BARCELONA-CATALUNYA GRAND PRIX 2026 | FASTEST FREE PRACTICE 3

 

JORGE MARTIN CALLS FOR BARCELONA SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AFTER “DANGEROUS” MOTOGP CRASH

Jorge Martin suffered a concussion after an unusual crash at Turn 12 during opening practice in Barcelona on Friday

Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images

Jorge Martin believes the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya needs to extend the run-off area at Turn 12 after a crash during Catalan Grand Prix practice left him with a concussion.

The 2024 MotoGP champion lost the front-end of his Aprilia into the right-hander, with the bike smashing into the air fence before bouncing back into the gravel. With limited run-off available to slow him down, Martin hit the front fairing and was visibly shaken after getting back to his feet.

The Spaniard had to visit the medical centre for check-ups, with MotoGP’s official doctor later revealing that he was “slightly concussed” and also suffered bruising to his left forearm.

Martin was eventually cleared to take part in practice starts at the end of the session, but the incident renewed concerns about rider safety at what Martin described as a dangerous part of the circuit.

The 28-year-old said the crash immediately reminded him of the fatal accident that claimed the life of Moto2 rider Luis Salmon at the same corner in 2016.

“I think that it's really dangerous to crash there," he said. "I don't really like to say it, but it reminds me a lot about Luis Salom. When I was crashing, I thought about him straight away.

“Luckily, the bike turned so I went into the fairing and not the handlebars or other pieces. For sure, it's a place where they need to improve because it's really dangerous.”

Martin explained that he was trying to warm-up the tyre when he made a mistake at Turn 12 and hit the ground.

“I had more lean angle and more brake than the lap before,” he said. “But I was relaxed, I wasn't pushing. 

“But we struggled a lot to put temperature into the front in the morning. The evening was very good, we could go with the medium, but the morning was tough to put temperature and that's why you couldn't even push. And if you don't push, you don't warm up, and then it never stops.

“The problem is more on the left for sure, but it happened also on the right. So we have to be really careful. At that point I wanted to be behind Fabio [di Giannantonio] just to warm up the tyre and then I crashed.”

Martin also went down at Turn 2 towards the end of the main practice session on Friday afternoon, leaving him 17th on the timesheets and forcing him to go through Q1 for the first time this season.

While both team-mate Marco Bezzecchi and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez earned a direct passage into Q2, Martin struggled for pace throughout the hour-long session, despite having finished second in first practice.

Martin insisted that there were no lingering effects from his Turn 12 crash when he took to the track in the afternoon session.

Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
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Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team

“I'm good,” he said.  “I feel lucky that nothing happened in the morning because I think it was a dangerous and a really scary crash.

“But I was fine to ride in the evening and physically, I feel great. In the second run I didn't feel anything about the first crash.

“For sure, after the evening crash, [there is] again some pain in other places, but we'll check later.”

- Rachit Thukral & Germán Garcia Casanova

ASTON MARTIN WILL SKIP FIRST TWO DAYS OF 2026 BARCELONA F1 TEST

The British marque will not be seen in Barcelona this week by Wednesday at the earliest

Aston Martin is set to skip the opening two days of the first 2026 Formula 1 pre-season test in Barcelona, Motorsport.com understands. 

F1 is currently hosting a five-day shakedown at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (26-30 January), ahead of further tests in Bahrain (11-13 and 18-20 February) before the forthcoming campaign. 

This season will introduce widespread regulation changes and as a result, the Catalan test is being held behind closed doors with teams permitted a maximum three days of running. 

It is already known that Mercedes, Audi, Alpine, Haas, Cadillac, Racing Bulls and Red Bull are out on track during the first day, with McLaren and Ferrari set to start on Tuesday. 

Williams, meanwhile, announced last week that it was skipping Barcelona “to prepare for the first official test in Bahrain” with a series of virtual tests “following delays in the FW48 programme”.

The only team whose plan is not entirely known is Aston Martin, but Motorsport.com can reveal that it will not be seen in Barcelona until Wednesday at the earliest, with Thursday being a genuine possibility. 

Mercedes W17 Barcelona test
Photo by Formula 1

That is despite the Silverstone outfit’s hospitality and support structures being present at the track, but it is understood that Aston’s situation is similar to that of Williams with delays in development.

The 2026 regulations are proving a huge challenge for all teams with changes across the whole car: the chassis is now lighter and smaller, while power units feature more electric energy with a near 50-50 split alongside the internal combustion engine.

A car chassis becoming lighter is already proving difficult for teams, as they are struggling to meet the reduced minimum weight of 768kg - last year it was 800kg.

There is also the added complication at Aston Martin that it is partnering with a new power unit supplier this year, as it is becoming a Honda works’ outfit rather than its previous guise as a Mercedes customer team. 

This comes alongside a new team principal in Adrian Newey, who is stepping into the team boss role for the first time following decades of being a championship-winning designer. 

The expectations at Aston Martin are therefore huge for the coming years, especially following significant investment from billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll, but it may not meet the three days of track time in Barcelona this week.

- Roberto Chinchero

AUDI'S FIRST DAY ON TRACK IN BARCELONA | IN PICTURES | AUDI REVOLUT F1 TEAM

History was made at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday as the Audi Revolut F1 Team became the first of the 2026 grid to give their new challenger, the R26, a proper shakedown.

This wasn't just a casual outing; it was a high-stakes "handshake" between Audi's brand-new power unit and its Hinwil-built chassis.

Both Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto shared the cockpit during the 200km filming day, marking a massive milestone for the four rings as they transition into a full works outfit.

While the car sported a sleek, "all-black" testing look, don't let the stealth mode fool you – this project is screaming toward its official debut.

This early outing was only the beginning. Audi will officially unveil its race livery in Berlin on January 20, before opening the doors to fans the next day in a rare public celebration of a factory team’s birth.

The images released by Audi are all about atmosphere rather than detail – fleeting moments from the team’s first day on track, with – understandably – no close-up views of its R26 contender.

- Michael Delaney

GEORGE RUSSELL REACTS TO MAX VERSTAPPEN SOCIAL MEDIA PAST: 'I WAS A BIT SURPRISED'

Max Verstappen took accountability for causing the clash with George Russell in Barcelona via an Instagram post a day after the Spanish Grand Prix.

George Russell has reacted to Max Verstappen's post-Spanish Grand Prix social media post in which he took accountability for causing the controversial clash with the Mercedes driver.

Ahead of this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, the Briton has confirmed that he was a "bit surprised" to read the Dutchman's words a day after the incident in Barcelona, which moved Verstappen just a penalty point away from a ban.

The four-time F1 champion received three penalty points and a 10-second time penalty for driving directly into Russell at Turn 5 of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, demoting him to 10th at the chequered flag. 

Despite the aggressive move, which some believe should have seen Verstappen black-flagged, Russell is confident the Red Bull driver was not trying to cause a crash.

"He was trying to run me off the road. I don’t think he was trying to intentionally crash into me," Russell told the media in Montreal. "He wanted to just sort of scare me a bit, but he just misjudged it.

"Again, it wasn’t going to scare me, it was just all a bit surprising. I’m not looking for an apology. His actions cost him, and they benefited me. So I should be almost thanking him. 

"Obviously I’d be feeling very differently if it took me out of the race. But it is good to see that he took accountability. I was a bit surprised about that."

Verstappen's initial response in the media pen after the race caused further debate. 

Sarcastically, the 27-year-old offered his rival a tissue once informed of Russell's criticism. Remarkably, Russell was humoured by the comment and recently spoke to Verstappen at an airport.

"That was quite funny to be fair and I did have a giggle about that. We bumped into each other at the airport a few days ago on Sunday morning when I was going to Roland Garros," he revealed.

"To be honest, I totally forgot about Barcelona because he was there with his newborn. And we were at the security machine. So he just had a quick chat and then he was busy folding the pram down to put it through the machine."

- Nick Golding

RED BULL NOW 'FEAR' ONE MAX VERSTAPPEN OUTCOME THAT WILL BE 'TERRIBLE' FOR THE F1 TEAM'S IMAGE

Photo by Pablo Morano/Anadolu via Getty Images

Max Verstappen hurt his own hopes of becoming a five-time Formula 1 champion in 2025 by receiving a penalty for driving into George Russell in the Spanish Grand Prix.

The Red Bull star has a chance to match only Michael Schumacher by winning the F1 drivers’ championship in five successive seasons this term. Yet Verstappen left 11 points on the table at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Sunday, which let Oscar Piastri build his lead to 49.

Verstappen also now trails Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 39 points, having sat only 22 and nine points shy two rounds earlier when the Dutchman won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. He was even just 25 and 22 points shy after sealing P4 in the Monaco Grand Prix.

But Piastri now boasts nearly two Grand Prix wins in hand over the 27-year-old after the first nine rounds, following Verstappen’s 10-second penalty for driving into Russell in the Spanish GP. His penalty demoted the Red Bull racer from at worst P4 in Montmelo to just 10th place.

Red Bull ‘fear’ Max Verstappen getting a race ban for the 2025 F1 Austrian Grand Prix

The four-time reigning champion’s emotions got the better of him when Red Bull incorrectly told Verstappen to yield P4 to Russell in Spain. But possibly worse than the points he threw away were the three penalty points that the FIA’s race stewards also awarded for the crash.

Verstappen is now just one penalty point from an automatic one-race ban, with the Red Bull racer on 11/12 allowed in a rolling 12-month period. So, he must avoid an incident across the Canadian Grand Prix weekend (June 13-15) and also the Austrian Grand Prix (June 27-29).

Thousands of Dutch fans flock to the Red Bull Ring to support Verstappen, and Red Bull feel it can harm their image if their lead driver were absent. It would also harm their position in the constructors’ championship with Red Bull now just fourth and 218 points from McLaren.

So, ‘everyone’ at Red Bull hopes their ‘fear’ that Verstappen might miss the Austrian GP due to a race ban remains just that and never a reality. Yet their fear of a race ban will persist, as Verstappen will not lose any more of his penalty points after June 30 until October 27 (two).

How many penalty points does Max Verstappen have after his Spanish GP crash with George Russell?

While Motorsport.com reports that Red Bull ‘fear’ Verstappen receiving a race ban for their home race, the Austrian GP, with a penalty at the Canadian GP, the team will also dread the Dutchman getting a penalty in Spielberg which would rule him out of the British Grand Prix.

Silverstone is also a home event for Red Bull, whose factory is in Milton Keynes, and will be a great chance for Verstappen to take points out of Piastri and Norris. Their RB21 will suit the high-speed layout of the British GP venue potentially even more so than McLaren’s MCL39.

Fears might also persist in Milton Keynes even if Verstappen gets through the Canadian and Austrian Grand Prix events without a penalty. He will not drop any more penalty points until after the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix, which leaves nine rounds after the Red Bull Ring race.

Verstappen will start to lose most of the 11 penalty points the Red Bull driver now has after crashing into Russell in Spain across the tail end of the 2025 season. He will lose two points on October 27 and then one on November 2, one on December 1 and two on December 8.

- Kyle Archer

OSCAR PIASTRI LEADS MCLAREN ONE-TWO IN SPANISH GP AS MAX VERSTAPPEN PAYS PENALTY

McLaren's Oscar Piastri after winning the Spanish GP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Photograph: David Ramos/Getty Images

Oscar Piastri won the Spanish Grand Prix with a dominant run at the front of the field at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to secure victory in front of his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris. However the race was marked by a late moment of impetuous anger from Max Verstappen that cost Red Bull’s defending world champion a huge points loss to the leaders. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was in third.

The race had been an intriguing strategic contest if not a thriller until a late safety car. With five laps to go, Piastri held his lead from the restart and Leclerc pounced on Verstappen, who almost completely lost the rear as he came out of the final corner, his hard tyres having no grip.

Verstappen then had contact with Mercedes’s George Russell as the pair went through turn one and Verstappen went off but held his place. He was told to let Russell through but was clearly aggrieved. He moved over to let the British driver past and as he did so, he then drove side-on into the Mercedes.

He was immediately investigated by the stewards, while Russell still had the place, and Verstappen was swiftly given a 10-second time penalty, dropping him to 10th. Piastri now leads Norris by 10 points in the title fight but Verstappen has dropped to 49 points back, after what was an enormously costly moment for the Dutchman.

It was McLaren’s first win in Spain for two decades as the team served notice they retain a formidable advantage over the rest of the field. Russell took fourth, with Nico Hülkenberg a superb fifth for Sauber.

The late drama came only after the two McLarens had dominated the race, with Verstappen and Red Bull doing their best to stay in the fight with an alternate three-stop strategy. It had paid off, despite being outpaced, with the world champion very much in the mix and on for a podium place when a late safety car closed the pack up and there was a final dash for the last five laps.

Verstappen’s three stops had used up all his soft tyres, meaning he was forced on to the slower hard rubber, which left him impotent at the restart and led to the frustration and dangerous driving that will doubtless face enormous criticism far beyond the penalty he received. The three drivers on the podium were left speechless when they watched it in the cool-down room.

Beyond the incident the result was conclusive evidence, were any further needed, that the FIA’s technical directive restricting the flexing of front wings, applied at this race, has made little to no difference to the pecking order. In the build-up to the meeting the clampdown had dominated discussion as to whether it might materially affect the championship leaders. McLaren had been bullish that this was not where the strength of their car lay and have been proved correct in every session this weekend.

Their car is still dominant, surely putting the issue to bed once and for all but more important indicating that if they are to be caught it will take a major step forward from their rivals.

The race belonged to Piastri, who was in assured control from the front, with the same measured, calm confidence that sat in stark contrast to Verstappen’s temper as the 24-year-old Australian reminded everyone he has the traits of a world champion in waiting.

Lewis Hamilton was in sixth for Ferrari, Isack Hadjar in seventh for Racing Bulls, Pierre Gasly eighth for Alpine and Fernando Alonso ninth for Aston Martin. – Guardian

- Giles Richards

LEWIS HAMILTON CRASHES FERRARI IN PRE-SEASON TESTING

Hamilton crashed the Ferrari on his second day of running at Barcelona

Lewis Hamilton has crashed his Ferrari during the team's pre-season testing programme in Spain.

The seven-time champion was unhurt after losing control of the team's 2023 car at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Wednesday.

Ferrari declined to comment on the incident, which happened on Hamilton's second day of running at the Spanish track, where he is sharing the car with team-mate Charles Leclerc.

The incident happened as Ferrari seek to embed Hamilton into the team as effectively as possible before the start of the season at the Australian Grand Prix on 14-16 March.

Ferrari regard the crash as nothing abnormal as Hamilton learns the characteristics of an unfamiliar car after 12 years with Mercedes, within the significant restrictions imposed on testing in F1.

Ferrari are running a limited programme in the 2023 car, the most recent model Hamilton is allowed to drive.

F1's testing restrictions dictate that current race drivers can complete a maximum of 1,000km (621 miles) of what is known as TPC (testing of previous cars) running.

Hamilton completed 30 laps at the team's Fiorano test track on 22 January before he and Leclerc moved on to this week's three days of running at Barcelona, home of the Spanish Grand Prix.

Ferrari are giving no details of the test, where Hamilton is learning Ferrari's procedures and working methods and building an understanding with race engineer Riccardo Adami and the rest of the engineering group.

Ferrari will launch their 2025 car at Fiorano on 19 February, the day after F1's season launch event at the O2 in London.

Ferrari will give Hamilton further testing miles before the launch in a Pirelli-run tyre test.

The team will run for two days next week, also at Barcelona, on 4-5 February in a 2025 car modified to reflect the effect of the new regulations being introduced for 2026.

McLaren are conducting a similar Pirelli test at Paul Ricard in France this week as the Italian company seeks to define its 2026 product.

- Andrew Benson