New Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar proves his worth after topping Barcelona test on Day 1

The first private test of the 2026 F1 season started in Barcelona on Monday. The five-day test is being held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but it is closed to the media and the public. However, the latest updates from Day 1 confirm that the new Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar was the fastest in his new car during the morning session and even managed to beat Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, who is entering his second year as a full-time driver. The cars hit the track for the first time on Monday amid several modifications in line with the new regulations.Isack Hadjar has been promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing for the 2026 season. He has replaced Yuki Tsunoda to drive alongside Max Verstappen this season, and he showed he is more than capable by topping the Barcelona private test on Monday.Hadjar was among the selected drivers who took part in the test on Day 1. Motorsport Week reported that he beat Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli by over a second. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto followed in third position, while Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson was fourth. Haas driver Esteban Ocon finished fifth, followed by Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas in sixth, and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto in seventh.According to The-Race.com, only Red Bull, Racing Bulls, Mercedes, Alpine, Haas, Audi, and Cadillac took part in the test. The remaining teams will join in the coming days.The action has just begun with the first shakedown in Barcelona. Teams will continue testing their new, narrower, lighter, and smaller cars over the next four days, with the test running until January 30.There will be two more tests in Bahrain, both open to the media. The first test is scheduled for February 11–13, while the second will take place from February 18–20.In the meantime, teams will unveil their new liveries, with Williams set to reveal theirs on February 3, Cadillac on February 8, and Aston Martin and McLaren on February 9. The season will officially begin with the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.