P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The F1 cars for 2026 will have their first official session of the year at the end of the month in Barcelona.
Max Verstappen stated that he anticipates Red Bull will spend a significant portion of the initial test session of the year in the garage.
The Formula 1 teams will assemble at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya between January 26 and January 30 for the first testing opportunity of the year.
Each team will have three days to showcase their cars, which were constructed under new technical regulations.
The closed-door test will allow teams to analyze their preliminary data in depth.
Verstappen believes that Red Bull will focus on studying data in the garage during the test in Barcelona, before heading to Bahrain for the second test with a better grasp of the car’s performance.
This marks a new chapter for Red Bull as they introduce their own power unit for the first time, with Ford assisting in its development.
Verstappen admitted that he is unsure how Red Bull’s power unit will stack up against rivals, emphasizing that everyone is still in the dark about the new car and engine.
