Red Bull Carefully Assess F1 Test Programme After Isack Hadjar Crash

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Red Bull Racing are carefully reassessing their pre-season testing programme in Barcelona after Isack Hadjar crashed late on the second day of running.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, when Hadjar slid off the circuit at Turn 14 and made contact with the barriers, causing damage to the RB22. The crash brought an early end to Hadjar’s running on what had been a challenging day for all drivers.

The setback came just 24 hours after the Frenchman enjoyed a highly productive opening day with his new team, including setting the fastest time of the session. However, day two proved far more difficult, with wet conditions dominating much of the running and significantly increasing the level of risk for drivers adapting to the new-generation Formula 1 cars.

With Tuesday’s programme largely conducted on a damp track, Red Bull’s immediate focus has shifted to repairing the car and deciding when it will next return to the circuit. Team principal Laurent Mekies stressed that the driver’s wellbeing was the overriding priority.

“There was no chance for dry tyres, but some good learning in the wet,” Mekies said.
“Unfortunately it didn’t end in the right way, but what is important is that Isack is okay.”

Mekies confirmed that the team will now work to recover from the incident before finalising its remaining plans for the week.

“We will try our best to repair the car and see what comes next.”

He also underlined how treacherous the conditions became as the session progressed, noting that the crash was an unfortunate consequence of the circumstances.

“It was very tricky conditions this afternoon, so it’s very unfortunate that it finished that way, but it’s part of the game.”

Despite the abrupt end to Hadjar’s day, Mekies emphasised that the broader context of Red Bull’s test remains encouraging, particularly when viewed against the progress made on Monday.

“These difficulties came after a very, very positive day yesterday in terms of the number of laps Isack could complete in the car, and in terms of his learning, development, and the feedback he was able to give to the engineers.”

Red Bull have already used two of their three permitted running days in Barcelona, having run on both Monday and Tuesday. That leaves the team with just one remaining opportunity to take the car on track during the private test.

With further unsettled weather forecast, Mekies acknowledged that choosing when to deploy that final day will be critical to ensure the team extracts maximum value from the limited time available.

“The checklist is too long to be completed in just a few days in Barcelona,” he explained.

“So it’s always a matter of priorities, being flexible, and adapting your programme as difficulties arise or when you find an interesting direction that you want to pursue.”

Given the constraints, Red Bull are now weighing their options carefully.

“We only have one day left, so we have to make sure we play that card carefully,” Mekies concluded.

The situation leaves Red Bull facing an important strategic decision as the opening phase of the 2026 pre-season continues. How the team manages its final day of running could prove influential in shaping its early understanding of the new regulations and its readiness for the next stage of testing.