A 'two-horse race' is forecasted as the testing commences.

      "Mercedes appears to be very competitive."

      The first group test of the 2026 Formula 1 era began on Monday in Barcelona, shrouded in near-total secrecy, with teams operating behind closed doors and no official lap times released. Journalists were kept distant from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with Formula 1 sharing only a few brief video snippets. Despite the lack of official data, unofficial lap times emerged online later in the day.

      Initial impressions from the paddock indicate that Mercedes has made a strong start, a sentiment supported by former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher. "Mercedes appears very competitive," Schumacher stated. "I think we will witness a two-way contest between the factory team and Max Verstappen."

      Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli referred to the new car as "great to drive," while teammate George Russell noted that the significantly different 2026 vehicles quickly became intuitive from the driver’s perspective. "They are quite distinct for us as drivers, but once you grasp it, driving them feels quite natural," Russell remarked.

      "We are satisfied with our day, but I’ve also been impressed by several other teams. The Red Bull power unit has logged many laps, which, considering it’s the first engine they’ve developed, indicates they’ve clearly done well. Haas also managed a similar amount of running as we did, so the Ferrari power unit has also accumulated significant mileage. 'It’s not exactly like it was in 2014!'"

      There was notable interest in Red Bull’s new Red Bull-Ford power unit, which seemed to perform quickly and reliably on the first day, despite being the team’s first in-house engine. Isack Hadjar mentioned that the new cars felt more predictable than their predecessors. "I can maneuver it more easily," the Frenchman noted. "All the controls are much more complex than before, but I’ve already started experimenting with the various settings of the power unit - it’s very intriguing."

      However, not all teams experienced a smooth beginning. New entrant Cadillac faced initial issues and slower pace, while Audi encountered problems with its new power unit. "We decided not to go out again until the issue was fully examined," Gabriel Bortoleto explained. "We had almost anticipated this problem. Unfortunately, it arose a bit earlier than expected. But we must remember that we’re a new team creating our own power unit for the first time."

      "The cars are fundamentally different," he added. "I feel that they are somewhat slower than the old Formula 1 cars. However, it’s exciting that we now have 50 percent electric power. There’s so much power available when exiting corners."

      Alpine and Racing Bulls participated in the test, while Ferrari and McLaren are expected to join on Tuesday, with McLaren set to debut a black test livery. The absence of Williams continues to attract attention. Officially, team principal James Vowles has minimized the delay, but Italian media have reported repeated FIA crash-test failures and claim that the car is considerably overweight. La Repubblica characterized the situation as an "embarrassment" that has prevented Williams from participating in Barcelona entirely.

      Aston Martin has also yet to begin running. Sources confirm that the team passed all FIA crash tests, but an Aston Martin spokesperson stated: "Our plan is to run on Thursday and Friday," amidst rumors of Honda power unit and technical delays. Unofficial lap times circulating after day one suggested that Hadjar posted the quickest time, half a second ahead of Russell.