Red Bull Driver Hadjar Crashes in Barcelona Wet Conditions
Isack Hadjar, the 21-year-old French driver promoted to the senior Red Bull team for 2026 after just one season in F1, lost control at the fast final corner and hit the barriers during wet pre-season testing in Barcelona.
Hadjar was on his first lap on a set of intermediate tyres having just switched from full wet tyres when he went off, spinning and hitting the barrier backwards. Team principal Laurent Mekies described it as "very tricky conditions" but also noted that the crash was unfortunate.
Hadjar is part of a new generation of Red Bull drivers, who are under pressure to perform well ahead of the championship. The incident has raised questions about the readiness of the team's junior drivers for the upcoming season.
McLaren on Hold Until Wednesday
However, McLaren decided not to run their car until late in the morning session and instead waited until Wednesday due to the wet weather conditions. The four-time champion Lewis Hamilton expressed his desire to experience the car in dry conditions, understanding balance and deployment of power.
Meanwhile, Ferrari had a more productive day with Charles Leclerc driving in the morning and Lewis Hamilton in the afternoon, completing 123 laps between them. The team aims to be more competitive this season with new rules allowing for greater energy management through the hybrid engine component.
The pre-season testing will continue until Wednesday, with Red Bull having one more day of running permitted under the current rules.
Isack Hadjar, the 21-year-old French driver promoted to the senior Red Bull team for 2026 after just one season in F1, lost control at the fast final corner and hit the barriers during wet pre-season testing in Barcelona.
Hadjar was on his first lap on a set of intermediate tyres having just switched from full wet tyres when he went off, spinning and hitting the barrier backwards. Team principal Laurent Mekies described it as "very tricky conditions" but also noted that the crash was unfortunate.
Hadjar is part of a new generation of Red Bull drivers, who are under pressure to perform well ahead of the championship. The incident has raised questions about the readiness of the team's junior drivers for the upcoming season.
McLaren on Hold Until Wednesday
However, McLaren decided not to run their car until late in the morning session and instead waited until Wednesday due to the wet weather conditions. The four-time champion Lewis Hamilton expressed his desire to experience the car in dry conditions, understanding balance and deployment of power.
Meanwhile, Ferrari had a more productive day with Charles Leclerc driving in the morning and Lewis Hamilton in the afternoon, completing 123 laps between them. The team aims to be more competitive this season with new rules allowing for greater energy management through the hybrid engine component.
The pre-season testing will continue until Wednesday, with Red Bull having one more day of running permitted under the current rules.
Just read that Isack Hadjar had a major crash in Barcelona during wet conditions 
. The young French driver was on his first lap with intermediate tyres and lost control... not good at all 
. This is what I'm talking about, another young talent crashing out early on 
. And to make matters worse, the Red Bull team's junior drivers are under so much pressure this season already 
. Meanwhile, McLaren decided to wait it out until Wednesday due to the weather, which just shows how unpredictable things can get in F1 
...
think hadjar's crash was avoidable if he'd taken it easy on that first lap 
didn't need to go full speed with new tyres on... 
he's been doing so well last season and now all these questions about his readiness 
mclaren waiting till wednesday is a bit weird tho 
anyway glad ferrari was able to make the most of the day 
charles leclerc and hamilton are gonna have some epic battles this season 
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