The 2026 Formula 1 season officially kicked off with a closed shakedown test in Barcelona. Seven teams, including Mercedes and Red Bull, took to the track to begin the new era. This initial testing phase focuses on reliability and gathering data on the all-new cars and engines. McLaren, Ferrari, and Williams were notably absent from the first day of testing in Spain.

Isack Hadjar set the pace for Red Bull in the morning, eventually leading the day with a lap time of 1:18.159. Mercedes driver George Russell finished second, closely followed by Alpine's Franco Colapinto. The new Cadillac team also made their debut, marking a significant step for the sport's expansion. These early tests are critical for fine-tuning the new power units.

Kimi Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, highlighted the importance of gaining mileage to optimize the power unit. He expressed optimism about the initial driveability of the Mercedes engine. The focus is on learning about the cars and power units. With the first official pre-season testing scheduled for February in Bahrain, teams are working hard to prepare for the season.

F1 fans can anticipate updates and analysis from Sky Sports throughout the week. The testing period will provide insights into the performance and reliability of the new cars before the official season starts. The 2026 season promises a new chapter in F1 with changes to car design and engines. This is a crucial phase of development.