F1 2026 pre-season Barcelona test weather update

In testing in Barcelona in late January, there was always going to be the prospect that at least one of the five days would be disrupted by the weather, and that has certainly proven to be the case.

Despite the forecast, only Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ventured out at the Circuit de Catalunya on Tuesday, initially in dry conditions before switching to wet-weather tyres after the rain struck late morning.

Should the duo opt to run again after the lunch break, it appears as if they will continue on the intermediates, as the forecast for the afternoon is for continual showers.

Looking ahead to the remainder of the week, Wednesday appears as if it will again be disrupted as a mix of drizzle and light rain is on the cards throughout the day. That will leave teams facing question marks over whether to run again or not.

At this stage, Thursday and Friday are looking favourable, with the possibility of the odd shower in the morning for the former, and although overcast for the latter, it is set to remain dry throughout.

For those teams that ran on Monday, it would appear ideal that they hold fire to get the best of the track on Thursday and Friday.

Red Bull, however, faces a decision, after running on Monday with Isack Hadjar and with Verstappen on Tuesday, as to which of the remaining days it will run again for the third and final day, with teams only allowed to take to the track for three of the five days.