Now that almost all of the 2026 cars have broken cover, we take an in-depth look at the technical and design trends that have stood out so far in the latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast. Ex-F1 technical director Gary Anderson and Mark Hughes join Edd Straw to work through the key areas and explain the various design choices taken by teams.

We take a close look at the approach to active aero, in particular the choices made by teams like Mercedes only to adjust one element of the front wing. The sidepod designs and bargeboard details at the front of the floor are also delved into, as a well as a look at the bold suspension geometries chosen by teams - particularly Aston Martin. We also ask why the Racing Bulls airbox intake is so massive, and what the reason is for the slots in at the back of the floor leading into the diffuser on some cars.

Finally, we pick out the best and worst performers from testing, and nominate the most interesting, and most concerning, of the 2026 cars.

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Aston Martin dominated the headlines in the final part of the Barcelona shakedown test when its aggressive Adrian Newey creation broke cover, while Lewis Hamilton ended the five days of running with the fastest time for Ferrari. But does the Aston Martin’s speed match its looks, and is Mercedes really the team in front?

On this episode of The Race F1 Podcast, Edd Straw is joined by Jon Noble and Scott Mitchell-Malm to mull over these questions, and cast an eye over the progress of each of the teams that ran in Spain this week.

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On the latest episode of The Race F1 podcast, Edd Straw - fresh off a plane from Barcelona - is joined by Scott Mitchell-Malm to discuss the latest from F1’s private shakedown test in Spain.

Top of the agenda is Mercedes’ ominous form, but there’s also chat about McLaren’s first run with its new car, Red Bull’s test plans after Isack Hadjar’s unfortunate crash on Tuesday, and updates on every other team that ran on Wednesday.

There’s also further explanation of why Williams are missing the group shakedown, with Scott reporting back on what team principal James Vowles told him and select media on Wednesday.

And finally, Edd is joined by Spanish journalist Jorge Peiró (@JPEIR0) for a final perspective on what it was like to cover the test on-site, albeit outside the circuit…

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F1’s first group test of 2026 got underway in Barcelona on Monday in a strange locked down environment, completely free of media and fans. The Race’s Edd Straw and Jon Noble were amongst a handful of hardy journalists who spent the day trying to observe from a distance while evading over zealous security guards, and on this episode of The Race F1 Podcast they report back on what they found.

They discuss which teams ran (and which didn’t), who lapped the most, and who set the benchmark time, and also share their initial thoughts on what the new cars look and sound like on track. They also explain why they were left with the impression that the whole event was a big missed opportunity for F1.

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In one of the most unique launches of 2026, Alpine chose to kick-start its 2026 campaign with a livery unveiling aboard a cruise ship. The Race F1 Podcast's Edd Straw and Jon Noble were both on hand to witness events first-hand and speak to the key players, and they report back on what they found in the latest episode.

Amongst the topics discussed are whether Alpine is poised to benefit from its switch to Mercedes power units for 2026, plus what we should expect from drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.

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The latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast discusses the fortunes of two teams with huge championship pedigree who have been starved of title success in recent times: Ferrari and Williams.

Ferrari unveiled the SF-26 on Friday, before Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc gave the new car a brief shakedown at the Italian team's Fiorano test track. Edd Straw is joined by Scott Mitchell-Malm to discuss the new machine, its initial running, and what the team had to say after its launch.

After that, Edd and Scott turn their attention to Williams, who announced on Friday that it would be missing the upcoming 5-day private test in Barcelona due to delays getting its 2026 car ready. So what's happened, and how big a blow will it be for the team?

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On Thursday it was the turn of Mercedes to release the first images of its 2026 F1 car, the W17. Mercedes has long been tipped as a favourite, largely because of paddock rumours that its development for the new engine regulations was going extremely well. But what more can we glean now we've seen imagery of the car?

From an airport bar, Edd Straw is joined by Jon Noble to discuss that topic, before talk turns to McLaren. The world champion team has announced that it will miss day 1 of the private test in Barcelona as part of a wider plan on upgrades that seem to run counter to what its rivals are doing. Tune in to hear why Edd and Jon think it could prove a clever move in the long term, plus we share the latest we know about the upcoming meeting on engines, where the compression ratio saga will be discussed.

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It was another busy day in F1 on Tuesday as Audi had its season launch in Germany and Honda held its own event in Japan. Linking them was a common message - that of managed expectations for 2026, as Edd Straw, Valentin Khorounzhiy and Scott Mitchell-Malm discuss on this podcast.

First, we join Val in the party atmosphere of the Audi launch in Berlin. After speaking to various members of the team, he tells us what messages the team were sending out on the eve of the new season.

Then we hear from Scott on Honda, who reports back on an event in Tokyo in which the Japanese manufacturer revealed its new 2026 Formula 1 engine - but kept part of the design hidden for now...

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