Four-time F1 World Champion Max Verstappen has received great news as Red Bull Racing's testing plans have been reported to take an attacking approach. The Austrian squad will test its new car during the first pre-season test in Barcelona.
Big news for Max Verstappen ahead of 2026 F1 season
The first pre-season test in Barcelona will be a private testing where all teams will have the first chance to run their new regulations vehicles, not focusing too much on performance. This will be the first of three total tests, and is set for January 26 to 30.
Red Bull, which is developing its own power unit for the very first time in partnership with Ford, is expected to take a more aggressive step. RacingNews365 has claimed that the Milton Keynes-based team is going to Barcelona with a definitive aerodynamic version of the RB22, rather than holding back for late tests.
The team, now led by Laurent Mekies, is looking to test out the different aero elements of its machine, which consists of the energy management systems and the new active aerodynamics. So, the attacking mindset is said to be more about testing multiple things as soon as possible.
The aforementioned report has also said that after the first winter test, Red Bull will rapidly start the pre-determined developments on the RB22, and test them out during the leftover and the early races of the 2026 season. The team also looks to be more focused on strengthening technical and simulation abilities to better decode wind-tunnel data.
It remains to be seen what the 6-time constructors' world champion will be able to deliver on the table in 2026, now with Isack Hadjar along with Max Verstappen in the garage. Laurent Mekies will also start his first full season as team boss.
Former F1 champion places Max Verstappen as the best driver of 2025
Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has picked Max Verstappen as the best racer of the 2025 season. The Dutchman, who finished second in the drivers' standings, was the "star of the year", according to the 1997 champion.
Talking about Max Verstappen's 2025 season, Villeneuve said:
"No doubt, Verstappen was the star of the year. He’s been on it all year. The only time he threw points away was Barcelona, which weren’t that many. He was always there, he out-drove that car so well that he put himself in the championship picture when he shouldn’t have been."
"And that’s after winning four championships, three of them easily. It didn’t put him to sleep; so he’s showing that he’s the real deal," he added.
Villeneuve then said that Max Verstappen was in a league of his own in comparison with other F1 drivers around. He concluded by saying that he is also some of the greatest world champions of the past as well, saying that not every world champion has been a "great champion."