Who Survived F1’s Secret 2026 Shakedown? | Podcast Ep 976

F1’s 2026 era has officially hit the track in Barcelona—and the first battle wasn’t lap time, it was reliability. In this episode, we break down the “mileage wars,” who ran into early trouble, why Williams missed the shakedown entirely, and how the new engine “loophole” debate is already heating up. Get the essential testing wrap-up, the real winners and losers, and what to watch heading into Bahrain.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Groundhog Day Reflections
02:43 Formula One Testing Overview
05:44 Team Performances and Insights
08:34 Mileage Wars: Who Stood Out?
11:34 Green Flags, Yellow Flags, and Red Flags
14:17 Predictions and Future Outlook
23:19 The Debate on Closed Doors in F1
26:00 Compression Gate: The Controversy Unfolds
33:00 Christian Horner's Potential Comeback
38:58 Alpine's Future: Hope or Hype?
45:21 Alpine's Challenges and Williams' Strategy
49:06 Assessing Williams' Pre-Season Performance
50:23 Driver Program Updates and Team Dynamics
53:00 Pre-Season Metrics: What Really Matters?
57:55 Fun in Racing: A Call for Creativity
01:04:42 Celebrity News and Its Impact on F1

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