Day two of Formula 1’s classified 2026 shakedown testing at Circuit de Catalunya saw significantly reduced track activity as only Ferrari and Red Bull ventured out in challenging wet conditions. The five-day testing window continued with most teams electing to remain in the garage, analysing data from the opening session rather than risk running in the rain. Charles Leclerc emerged first for Ferrari at 9am as conditions deteriorated throughout the morning, while Isack Hadjar’s afternoon crash for Red Bull brought an early end to the RB squad’s running.
Limited running as weather dictates strategy
The anticipated rain arrived at Circuit de Catalunya exactly as forecast, prompting a mass exodus before teams even began their programmes. McLaren had already confirmed its absence for the opening two days, focusing instead on arriving with a more developed car specification. Haas announced early on Tuesday morning it would not participate, preferring to analyse the substantial data haul from Monday when the American outfit reportedly completed 154 laps, more than any other competitor.
Mercedes joined the list of absentees shortly before 11am local time as drizzle intensified into proper rain. The German manufacturer decided the conditions offered insufficient value for meaningful running, particularly given the exploratory nature of this early testing phase. With three days available to each team across the five-day window, strategic choices about when to run became as important as the running itself.
Ferrari maximises wet weather opportunity
Charles Leclerc wasted no time when the track went live, emerging from the Ferrari garage immediately at 9am. The Monegasque driver had come prepared for the conditions, with two sets of full wet tyres and four sets of intermediates loaded onto the SF-25. Despite a brief red flag period when Max Verstappen reportedly went off-track at Turn 5 on his out-lap, Leclerc managed to bank 64 laps before handing over to his new teammate.
Lewis Hamilton took control of the SF-25 for the afternoon session, marking another significant milestone in his transition to the Maranello outfit. The seven-time world champion is working with Leclerc’s long-time race engineer Bryan Bozzi during the shakedown week, though he will have a different engineer assigned for the race season. Hamilton added 56 laps to Ferrari’s tally despite the challenging conditions, giving the team a respectable 120 laps across the disrupted day.
Leclerc’s fastest lap came in the brief dry spell at 1m20.578s, though these unofficial times carry little meaning given the teams are yet to embark on any serious performance running. The primary goal remains systems validation and reliability checks rather than outright pace.
Hadjar’s crash curtails Red Bull programme
Red Bull Racing had enjoyed a productive opening day and appeared equally prepared for wet conditions with appropriate tyre allocations. Max Verstappen opened Tuesday’s running for the reigning constructors’ champions before Isack Hadjar took over for the afternoon stint. The French rookie, making his Formula 1 race debut this season, managed 51 laps before disaster struck.
Hadjar spun at Turn 14, the fast right-hander leading onto the main straight, making contact with the barrier and bringing out a red flag. Video footage captured by observers positioned on a nearby hill revealed the RB22 had lost its rear wing in the impact. Red Bull confirmed Hadjar emerged uninjured from the incident, though the damage represented an unfortunate setback.
The team’s Monday performance provides some cushion against Tuesday’s curtailed running. Having already completed substantial mileage on day one, Red Bull has gathered valuable baseline data and has time to repair or replace damaged components before its next scheduled session. Verstappen had recorded 27 laps before the handover, with his fastest time listed unofficially at 1m19.578s in the dry conditions.
McLaren prepares for Wednesday debut
McLaren’s strategic decision to delay its shakedown appearance reflects a different development philosophy for the MCL39. The Woking team revealed at its livery launch last week that it was prioritising a relatively mature car specification to carry through to the opening races. This approach necessitates a later arrival at the shakedown testing window.
The team confirmed it would run no earlier than Tuesday and would likely push to Wednesday if weather proved problematic. With rain dominating Tuesday’s schedule, McLaren is now preparing to make its first appearance on Wednesday morning. The team has arrived at the circuit and is planning to utilise its full three-day allocation across Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
This strategy carries calculated risk but potentially greater reward. By arriving with a more developed package, McLaren hopes to use the shakedown for meaningful performance validation rather than basic systems checks. The team’s 2024 constructors’ championship success provides confidence in this measured approach.
Aston Martin and Williams status uncertain
Among the teams yet to appear, Aston Martin’s plans remain unclear. The Silverstone-based outfit has made no official announcements about its running schedule, though the absence on both Monday and Tuesday suggests a Wednesday debut at the earliest. Given the team’s ambitious technical overhaul under technical director Dan Fallows, additional preparation time may prove beneficial.
Williams confirmed last week its FW47 would not be ready for the shakedown’s opening days. The Grove team admitted it would not arrive in time to complete all three allocated days, with Thursday representing the earliest possible appearance. This marks a concerning continuation of the build delays that plagued Williams in recent seasons, though team principal James Vowles has acknowledged the challenges openly.
The compressed timeline means Williams will need to maximise every available hour when the FW47 finally emerges. Missing multiple days of this early validation running places additional pressure on pre-season testing in Bahrain, where track time is even more limited.
Strategic choices define shakedown approach
The varying approaches to this shakedown week highlight different team philosophies. Some prioritised early running to validate basic systems and identify fundamental issues, while others chose to arrive later with more refined packages. Weather added another variable, with only Ferrari and Red Bull judging Tuesday’s conditions acceptable for meaningful data gathering.
Cadillac, Audi, Racing Bulls and Alpine had all planned to sit out Tuesday regardless of weather, according to paddock sources. Valtteri Bottas, returning to Formula 1 with Audi, noted after Monday’s running that teams faced plenty of “debugging” work following the opening day. These early system validation tasks could be accomplished without track running, making Tuesday an ideal day for workshop analysis.
The unofficial lap times, while not representative of true performance, provide interesting context. Times were generally slower than Monday given the wet conditions, though direct comparison remains impossible without official timing data or knowledge of fuel loads and engine modes. Teams are operating in exploratory mode, prioritising reliability and systems validation over outright pace.
With three days remaining in the shakedown window, the picture will become clearer as more teams complete their allocated running and car specifications become apparent through testing programmes.
