Red Bull has paused its Formula 1 testing sessions as the team waits for replacement parts to arrive. The issue arose after Isaac Hajjar suffered a heavy crash on the second day of Barcelona’s private shakedown, resulting in significant damage to the rear of the new RB22 car. This setback was reported by respected Dutch journalist Erik van Haalen.
The 21-year-old French driver, recently promoted from Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls, and now Max Verstappen’s teammate, lost control in slippery conditions at the high-speed final corner, spinning backwards and crashing into the barriers. Fortunately, Hajjar escaped the incident without injury, but the crash forced Red Bull to halt testing early on the second day.
Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies explained on Tuesday evening that the team needed time to evaluate the damage before deciding when they could resume their testing program during the first week of pre-season activities. Mekies expressed disappointment over the crash but remained optimistic about Hajjar’s progress, noting his strong performance and valuable feedback from the previous day. He added, “We will do our best to repair the car and see what happens next.”
With only one more test day left on Friday’s final practice session, Red Bull is now in a race against the clock to source and fit the required parts. Meanwhile, Haas endured its own testing struggles on Thursday after encountering two mechanical failures during their closed testing.
Fan Take:
This pause in Red Bull’s testing is a stark reminder of how fragile and high-stakes pre-season preparations can be. For fans, it underscores the unpredictable nature of the sport and how quickly fortunes can change, potentially impacting Red Bull’s competitiveness in the upcoming season.
