Max Verstappen showed a measured optimism following Red Bull’s first outing with the RB22 at Formula 1’s private shakedown test held earlier this week at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Despite the car still being a work in progress, the positive mileage logged during this early phase has provided encouraging signs as the 2026 season begins under substantially new technical regulations affecting both the engine and chassis.
The Milton-Keynes based team launched its debut as a full works outfit at Barcelona, navigating significant changes brought by the 2026 rules which demand extensive fine-tuning from all teams. While the focus of this initial of three scheduled pre-season tests was primarily on identifying and resolving technical issues, the strong reliability and substantial running times across the grid have been surprisingly promising.
Verstappen Logs Impressive Miles, Shares Early Reflections
Max Verstappen completed a considerable 118 laps on the final day of testing, a clear indication of the team’s effort to maximize data collection. Verstappen commented on the experience, saying,
“It has been nice to be back on track this week, and the first morning I had in the car, I couldn’t do too many laps because of the weather, but Friday was good,”
reflecting on the positives despite initial weather interruptions. He added,
“We did a lot of laps [on Friday], and that was really the key. We learned a lot, and there are, of course, still a lot of things that we want to look into, but it’s a good start.”
Red Bull-Ford Power Unit Debut Marks Significant Milestone
One of the standout developments this season is Red Bull’s introduction of its first-ever in-house power unit, developed in conjunction with Ford. This debut proved to be a major achievement for the team, as the engine demonstrated both strong performance and remarkable reliability.
Verstappen described the moment as “emotional” for the team, acknowledging years of development finally coming to fruition. He stated,
“So much work has gone into this power unit over the last few years, and to see it then go into the car and on the first day, immediately do so many laps was great to see,”
and continued,
“There were a lot of emotional faces in the garage, and that was very special.”
Recognizing Challenges Ahead in 2026 Development Process
Despite the encouraging start, Verstappen emphasized that much remains to be done as Red Bull and other teams adjust to the complex new regulations. The 28-year-old champion is cautious about using lap times as an immediate indicator of success, prioritizing detailed data collection and car understanding over outright speed at this stage.
He noted,
“Everything is still a work in progress, but we have hit the ground running quite well,”
highlighting the early progress. Verstappen also remarked,
“We need time to understand the engine and make setup changes. You try to put as many laps on the board and try as many things as you can in the day.”
Red Bull plans two further testing sessions in February at Bahrain International Circuit before the season’s first race at the Albert Park Circuit in Australia in March. Verstappen remains focused on incremental improvements during this transitional phase, understanding that reliability and detailed optimization remain critical objectives.
Concluding his remarks on the shakedown and upcoming preparations, Verstappen said,
“I think we are doing that, and this is what this shakedown was about and what we will continue to do,”
adding,
“It is a complicated formula for everyone to get right, which means there is still a lot of work to do before we head to Bahrain. We will go there and keep the work going.”
