We had onlookers peering through binoculars on the hills. We had boisterous security guards warding off unwanted intruders. And we had a broadcast blackout, the ultimate paradox in this fly-on-the-wall Formula 1 era.
All in all, it was a peculiar start to the 2026 season this week in Barcelona. It always looked an oddity on the pre-season schedule that this week’s five-day “shakedown” event – essentially referring to the first occasion a team trials its new car – would be held in secret. There was a limit on photographs, videos, interviews and the release of lap times, despite 40 hours of track time in total.
