When is every team running in first test of F1 2026?

The primary of three F1 pre-season checks kick off in Barcelona subsequent week. Right here’s the whole lot you could find out about it.

Because of the largest regulation shake-up in current F1 historical past, three pre-season checks will happen earlier than the opening spherical in Australia on 8 March.

The primary of those is a collective shakedown on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain.

The primary check will run between 26-30 January and be held in personal to allow groups and drivers to become familiar with their all-new F1 vehicles away from prying eyes and scrutiny of followers and the world’s media.

All 11 F1 groups are allowed three days of operating out of the five-day window.

Right here’s what we all know to this point about which groups will run when…

Williams – Lacking whole check

Williams introduced on Friday that they won’t participate within the opening week of testing at Barcelona after encountering delays with the event of their FW48 automobile.

The choice means Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz is not going to get to drive Williams’ 2026 automobile till the primary official pre-season check in Bahrain on 11-13 February.

“Williams F1 Staff has taken the choice to not take part in subsequent week’s shakedown check in Barcelona following delays within the FW48 programme as we proceed to push for max automobile efficiency,” a press release from the Grove-based outfit learn.

“The crew will as an alternative conduct a sequence of checks together with a VTT [Virtual Test Track] programme subsequent week with the 2026 automobile to organize for the primary official check in Bahrain and the primary race of the season in Melbourne.

“We’re wanting ahead to getting on observe within the coming weeks and need to thank all our followers on your continued help – there’s a lot to look ahead to collectively in 2026.”

The numerous blow to Williams’ 2026 preparations is paying homage to when the crew’s automobile was late to pre-season testing again in 2019. Again then Williams had been in monetary strife however fortunately issues have since modified underneath the possession of Dorilton Capital.

McLaren – To affix on day two or three

McLaren will miss in any case the primary day of operating in Barcelona, and should even delay operating their 2026 F1 automobile till the third day of motion.

Staff principal Andrea Stella defined the choice was strategic and aimed toward maximising the event of the MCL40

„This was all the time going to be plan A,“ Stella instructed media together with Crash.internet. „There’s a lot of a change that we do not should be essentially the primary on observe.

„We needed to present as a lot time as doable for growth, as a result of day by day of growth, day by day of design, was including a little bit little bit of efficiency.

„In case you are early on observe, you should have the reassurance of realizing what you could know as quickly as doable.

„However on the similar time, it means you might need dedicated to the design and the realisation of the automobile comparatively early, so you should have compromised towards growth time and supreme efficiency.

„Clearly there can be updates just about for each automobile between testing and the primary race. However we thought that, within the economic system of a season, it was necessary to start out and launch the automobile in essentially the most aggressive bundle and configuration.

„That is why we pushed all of the timing to the restrict, however inside a really manageable restrict. We did not really feel any urge to plan for testing on day one.“

Ferrari – To affix on day two

Ferrari will be a part of McLaren in skipping the opening day of the shakedown.

The Italian outfit are set to affix the check on day two and likewise plan to run their 2026 automobile on Thursday, the penultimate day.

Ferrari are but to determine whether or not to finish their third day of permitted operating on Wednesday or Friday.

Talking after the revealing of their SF-26 challenger at Fiorano on Friday, Ferrari crew principal Fred Vasseur confirmed: “We are going to begin the check on Tuesday after which with the regulation we determine which days we run from Thursday however Thursday will even be on observe.

“With this new regulation it is going to be all about enchancment, studying course of, growth and that is why we’re in love with F1.”

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc shook down the SF-26 at Fiorano on Friday. 

Audi – To begin on day one

Audi intend to be able to roll out of their storage at 9am on the primary day of the Barcelona check.

This comes after they had been the primary F1 crew to conduct a shakedown check after they ran their R26 at Barcelona on 9 January.

Explaining the choice to get out of the blocks early, Audi technical director James Key stated: „This was a call made about 18 months in the past, so we sort of knew this was coming.

„It wasn’t a final minute factor. However no, we needed to – as certainly one of solely two new guys on the block with this – you actually do want a observe reference. And we agreed with our energy unit colleagues that we attempt to hit the observe as shortly as we are able to.”

The remainder of the groups are but to announce which days they are going to run on, however Cadillac, Racing Bulls, Alpine and Mercedes have already carried out a shakedown with their new vehicles.