F1 Testing 2026: Max Verstappen sidelined as Red Bull run out of parts after Barcelona crash

Max Verstappen in Qatar — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Testing 2026

F1 Testing: Max Verstappen sidelined as Red Bull run out of parts

Hadjar crashed the RB22 on Tuesday

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 29 January 2026 19:53

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Max Verstappen's Thursday running at the Barcelona shakedown has been sidelined as Red Bull await parts for their F1 challenger.

Both Verstappen and team-mate Isack Hadjar completed laps around Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Tuesday, with the Dutchman getting his first taste of the RB22 in the wet while Hadjar drove the car in the afternoon.

During the closing stages of day two, however, Hadjar crashed at Turn 14 and while he was unharmed, the incident has left significant damage on the car.

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Red Bull sat out day three of the shakedown on Wednesday, and will also miss day four on Thursday. According to Dutch insider Erik Van Haren, 'new/replacement parts' are yet to arrive from Milton Keynes, although these are expected to be with the team later on Thursday.

Red Bull hopes that Verstappen will return to the track on the final day of the shakedown, Friday, January 30.

Has Hadjar caused a problem for Verstappen?

On Sky Sports' Barcelona shakedown show on day three, hosts Ted Kravitz and Craig Slater discussed Hadjar's crash and the repercussions it could have for Verstappen.

“Has Isack Hadjar caused a problem for Max Verstappen?” Kravitz pondered.

“[Verstappen] has only taken to the track once, he’s done less than 30 laps in the whole test so far. But they ran in the wet so he has not driven in the dry at this Barcelona shakedown. Might they regret going out in the wet when Hadjar crashed?”

Slater than claimed sourcing the spare parts would be an issue for Red Bull, and added: "The point we made earlier about McLaren coming here with just enough parts to run the car, because that’s the way things are at the start of a season.

"Red Bull, that’s why they are struggling to get back out again, it’s not because the car was so badly damaged, it’s just the parts are scarce to fix it at this early stage of the year.

“I’ve been in touch with them, they are hopeful they can get the car sorted to allow Max Verstappen to have some dry running. But they are not certain, but they are working on it. It will involve parts being flown in from Milton Keynes.”

Kravitz then alluded to which parts needed replacing, and said: “We think it’s certainly the rear wing. We think it’s the left rear and the right rear with some suspension bits as well.”

Thus far, Red Bull have completed a total of 192 laps in the RB22, 165 of which have been completed by Hadjar. While all times are unofficial, on a rainy Tuesday, Hadjar and Verstappen's quickest time were a 1:31.891 and a 1:19.578 respectively.

Red Bull Max Verstappen Isack Hadjar pre-season testing