Adrian Newey will be proud when he sees what Red Bull have done to their 2026 F1 car in Barcelona

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Red Bull haven’t had a trouble-free Barcelona Shakedown. Isack Hadjar topped the times on day one but then crashed at the end of day two.

Hadjar’s crash forced Red Bull to ship in spare parts from their Milton Keynes factory, precluding them from taking part on Wednesday or Thursday.

But crucially, Red Bull’s first-ever power unit has run well, whether that’s in the back of the RB21 or the customer Racing Bulls. That was surely the main objective for this preliminary test.

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What’s more, Red Bull’s aerodynamic package has caught the eye of experts. That’s significant, because this is the first car designed without any direct influence from Adrian Newey.

Red Bull are using concepts ‘dear’ to former designer Adrian Newey

Newey, who joined Red Bull in 2006, handed in his resignation in the spring of 2024. By then, he would have had some input into the 2025 concept, although he couldn’t see it through.

For the new regulations, technical director Pierre Wache and his team were on their own. Newey moved to Aston Martin, where he has now become team principal.

According to Motorsport Italia, though, Red Bull are still using concepts that were ‘dear’ to Newey. They are sticking to ‘basic principles’, both aerodynamically and mechanically.

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For instance, they have kept the front wheels as far from the sidepods as ‘possible’ to minimise the effect of tyre wake. They have also opted for a push-rod suspension on the front and rear of the car, a more ‘traditional’ and less ‘extreme’ approach than they used previously.

Red Bull also trialling an ‘innovative’ front wing too, while their blown diffuser, a tool to improve downforce, is ‘indisputably’ larger and more striking than the Mercedes and Ferrari versions.

Is Red Bull’s 2026 F1 car actually legal?

2026 will be the true test of Wache’s credentials to lead the Red Bull technical department long term, even if the emphasis will naturally be on developing the power unit at first.

It was reported last summer that Max Verstappen’s camp had doubts about Wache as Red Bull lost touch with McLaren. But the team’s stunning progress after the summer break – Verstappen came up just short in a dramatic title fightback – eased the pressure on the Frenchman.

One major rumour surrounding the 2026 Red Bull car concerns fuel compression ratios. Reports suggest that they are exploiting a loophole in the rules to gain more horsepower, along with Mercedes.

The engine manufacturers are accused of running a ratio of 18:1, higher than the permitted 16:1, but this can’t be detected in static checks. The rules stipulate that cars must be legal for the entire duration of a Grand Prix weekend.

However, Red Bull ‘strongly deny’ that they are using the trick. Given the supposed horsepower advantage (13-14 bhp, worth around three-tenths per lap), the pecking order at the Australian Grand Prix should offer an indication either way.