Why Verstappen isn’t expecting much running at F1’s first test

Max Verstappen has never been one to sugar-coat reality – and as Formula 1 braces itself for the chaos of the 2026 regulation reset, the reigning benchmark of the modern era is already lowering expectations.

While fans are counting down the days to the first glimpse of the radically new cars, Verstappen is preparing for something far less glamorous: garage time, gremlins, and a whole lot of uncertainty.

The first pre-season test of the new era will take place behind closed doors in Barcelona from January 26-30, but with a maximum of three days of running permitted for each team over the course of the week.

New chassis, new engines, new problems. And Verstappen isn’t expecting miracles.

“None of us have any idea about the new car or the engine,” the four-time world champion admitted.

His blunt assessment of what lies ahead was even more telling.

“I think that during the first tests in Barcelona starting on 26 January, we’ll be spending more time in the garages than out on the track.

“Hopefully, we’ll all be a bit wiser after the two tests in Bahrain in February.”

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• Ford draws the line: F1 ambitions not dependent on Verstappen

For Red Bull, those words carry extra weight. The team will debut its first-ever in-house power unit in 2026, developed in partnership with Ford – a bold move that could either define the next era or derail it before the lights even go out.

Reliability fears are already bubbling across the paddock, and Verstappen’s comments suggest nobody – not even the sport’s most dominant force of recent years – feels remotely comfortable yet.

New Number, New Teammate, New Future?

Verstappen head’s into the 2026 season as a man on a mission to reclaim the throne. After Lando Norris snatched the 2025 title in a historic upset, Max has opted for a fresh start. He has swapped his racing identity, adopting the #3 – the digit famously vacated by his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

The garage will have a different vibe, too. With Isack Hadjar stepping up to replace Yuki Tsunoda, Max is now the undisputed veteran mentor to a high-flying rookie. But the biggest question isn't who is sitting in the other seat; it’s where Max will be sitting in 2027.

Despite a contract that runs through 2028, the "spiciest" rumors in the paddock suggest that if the Red Bull Ford power unit falters, the exit clauses will start looking very attractive to the likes of Mercedes and Aston Martin.

The first glimpse of the new era officially begins in Detroit on Thursday night, where Red Bull will pull the covers off their 2026 livery.

But as Max warns, looking fast in a showroom is one thing – actually getting the car to leave the garage in Barcelona is quite another.

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