The young Frenchman was arguably Formula 1’s most impressive rookie in 2025, scoring 51 points, including a brilliant podium at Zandvoort.

Those performances saw Hadjar promoted to become Verstappen’s seventh different teammate since he joined Red Bull in 2016.

Turning the shine #F1 || #RedBullRacing pic.twitter.com/r79PPiN4DZ

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) January 29, 2026

And while many have come before, the four-time world champion does think the 21-year-old has the chance to prove himself.

“Why not?” Verstappen told Blick. “After a great first season with Racing Bulls, he deserves a chance with Red Bull.

“And with the new rules, there are sure to be surprises, so we may see some new names at the front.”

Hadjar had a mixed start at his first Red Bull test last week in Spain, completing over 100 laps on a strong first day, before crashing on Day 2.

“It was nice to have a good day on Monday,” he reflected. “It was very productive and we managed to do a lot more laps than we had expected, everything went pretty smooth and we had only minor issues.

Also Read:

• Verstappen on 2025 fan support: “Maybe they realise who I am”

“It was quite impressive considering it was our first day with our own power unit.

“Unfortunately, on Tuesday, just after switching from wets to inters, I lost control of the car in the final corner, and I know the aftermath wasn’t ideal for the team.”

In fact, Red Bull had to fly spares out to Barcelona to repair its RB22, with Verstappen only running on the final day.

“The positive is that I have already started to understand and work on things in the car, there are still a lot of things to tweak of course, but it has been steady so far,” Hadjar continued.

“These cars are different, very different, there is definitely a lot less load in general and it is a bit more predictable compared to the previous generation, they are a bit more straightforward.

“It is easier to play around with them, and on the PU [power unit] side, there are a lot more options for the driver to play with.

“I couldn’t have prepared for this season any better, and I am hoping to come into the year strongly, but we are definitely not done with the work yet, I am learning every day.”

Speaking at the recent Autosport Awards, Hadjar was asked about his goals for 2026…

“It’s like rolling a dice with the new regulation,” he suggested. “Bold… fighting for the world title, I guess. That’s bold enough.”

The post Hadjar gets Verstappen support, makes ‘bold’ 2026 claim first appeared on InsideRacing.com.

The Briton hung on to end Max Verstappen’s four-year stint as champion, beating the Dutchman by just two points after a tense finale in Abu Dhabi.

But as preparations began for the new season at last week’s shakedown, a new reality dawned on Lando.

“It was just nice to be back, nice to see a number one on my car – pretty surreal still,” Norris said.

The Number 1⃣ is back on a McLaren

Lando Norris is the first driver for the Woking-based team since Jenson Button to display the number on their car #F1 pic.twitter.com/1Kz9xFEbVV

— Formula 1 (@F1) January 29, 2026

“I saw it on the timing screen; I still find it just unbelievable. It’s still a crazy thing to see.

“Now it’s really the first time I get to see it on my suit, on the car, on timing screens, all of these things, and it looks good.”

Now, Norris will try to retain his crown as F1 embarks on major changes with new cars and new power units being introduced in 2026.

“It’s pretty different. It’s a step slower in terms of cornering speeds,” he said, offering his first impressions.

“In terms of acceleration and straight-line speed, it probably feels quicker than it did last year. You get to 340, 350kph quite a bit quicker than we did in previous years.

“But then you have a bit more to understand from the battery, the power unit, all of those things are in some ways more complicated and just different.

“And whenever something’s different, it always takes a bit of time to figure out the best way to manage it.”

Is McLaren in the hunt?

McLaren was one of the last teams to begin running in Spain, and all eyes are on how they stack up against their main rivals at Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

“I think it’s so easy to get caught up in comparisons,” Norris told F1TV.

“It’s just because we’re all competitive, so you always want to see yourself doing well and feel like you can be quick.

“What we came here to do is to understand the car, especially from a reliability point of view, make sure that all the sensors are working as they should, the PU is working as they should, gearbox, whatever it is.

“Everything is just doing as we expect, because reliability is one of the most important things.

“A lot of it is from that side, and a lot of it is stuff over the next few days and weeks that the team will look into and try to improve and make better.”

The post Norris talks “surreal” No.1, “pretty different” 2026 cars first appeared on InsideRacing.com.

Late last year, the story first emerged that the German manufacturer, and potentially Red Bull Powertrains, had found a way to boost the compression ratio of their V6 engine above the regulated 16:1 limit.

This is because the FIA conducts legality checks at ambient temperatures, creating a loophole for engines to exceed the permitted ratio when running hotter on track.

Also Read:

• Russell: Smoother 2026 cars will “save a few years on the back”
• Audi leaving “no stone unturned” after tricky debut F1 test

Just before the Barcelona shakedown, a meeting was held at the FIA to address concerns being led by Audi, Ferrari and Honda.

But Wolff was quick to call them out…

“When it comes to the engine question, I just don’t understand why some teams concentrate more on others and keep arguing a case that is very clear and transparent,” he claimed.

“Communication with the FIA was very positive all along. It’s not only on the compression ratio, but on other things too – and specifically in that area, it’s very clear what the regulation says, very clear what the, let’s say, standard procedures are on any motors, even outside of Formula 1.

“So, just get your s*** together and…you know, doing secret meetings and sending secret letters, keep trying to invent ways of testing that just don’t exist.”

Ready for 2026 pic.twitter.com/eOHKW197n6

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) February 2, 2026

Mercedes is expected to start the 2026 season as favourites and showed ominous form during their three days of running in Spain.

And the Austrian chief insists there are no concerns about their legality.

“I feel like I can say, at least from us here, we are trying to minimise distractions, and minimising distractions is looking more at us than everybody else when it’s pretty clear what the regs say, and also pretty clear what the FIA has said to us and has said to them so far,” Wolff continued.

“But maybe, we’re all different. Maybe you want to find excuses before you even start, for why things are not good.

“Everybody needs to do it at the best of their ability, but that is really not how is not how we how we would do things, especially not after you’ve been told a few times that that is fine, it’s legal, and it’s what the regulations say.

“Again, if somebody wants to entertain themselves by distraction, then everybody’s free to do this.”

An unlikely ally

Toto has found himself an unlikely ally on the power unit saga, as former Red Bull boss Christian Horner gave his view on Australia’s Today show.

“Formula 1’s about pushing the boundaries. It’s about how you interpret regulations. Always has been and always will be,” he said.

“Teams that are the most conservative are the teams that are never at the front of the grid. You’ve got to be pushing the envelope.

“Of course, it’s all about how you interpret regulations and engineers, some of the brightest engineers on the planet, will be looking at those regulations and thinking, okay, how can I maximise performance?”

The post Wolff: Rivals “want to find excuses” over engine loophole first appeared on InsideRacing.com.

The Grove-based outfit was the only one not to run in Barcelona, leaving them just six days in Bahrain later this month ahead of Formula 1’s opening race in Australia.

Williams has since revealed its livery for the upcoming season, but questions have remained about potential failed crash tests and weight issues.

Vowles has dismissed them, however, claiming that all tests have been passed and that the team is in a good place.

“I would have much preferred to be in Barcelona, that was the goal, that was what we intended. We did not achieve it,” he admitted in a media session.

Also Read:

• Williams insists there’s “a lot to look forward to” despite missed test

“However, what we did, in terms of a week’s worth of VTT (Virtual Track Testing), was successful, and what we’ve been doing with both Carlos [Sainz] and Alex [Albon] whilst everyone else was in Barcelona.

“In addition, we are fortunate that Mercedes has sufficient runners that there’s quite a bit of information coming back on both the gearbox and the power unit that enables us to get ahead when we come to Bahrain.

“Which means, I do not believe with six days testing, we’ll be on the back foot.

“A little bit of that’s fortune because the power unit is reliable, the gearbox is reliable, and the VTT testing flushed out a lot of the demons that are buried in the car.”

Admiring the FW48 livery from every angle pic.twitter.com/zWlQ48kRN5

— Atlassian Williams F1 Team (@WilliamsF1) February 3, 2026

Asked where Williams is behind, Vowles replied: “What’s missing is there’s a lot of knowledge for the drivers to inherently perfect what’s going on on track.

“What’s missing is a correlation for where the aerodynamics really are. Track data is the only way of establishing that.

“So there is a loss, but with six days of testing with our driver in-loop simulator that we invested in a state-of-the-art, I’m very confident that we are able to mitigate a lot of those.”

Williams “pushing the boundaries”

Vowles also reiterated that Williams’ current issues were not a sign of decline at the historic team, but instead part of its pursuit of growth.

“It clearly wasn’t our plan, and it’s incredibly painful, but I do want it to be acknowledged as the result of our determination to push the limits of performance under the new regulations,” he said.

“We are transforming here in Williams, and fast. One of the tasks that has been on my shoulders for a few years is making sure we transform this business at the absolute maximum rate possible.

“And in my experience, the only way you achieve that is by pushing the boundaries and limits hard and aggressively and finding your limitations.

“There’s no point being just underneath the curve or underneath the curve. If you want to transform at speed, you need to find the pain points and put them right very quickly, which is exactly what we’re doing.

“I’m confident in our decision to miss Barcelona, and I’m confident it was the right one to prepare for the first test in Bahrain and Melbourne.”

The post Vowles “very confident” Williams can limit losses from missed F1 test first appeared on InsideRacing.com.

The young Haas driver enjoyed a strong end to his first full year on the grid in 2025, highlighted by an impressive fourth-place finish in Mexico.

However, the introduction of all-new cars and power units for this season means the competitive order has been thrown out of the window.

So while Bearman senses an opportunity to build on what he has started, he knows a big challenge awaits.

“I feel these changes are the biggest in the history of F1, so with that comes a huge deal of excitement for me,” he said earlier this year.

Also Read:

• Hamilton: 2026 rules the “biggest shift in my time” in F1
• Audi leaving “no stone unturned” after tricky maiden F1 test

“I’m heading into a regulation change for the first time in my life, really.

“Last year was a big step for me, but I think even from the beginning, we knew that if we put the car in the right window, we were still going to be able to fight for points, and we had an idea of the competitiveness of the car.

“That lack of knowledge heading into 2026 is good and bad, as on one side, I feel like we can really have an impact straight away, but also it’s horrible not knowing.

“I would like to skip forward six months to see where we are, but I’m going to be giving it everything to make sure that where we are is as high up as possible.”

Reflecting on 2025, Bearman’s thoughts can be described in one word: educational.

“It was a year where I certainly learned a lot, not only about myself as a person, or as an athlete, but also about F1,” he said.

“I’ve really increased my knowledge base infinitely because I’ve been put in experiences that you just can’t learn prior to experiencing them.

“I’ve definitely improved a lot in all of those areas and I’m really happy with how the season went, particularly the second half.

“I really upped my game, I felt like I started to put down some really good results that I was really happy with, and that was critical for me. I’m excited to continue that this year.”

Ferrari future?

2026 could also be significant for another reason, as Bearman remains part of the Ferrari driver program.

Currently, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s futures are to be confirmed, offering the 20-year-old a chance to impress the hierarchy at Maranello.

But Bearman himself insists those thoughts are still far away.

“I mean, we catch up from time to time and talk about challenges that I’m facing in my season of F1,” he revealed.

“Just an open dialogue, really. I like to make it clear what’s going on my side, because it’s easy to see just the result on paper, but that doesn’t always tell the full story. There’s often a lot more to it.

“But regarding my future, no conversation. I just drive the car. I think the rest will sort itself out if I perform at a good level.”

The post Bearman: 2026 unknowns “horrible” but offer “excitement” first appeared on InsideRacing.com.

From 2022, teams ran their cars low and stiff to maximise downforce from the ground effect Venturi tunnels that ran under the floor.

As a consequence, some, notably Russell’s Mercedes team, struggled with porpoising, when the car would bounce violently at high speed.

This triggered concerns by drivers about the long-term health of their backs, with Lewis Hamilton memorably struggling to exit his car following the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

For 2026, F1 has returned to flat floors, meaning increased rake, where the rear is higher than the front, and making life more comfortable for those behind the wheel.

“The car is feeling nice to drive,” Russell admitted during last week’s Barcelona shakedown.

“No major issues, no porpoising – which is pretty good news for all of us, it will save us a few years on the back, so all in all a decent few days.”

No music. Just the W17 pic.twitter.com/fQyxbf8viU

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) January 26, 2026

This year also sees the introduction of new power units, with a significant increase in electrical power from a larger battery and revised MGU-K.

During simulation runs, it was suggested that drivers might have to take extreme measures to save and harvest energy during a lap.

But Russell’s first impressions appear to ease those fears.

“The way I would describe it is like if you’re driving your car up a hill, you’re still going flat out, but you’re losing a bit of speed, and you may just downshift to give you a bit of extra revs to get up that hill,” he explained.

Also Read:

• Hamilton already a fan of “more enjoyable” 2026 car 
• Russell “impressed” as 2014 fears ease at Barcelona test

“That’s how it sometimes feels when the engine is harvesting, and you’re really regenerating the battery.

“So there are occasions that you can downshift at the end of the straight, even while you’re flat out.

“But it felt more bizarre in the simulator than it did in reality, to be honest. I spoke with a few other drivers, and we actually commented on the same. So that was quite intuitive.”

Mercedes head into this year as the favourites, as new power unit regulations offer the opportunity of another 2014-style resurgence.

Though the Brackley-based outfit completed the most laps in Spain, Russell is being coy about their chances.

“On the power unit side, there’s some impressive things from some of our competitors, and that’s quite surprising to be honest,” he noted, pointing at Ferrari and Red Bull.

“Obviously, we’re three days into a 24-race season, so you don’t want to [read] too much into that.

“But I think a lot of people anticipated the new power unit suppliers to be sort of struggling and whatnot, and they’ve had a good test as well. So that’s good for them, but for us, time will tell.

“The car so far has been working well, but it’s not about how well it works, it’s about how quick it goes around the track,” Russell added.

“We don’t really have an indication of that at the moment.”

The post Russell: Smoother 2026 cars will “save a few years on the back” first appeared on InsideRacing.com.

The seven-time world champion was certainly no fan of the previous ground effect era, winning only twice between 2022 and the end of last year.

But with F1 introducing a smaller, lighter design alongside new power units for this season, Hamilton suggested they are a return to the type of cars he began with early in his career.

“In terms of just understanding the car and the balance, we have a lot less downforce than previous years,” he told Formula1.com during the Barcelona shakedown.

Also Read:

• Hamilton: 2026 rules the “biggest shift in my time” in F1 

“The car generation is actually a little bit more fun to drive. It’s oversteery and snappy and sliding, but it’s a little bit easier to catch.

“Yeah, I would definitely say more enjoyable.”

Hamilton is also excited by the greater role the driver will play in determining performance.

“If you look back at 2009, there’s a period of time where we were utilising the battery power throughout the laps, and this one’s even more extreme, where we’re having to utilise the power in a different way,” the Ferrari driver explained.

“I think it is the most technical year that we will have.

“I think the driver’s role is going to be critical in not only pulling laps together and delivering good results, but managing the power unit, managing the power through a lap, and also the new kind of DRS system that we have with the wings, the front and the rear wing moving, and then helping the team navigate.

“And the only way is through collaboration, through communication, and that’s really where I think the drivers get to play a really key role in helping them discover exactly where we need to be going with these cars.”

The post Hamilton already a fan of “more enjoyable” 2026 F1 car first appeared on InsideRacing.com.

After reliability issues impacted their early running, the German manufacturer recovered well to more than double their overall lap total on the final day, achieving almost 250 laps.

And with the official pre-season tests in Bahrain later this month, Binotto admits it’s a flat-out push at Audi to build on what was learnt in Spain.

“It is a lot of work for the entire team, for the drivers, for the engineers back at home fixing all the problems in design and operations, whatever we have seen,” the former Ferrari chief explained.

 

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A post shared by Audi Revolut F1 Team (@audif1)

“For us, it is no stone left unturned, and we need all the details to be managed and fixed, so we’ve got a very long, a very, very long list.

“I’ve never seen such a long list, but I think it is great because the team is really committed and willing to improve and come to Bahrain in better shape.

“There is a lot to build, a lot to grow, but the three days of running have been very, very important, and I think we are doing well for where we are in our journey.”

At the top of that list will be ensuring Audi’s power unit issues are not repeated in Bahrain, but Binotto remains confident.

“The reliability is always very critical, and we had several small problems, not dramatic, but there are a lot of positives looking forward,” he maintained.

“This is the beginning for Audi of our experience as a team, as a power unit manufacturer, and I would sum up that there is a lot to learn, and we are learning a lot.

“The more we run, the more we learn.”

Also Read:

• Audi wants FIA action to avoid “blatant” engine advantage in 2026

That sentiment was shared by technical director James Key, who also played down Audi’s early setbacks.

“Nothing unexpected, actually,” he said on the reliability niggles.

“You know, I think had we run faultlessly from the outset, that would have been a very pleasant surprise.

“We’ve seen plenty of red flags; it’s a very, very immature car still at the moment for everyone, but nothing particularly surprising.

“Like I say, this is really a mechanical test, the performance will become the priority later, but nothing surprising other than just working through everything we have to do.”

Key also highlighted the importance of Audi’s engineers finally getting to analyse real-world data of their 2026 car.

“What we really needed to do is just get laps on the car,” he said. “You know, our colleagues in Neuberg on the power unit side have got no track reference data at all.

“This is the first time they’re actually going to get track data for their power unit and for the gearbox as well, so I think really it’s a case of doing that and beginning to tune all these complex energy recovery strategies and all the various other things that go with the ‘26 car.”

The post Audi leaving “no stone unturned” after tricky F1 test first appeared on InsideRacing.com.

The Frenchman, who steps up from Racing Bulls for 2026, set the unofficial pace in Barcelona, finishing half a second clear of George Russell’s Mercedes.

Hadjar also surpassed the 100-lap mark, as Red Bull’s new in-house power unit demonstrated good reliability, the most important factor in this test.

“It was pretty productive. Surprisingly, we managed to do a lot more laps than we expected. Everything went pretty smoothly,” he reflected.

Also Read:

• Russell “impressed” by rivals as 2014 fears eased at F1 test
• Hamilton: 2026 rules the “biggest shift in my time” in F1

“We had only minor issues, so it’s quite impressive considering it’s our first day with our own engine. It was definitely smooth.

“Honestly, it’s pretty decent for our first day.”

Alongside the new power unit, Red Bull also revealed a bold RB22 chassis, featuring the smallest sidepods of any 2026 car so far.

Asked how the new cars and engines felt to drive compared to 2025, Hadjar had some interesting observations.

“It doesn’t feel too far off what I’m used to, at least in my first season, on all of the upshifts and downshifts. There are still a few things to tweak around, of course, but it’s solid,” he said.

History in Barcelona

RB22, powered by DM01, with Isack at the wheel #F1 || #RedBullRacing pic.twitter.com/yKD3lY7b6i

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) January 26, 2026

“It’s definitely a lot less load in general, but it’s a bit more predictable compared to the previous generation of cars – they are more simple, it’s easier to play around with them.

“Also, on the PU side, there are a lot more options for the driver to play with; I already started to work on it today, so that was very interesting.”

Teammate and four-time world champion Max Verstappen began his pre-season running on Tuesday.

Hadjar’s “bold enough” 2026 prediction

Hadjar enters 2026 on the back of an impressive rookie year in 2025, highlighted by a podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix.

And asked his prediction for the upcoming season at Red Bull, the youngster isn’t backing down…

“It’s like rolling a dice with the new regulation,” he began, “bold… fighting for the world title, I guess. That’s bold enough.”

 

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A post shared by Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing)

Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies would certainly welcome Hadjar’s optimism as he attempts to solve a long-running issue for the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

“We are not hiding behind the fact that we need to do a better job with that second car, and that includes the second part of last year,” he explained.

“Yes, we’ve made some progress with Yuki [Tsunoda], but not at the level that we felt we should have reached. So we are aware that we need to do a better job there.

“[Isack] would not like what I’m going to say, but I guess in some respects, the fact that everything’s changed in 2026, he’s also [been] given a reset about how you go about extracting as much as you can from the car.

“He’s fully aware of the challenge. He has his feet on the ground. He’s a very humble guy, and we are going to support him 360 to make sure that he can express his talent in that car.”

The post Hadjar surprised by “pretty decent” Red Bull shakedown start first appeared on InsideRacing.com.

A new F1 era began in Barcelona on Monday as seven teams ran their all-new cars and power units for the first time in earnest.

However, media and spectators are being kept away by a strong security presence in Catalonia.

One reason for the secretive start to 2026 is memories of 2014, when the introduction of new hybrid engines meant limited running in the early days of testing.

But those concerns were allayed as teams managed a reported 629 laps on the opening day, Haas leading the way with 154 tours of the Catalan circuit.

And it was the strong early reliability of the new power units that caught Russell’s attention the most on day one.

“We are pleased with our day, but I’ve also been impressed by several other teams, too,” he told the team post-session.

“The Red Bull power unit has completed a lot of laps, which, given that it’s their first engine they’ve built, means they’ve clearly done a good job.

“Haas also managed a similar amount of running to ourselves, so the Ferrari power unit has also put together plenty of mileage.

“It’s not quite how it was in 2014! The sport has evolved so much since then, and the level, in every single aspect, is so high now.”

Russell also gave a positive first impression of the 2026 F1 cars in general, adding: “It’s amazing just to be back out driving again.

“I think at the end of the year everyone’s looking forward to a break, but then after a week or two you’re raring to go again.

“There was obviously a lot of anticipation for these new power units, and so far, just generally on the whole, the amount of power they give is pretty impressive.

“I think for all the cars I was watching today, with all the different power units, it’s probably the quickest I’ve ever seen an F1 car pass here in Barcelona, so that was pretty exciting to see.

“And the cars, you feel it being smaller, you can feel that weight reduction compared to previous years, so I think from that aspect as well it’s gone in a good direction.”

In terms of lap times, Russell ended Monday unofficially in second place, four-tenths behind Isack Hadjar in the Red Bull.

Mercedes did take the honour of being first on track on Monday, with Kimi Antonelli heading straight out at 9 am.

“A very interesting morning,” the Italian commented.

“It’s very nice to be back in the car. It’s a massive learning – we’ve been trying to tune the PU and the car, and this afternoon the car has improved a lot.

“It is a constant learning, so the most important is trying to get the running, all the laps, as many laps as possible in order to tune the PU and the car in the best way as possible.”

The post Russell “impressed” as 2014 fears eased at F1 test first appeared on InsideRacing.com.