Racing Bulls Reports Positive VCARB 03 Shakedown

Racing Bulls reported positive progress during a three-day shakedown test of its new VCARB 03 car at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this week, as drivers Liam Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad gathered valuable data ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

The team, part of Red Bull's junior outfit, utilized its allocated testing days on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday under the sport's closed-door preseason format. Lawson completed 88 laps on Monday, followed by Lindblad's 120 laps on Wednesday and Lawson's additional 64 laps in the morning session on Thursday. Lindblad took over for the afternoon run on Thursday, allowing the team to accumulate approximately 1,267 kilometers of running. Officials emphasized that the primary goal was to understand the car's behavior under the overhauled 2026 regulations, rather than chasing outright performance.

Despite two red flags—one on Monday and another on Wednesday due to a minor technical issue that halted Lindblad's session briefly—the test proved reliable overall. The interruptions did not significantly disrupt the program, with the team praising the smooth operation of the new Red Bull Powertrains-Ford power unit, marking the first...