The F1 2026 regulations represent perhaps the most comprehensive changes to the sport in recent history. These new rules carry a genuine risk of some teams being well of the mark when the season begins.
Both on the engine and design front, engineers will hope pre-season testing does not reveal any fundamental blunders.
This nervousness is why most teams, at least initially, have committed to taking a conservative approach in testing.
Establishing reliability will be the first priority across the field, before more demanding and specific programmes can be conducted.
Ahead of the first tests in Barcelona, many teams are expected to bring very basic versions of their 2026 cars – with more advanced upgrades set to arrive in later tests.
However, Red Bull are understood to have opted for a distinctly more high-risk approach.
Max Verstappen in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Red Bull pursue their own path ahead of 2026
Fred Vasseur was one of the first to warn of the reliability risks presented by these 2026 cars. The Ferrari team principal has insisted the first priority in testing is to ensure all basic systems work as expected.
For a manufacturer team like Ferrari, this means establishing certain benchmarks on both the engine and aerodynamic side.
Vasseur went even further, suggesting that the performance seen in the first few rounds of the season will not be especially relevant. He argues there will be a very high volume of upgrades and alterations in specifications in the first part of the season.
The Frenchman is not the only person to suggest this measured approach.
Audi CTO Mattia Binotto, partly to manage expectations, has warned that reliability is the first order of business. Only from here can the German manufacturer begin taking steps forward and focus on performance.
Speaking of Audi’s reliability, yesterday they completed 200km of running at a private test in Barcelona.
As previously reported on LWOS, Binotto’s personnel used one of their ‘filming days’ to get some early mileage on their 2026 car.
Of course, only low-resolution images of Audi’s challenger were leaked – with the Hinwil-based team intentionally using a black livery to obscure the car as much as possible to any fans taking pictures near the circuit.
Even then, Audi only brought a basic version of their 2026 design to the Spanish circuit. Their primary objective was to test the car’s basic functions and, perhaps more importantly, collect data on their new engine.
On this front, the small test was a success, with no major issues arising throughout their Barcelona running.
Other teams are scheduled to have 200km tests before pre-season testing begins officially in Barcelona. Generally speaking, the philosophy of slow and steady will reign supreme.
However, according to racingnews365, this consensus is rejected at Red Bull.
Laurent Mekies, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool