers experienced minor stoppages, each causing a red flag, but these issues were swiftly managed. Chief Technical Officer Tim Goss lauded the RBPT unit’s reliability, emphasizing the remarkable achievement for a newcomer power unit manufacturer to accumulate nearly 200 laps on its debut day. The shared data between Racing Bulls and Red Bull provides a comprehensive pool for RBPT to refine its new powerplant.

Aston Martin – 65 laps
Aston Martin’s journey to Barcelona was a dramatic one, with their AMR26 requiring a chartered cargo plane to arrive on Wednesday. The anticipation surrounding Adrian Newey’s first design for Fernando Alonso was palpable, drawing significant attention for its visually distinct aerodynamic features. Despite immense efforts, the team only managed to get the AMR26 out of the pitlane on Thursday, with Lance Stroll completing just five laps before an issue forced him to park the car. Fernando Alonso had a more productive Friday, adding 61 laps. As the sole Honda-powered team, Aston Martin faces the unique challenge of developing a new engine alongside a new chassis, potentially putting them behind rivals who benefit from broader customer data. While the car’s "radically different" appearance sparked conversation among designers, the limited track time leaves the true performance of Newey’s latest creation an open question ahead of Bahrain.

Haas – 391 laps
Haas experienced a mixed shakedown, beginning strongly with its VF-26 but encountering reliability issues on Wednesday, necessitating new parts to be flown in overnight. Despite these challenges, the team demonstrated commendable resilience, with Oliver Bearman completing over 100 laps on Friday morning alone. Esteban Ocon continued this productive momentum in the afternoon, bringing the team’s total to 391 laps. Team boss Ayao Komatsu praised the team’s swift reaction and efficient turnaround, highlighting the "quality of laps" achieved. The data gathered will be crucial for developing improvements for Bahrain. Haas’s ability to recover from early setbacks bodes well for their operational efficiency in the upcoming season.

Audi – 243 laps
Audi, as F1’s other new power unit manufacturer, faced a more challenging initial shakedown compared to Red Bull Ford Powertrains. Drivers Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg were restricted to fewer than 100 laps over the first two days, causing several red flags. While specific details remain confidential, the team indicated that several gremlins were linked to the power unit side. As a standalone manufacturer without customer teams, Audi relies solely on its own running to gather data and learn about its first-ever F1 powerplant. The improved productivity on the final day, with 148 laps completed, brought their total to a respectable 243 laps, instilling a more positive outlook for Bahrain. Technical director James Key acknowledged the expected early challenges with a brand-new car and power unit package, emphasizing that the test’s primary goal was validating fundamentals and ensuring reliable core systems.

Alpine – 349 laps
Alpine embarked on a new chapter in Barcelona, having switched from Renault power units to Mercedes. Following its launch, the team arrived in Catalonia with quiet confidence, hoping its strategic sacrifice of the previous season would yield dividends in 2026. While performance remains to be seen, Alpine appears to be in a significantly better position than 12 months prior. After Franco Colapinto’s running on Wednesday, Pierre Gasly completed an impressive 164 laps on Friday, accounting for nearly half of the team’s total mileage. Managing director Steve Nielsen confirmed that nothing came as a surprise, and the team steadily ramped up its programme, covering 764km on the final day, which aligns with their mileage targets. This smooth transition to a new power unit supplier is a critical early success for the French team.

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Jonas Leo

Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.

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