F1 testing: Five takeaways from first week of all-new 2026 cars on track featuring Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, Aston Martin

This is an article about Formula One testing at the Barcelona circuit, featuring various teams and their experiences during the three-day event. Here's a summary of the main points:

**Team performances**

* Aston Martin, led by Adrian Newey, made a late arrival on track but had an impressive first appearance with a well-designed car.
* Red Bull Racing also ran into teething issues, particularly with their power unit, but managed to complete most of their planned mileage.
* Ferrari appeared to have some issues with their engine, but still completed the majority of their scheduled running.

**New teams**

* Aston Martin's late arrival was due to Newey pushing for a longer design window, which may not guarantee success.
* Audi (formerly Sauber) experienced teething issues early in the week but increased their mileage throughout the event.
* Cadillac, one of F1's new outfits, struggled with their car and only completed 164 laps.

**Teething issues**

* All teams, apart from Williams (who failed to show up), encountered some problems during the testing.
* These issues may be addressed by the end of the season in Melbourne.

**Predictions and outlook**

* Martin Brundle, a Sky Sports F1 analyst, predicts that Aston Martin will perform well throughout the 2026 season.
* The article concludes that the teams' increased mileage during the Barcelona event suggests they are on the right path to delivering respectable performances in Melbourne.

Overall, this article provides an overview of the Formula One testing at Barcelona and the challenges faced by various teams. It also offers some insights into the potential performance of each team, particularly Aston Martin, which made a strong first impression with their car design.
 
omg u guys i just got back from barcelona and i'm still hyped about how well aston martin killed it out there πŸš€πŸ”₯!! they were like, whoa, first session and already looking fierce 😎 i know newey was pushing for that longer design window but it paid off! red bull's power unit issues tho...not cool πŸ˜’ but 164 laps from cadillac? 🀯 not bad for a new team fam πŸ‘ can't wait to see how they do in melbourne! πŸ’₯
 
😊 I'm loving how much tech has improved in F1, can you imagine if they had those power units back in 2015? 🀯 That Mercedes W05 was insane! πŸ‘ Now teams are pushing the limits and it's exciting to see what they come up with. I think Audi will be a dark horse this season, their Sauber days were so underrated πŸ’₯. And can't forget about Aston Martin, they're definitely gonna give those top teams some grief 😏.
 
I think Audi's struggles early on were super bad but then they just magically fixed everything... or was it πŸ€”? I mean, 164 laps is pretty low for an F1 newbie, but maybe that's still more than the other new teams like Cadillac did. Aston Martin's late arrival could be a good thing if they really focused on their design window... or maybe it'll just cost them some development time πŸ•°οΈ. Anyway, I'm not sure about Martin Brundle's prediction on Aston Martin - haven't we seen teams improve way more quickly than that? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ
 
im impressed by how well the new teams are doing 🀩 especially audi they seem to be getting there but at the same time i think they're rushing into things too fast... and then there's aston martin who had that late arrival but still nailed it in their first test maybe they should've just followed the plan and not pushed for a longer design window? πŸ€”
 
The F1 teams are still struggling to get their gear sorted out πŸ€”. Can't say I'm impressed with the lack of testing prep from new teams... and what's up with Williams not showing up? That's some dodgy planning πŸ˜’. Still, it's good to see Aston Martin getting things right for once πŸ‘. Maybe they'll finally prove themselves as more than just a one-off 🀞. Audi's teething issues could be sorted by the end of the season, fingers crossed πŸ’ͺ.
 
Just got done reading about F1 testing in Barcelona πŸš—πŸ’¨. I gotta say, I'm loving the new teams that are joining the party - Audi and Cadillac, you guys are gonna shake things up! 😎 But, at the same time, it's not all sunshine and rainbows... Red Bull's power unit issues had me worried 😬. And Ferrari? Yeah, they're still working on that engine thingy πŸ”§. On a positive note, Aston Martin's car design is looking πŸ”₯πŸ‘€. Can't wait to see how they perform in Melbourne πŸ€”. Maybe it's time for some new favorites to emerge from the grid 🚫πŸ’₯
 
aww, looks like it was a tough start for those new teams πŸ€• especially cadillac, I feel bad for them πŸ˜” it's always nerve-wracking when you're making your debut in such a competitive sport... but at least they got some mileage under their belt πŸ’ͺ and it sounds like the others are working through some issues too 🀝 maybe 2026 will be a better season for everyone 🌈
 
I love how the new teams are just magically appearing on the scene... like they didn't have any problems before πŸ˜’. Audi and Cadillac, I'm sure it's not because they're trying out new engines or anything πŸ€ͺ. And Williams is just skipping the party because they're too cool for the testing πŸ™„. On a more serious note, though, it's interesting that the teams are pushing to do more laps... maybe they're trying to prove they can handle the stress of F1 without crashing into each other every 5 minutes πŸ˜…. And Martin Brundle thinks Aston Martin will be all good for next season? We'll see about that πŸ€”
 
so i'm kinda glad to see aston martin finally on track πŸš— but that late arrival thing is still worrying me... adrian newey's all about innovation and pushing boundaries, but does he have the right team behind him? also, red bull racing should've been more prepared with their power unit 😬 gotta keep an eye on ferrari too, they seem to be struggling with engine issues... and poor cadillac 🚫 164 laps ain't gonna cut it. but hey, at least williams didn't show up lol! overall, i think we might see some exciting battles in melbourne...
 
OMG, I'm loving how the new teams are shaking things up πŸ’₯! Like, Audi's struggles early on are super legit and it's awesome that they stepped up their game mid-week πŸ™Œ. And can we talk about Aston Martin? That late arrival was a risk, but man, that car design is FIRE πŸ”₯! I'm actually kinda stoked to see how they'll do in the season. Brundle's prediction is on point too πŸ€“, and I think Ferrari will get their engine issues sorted out soon πŸ’ͺ. The new teams bringing some competition to F1 is a total game-changer πŸ”„!
 
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