Winter testing: Red Bull stays on top on Day Two

The second day of pre-season testing has concluded in Barcelona, Spain, with rain disrupting the running throughout the day.

Teams are allowed to run on only three of the five test days, so many opted not to take to the track to avoid losing a day due to the wet conditions. Red Bull and Ferrari, which had skipped Monday, were exceptions and immediately began work with their new cars.

In the morning, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen were the first to get behind the wheel of the SF-26 and RB22, respectively. The session began on a dry track, but rain soon arrived and continued to dampen the asphalt at varying intensities throughout the day.

The first red flags were caused by Max Verstappen, who ran into the gravel and got stuck at Turn 5 on his out-lap from the pits. Despite losing some time, he later returned to the track and set the fastest lap of the day. Charles Leclerc did not encounter similar issues, and he completed his planned program in full.

In the second half of the day, the teams switched drivers, with Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar taking over. Hadjar also brought out the red flags, but with more serious consequences. The team’s debutant ran wide into the gravel at the final corner and crashed the car. Damage was observed to the rear wing and suspension, forcing the team to end its running prematurely.

Testing will continue on Wednesday. The reigning world champions, McLaren, have confirmed that they will join the tests from tomorrow.