George Russell pleased with “cool” new F1 cars

Formula 1 drivers tested the new cars on Monday in Barcelona with George Russell amongst those left pleased.

“It’s great to be back out on track driving an F1 car once again,” said Russel. “The cars looked really cool out on the circuit and that’s positive for our sport.”

“They are quite different for us as drivers but, once you get your head around it, driving them is quite intuitive. It’s enjoyable being behind the wheel and I think there’s a lot for fans to look forward to with these new regulations.”

The teams are taking part in a closed-door test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with no access granted to independent media.

This season marks a complete reset, with brand-new cars built under revised rules covering the chassis, power units and tyres, alongside the introduction of mandatory carbon-neutral sustainable fuel.

The engines represent the most significant shift, with half of the output now coming from the hybrid system’s electrical component, making energy deployment and management a key element of Formula 1 in 2026.

“We are pleased with our day, but I’ve also been impressed by several other teams too,” Russell explained. The Red Bull power unit has completed a lot of laps which, given that it’s their first engine they’ve built, means they’ve clearly done a good job. Haas also managed a similar amount of running to ourselves, so the Ferrari power unit has also put together plenty of mileage.”

"Haas also managed a similar amount of running to ourselves, so the Ferrari power unit has also put together plenty of mileage. It's not quite how it was in 2014! The sport has evolved so much since then and the level, in every single aspect, is so high now."

Seven teams took to the track on Monday, with Red Bull, Mercedes, Racing Bulls, Haas and Alpine joined by newcomers Audi and Cadillac.

Whilst Aston Martin, McLaren, Ferrari and Williams didn’t appear on day one of testing, mostly due to delays to their design and production programme.

It was reported that every team encountered some level of technical difficulty while getting to grips with their new machinery, which isn’t unusual on the first day of testing.

On Day 2 of testing, more teams, including Ferrari and McLaren are expected on track, with a focus still on reliability, systems checks, and gathering data rather than outright speed. Teams will continue experimenting with setups, brakes, cooling, and hybrid systems, with weather conditions looking set to influence the second day of pre-season testing.