F1 fans are all saying the same thing after seeing Liam Lawson test Racing Bulls’ 2026 car on track

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Liam Lawson took Racing Bulls’ new car built for the 2026 F1 regulations for its debut outing at Imola this Tuesday, as the Faenza natives held a private shakedown session.

Racing Bulls utilised F1’s rulebook allowing teams to complete a maximum 15 kilometres of on-track activity during a filming day to check the fundamentals of their new car. The junior Red Bull crew have also arranged a filming day for Wednesday, when they can cover 200km.

Lawson got behind the wheel of Racing Bulls’ VCARB 03 in damp conditions this Tuesday, at the now-former home of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. He is expected to share the driving duties on Wednesday with teammate Arvid Lindblad, who will earn his F1 debut this season.

Racing Bulls are the latest F1 team to hold a shakedown or a filming day ahead of the official shakedown test in Barcelona on January 26-30, following Audi and Cadillac. Teams are keen to get as much track time as they can to check their new cars built for F1’s 2026 regulations.

F1 fans cannot ignore the size of Racing Bulls’ air intake on Liam Lawson’s 2026 car

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F1 has overhauled the rulebook this season with new aerodynamic, chassis, engine and tyre regulations. Racing Bulls have also switched engine supplier, following Honda’s defection to Aston Martin, with the maiden Red Bull Powertrains unit powering the two Red Bull outfits.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1’s 2026 engine and aero regulations

Some F1 fans are concerned that the RBPT DM01 may suffer from overheating issues in hot conditions after seeing Lawson test Racing Bulls’ car at Imola, though. Many fans were quick to notice the size of Racing Bulls’ air intake after The Race shared its spy photos from Imola.

“That air intake from the top is huge. Judging by the size of it, teams will have a hard time cooling those engines on a hot day,” said one F1 fan. Another F1 fan drew a similar verdict after Lawson’s run at Imola, noting: “Seems like the Red Bull engine needs some cooling.”

One fan also simply noted, “That top air intake?!”, while another fan declared: “The airbox doubles as a coffee table.” Another F1 fan also claimed, “Absolutely massive air box,” while one F1 fan voiced their surprise at its size, by stating on X: “Wooow! That airbox is huge!”

Karun Chandhok is stunned by the ‘massive’ air intake on Racing Bulls’ 2026 F1 car

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Lawson’s track outing at Imola on Tuesday offered F1 fans their first real look at Racing Bulls’ car for the 2026 regulations. Unlike when Racing Bulls unveiled their new livery at Red Bull’s 2026 launch event in Detroit, the car Lawson drove at Imola will also be driven in Barcelona.

According to Motorsport.com, Lawson drove an ‘identical’ version of the Racing Bulls car he and Lindblad will share in Barcelona, where teams can use any three of the five days. Racing Bulls’ run at Imola also revealed that they intend to use push-rod front and rear suspension.

The air intake on the VCARB 03, which features a trapezoidal design, drew a lot of F1 fans’ attention, though, due to its size. The airbox appears to be wider than Lawson’s helmet and requires a large engine cover, which looks significantly bigger than the team’s initial renders.

Even Sky Sports pundit Karun Chandhok was surprised by the size of Racing Bulls’ air intake after seeing images from Lawson’s shakedown at Imola. The former HRT F1 driver noted on X: “That airbox is massive!”