Red Bull has broken tradition and decided against completing a shakedown of its RB22 ahead of the upcoming 2026 Formula 1 season.
A shakedown test is usually carried out to ensure a car is working properly with no major technical gremlins, before heading to the official tests.
With this year's new power unit regulations, Audi, Cadillac and Racing Bulls have already capitalised on initial running, while Ferrari has a filming day scheduled around its SF-26 launch.
This is not the case for Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar's outfit, potentially due to all teams having nine days of testing ahead of the Australia season-opener.
Nevertheless, opting against a shakedown is quite notable from Red Bull, who for the first time in its history has produced its own power unit.
Crucially, as mentioned, Racing Bulls has completed initial running at Imola and are also running Red Bull-Ford engines.
It means data is available for Red Bull to apply to the Milton Keynes-based outfit, although a first glimpse of the RB22 on track will have to wait for the first test next week in Barcelona.
Also interesting:
The 2026 F1 Cars Revealed: Everything You Need to Know!
Discover how the 2026 F1 regulations will revolutionise the sport, with a shift to movable wings instead of traditional DRS, to the increased electrical power in the hybrid systems, and the introduction of 100% sustainable fuel.
Don't miss out on any of the Formula 1 action thanks to this handy 2026 F1 calendar that can be easily loaded into your smartphone or PC.
Download the calenderMost read
In this article
Join the conversation!