By Ngozi Agu
Barcelona, Spain — Franco Colapinto logged 60 laps on the opening day of the 2026 Formula One Barcelona shakedown on Monday, as BWT Alpine began its first on-track running under the sport’s new technical regulations.
Colapinto completed 279 kilometers at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, splitting his workload between 28 laps in the morning session and 42 in the afternoon on the 4.657-kilometer circuit. Conditions were cool but stable throughout the day, with temperatures ranging from 6 degrees Celsius in the morning to a high of 14 degrees under sunny skies.
“It’s a good feeling to be going into my first Formula One pre-season with a new car,” Colapinto said. “It’s very different with the new regulations, such big changes, and that is very exciting for everyone.”
The Argentine driver said the focus of the day was learning rather than performance, as teams adapt to sweeping regulation changes ahead of the 2026 season.
“There’s always a lot to learn at this stage of the year with so many new things to understand,” he said. “We have two more days to run on-track here where we need to add more mileage and complete more laps.”
Alpine Managing Director Steve Nielsen said the team’s ability to run almost immediately when the pit lane opened was a significant milestone.
“Well done to the whole team trackside and at the factory for getting the car on track almost immediately when the light went green at the end of the pit lane,” Nielsen said. “It really is testament to their hard work for getting us into this position in this new regulation era and new era for the team.”
Nielsen described the opening day as a typical first test session, focused on system checks and data gathering rather than outright pace.
“We experienced a few minor issues that set us back but are to be expected with a completely new car,” he said. “At these events, the task is primarily about learning and understanding, rather than rushing too much too soon.”
The Barcelona running follows a filming day at Silverstone last week, where Pierre Gasly drove the team’s new A526 for the first time. Nielsen said decisions on how to deploy the remaining two days of track time will depend on weather and track conditions.
“We will aim to maximise our track time and continue to learn more about the entire package,” he said.
Alpine is scheduled to continue its shakedown at the Spanish circuit over the next two days.
