P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Everything you need to know – and should expect – from F1’s Barcelona shakedown.
F1 pre-season testing has begun this week in Barcelona with 10 out of the 11 teams participating in what is known as a shakedown test.
The 2026 season will see significant new chassis and power unit regulations, leading to more testing sessions to adapt to the changes.
Barcelona’s shakedown is the first of three pre-season tests before the season officially starts on 8 March in Australia.
Teams have the freedom to choose three days for testing this week, while McLaren and Ferrari have opted to skip the first day.
Williams will miss the entire Barcelona shakedown due to delays in preparing their new F1 car.
The decision to keep the Barcelona test private without live coverage aims to allow teams to work on their cars away from public scrutiny and address any initial issues.
Despite the closed-door nature of the test, limited information will still be available through approved team releases, images, and F1’s online content.
While the secrecy around the Barcelona test has sparked some concerns and criticisms, the exclusive access gives teams control over their testing process before the upcoming F1 season.
