Where does the shakedown take place?

The event is held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a circuit teams know extremely well. Its mix of high-speed corners, long straights and technical sections makes it ideal for early system checks and baseline running.

What is the shakedown?

The Barcelona shakedown is an early pre-season running session that allows teams to put meaningful mileage on their new cars before official testing begins. Unlike filming days, which are tightly restricted, this event gives teams the freedom to properly check systems, parts and reliability under real track conditions. It is not a performance test. The priority is ensuring that the car functions as designed after months of development in simulation and the factory.

When does it run?

The Barcelona Shakedown takes place from January 26 to January 30, spanning five days in total. However, each team is only allowed to run on three of those five days. Teams can freely choose which days they want to use. 

Why is the shakedown important in 2026?

The 2026 season introduces completely new technical regulations, covering both power units and chassis concepts. With teams dealing with new hybrid systems, increased electrical power and active aerodynamics, early real-world data is more valuable than ever.

The shakedown helps teams:

• Validate correlation between simulation and track data
• Check cooling, software and power-unit behaviour
• Identify early reliability issues before official testing

In short, it is about learning, not lap times.

Can fans watch the Barcelona shakedown?

No. The Barcelona shakedown is a closed, private event with no public access and no live broadcast. 

What comes after the shakedown?

Official pre-season testing follows in Bahrain, with two separate three-day tests scheduled in February. These sessions are where teams begin pushing performance and refining race-weekend tools such as energy deployment and overtaking strategies. Cars seen in Barcelona may already look different by the time testing starts, with updates expected throughout the test programme and even into the opening race in Australia.

Who is missing?

Williams will not take part in the Barcelona shakedown. The team has chosen to delay its first on-track running of the 2026 car and will instead begin its programme during the official pre-season test in Bahrain.