Max after shakedown RB22 in Barcelona: 'Lots of laps done. Learned a lot'

Published on 30 January 2026 by Florence Cobben

This Friday, Max Verstappen spent the entire day behind the wheel of the RB22, Oracle Red Bull Racing’s brand-new 2025 race car. The Dutchman lapped 118 times around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, wrapping up a productive day packed with valuable data.

Red Bull Racing’s shakedown week hit a snag on Tuesday after teammate Isack Hadjar got caught up in an untimely crash. Earlier that morning, Max had already completed a few dry laps and several dozens in the wet. 

All Formula 1-teams are allowed to deploy and test their cars for three out of the five days of the Barcelona shakedown. Red Bull Racing made full use of this, unlike a number of teams who weren’t able to take their cars to the track for all three permitted days. 

Max explained after the session’s closing: “So much work has gone into over the last few years; and then to see the engine going into the car, and especially on the first day, also immediately to do so many laps, was great to see. I think there were a lot of emotional faces in the garage.”

On his first getting acquainted with the RB22, Max added: “Today was good, we did a lot of laps, and that was actually the key. We learned a lot. Finally got some dry laps in for me. There is still a lot of work to be done – understanding the engine, also from the car’s side. You know, you make a set of changes, and you have to put as many laps on the board and try as many things as you can, on the day. And I think we are doing that, and that’s what this test is about. That’s what we’ll continue to do. We’ll go again in Bahrain.”

From February 11 to 13 and February 18 to 20, all teams will be in Bahrain for the test days, which – unlike this past week in Barcelona – will not take place behind closed doors.