Mercedes continued its impressive performance on the fourth day of Formula 1’s Barcelona shakedown, with George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli racking up significant mileage in the W17. The German team has now completed its three-day allocation at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, having accumulated far more laps than any rival. Meanwhile, Aston Martin’s highly anticipated Adrian Newey-designed AMR26 finally made its track debut in the closing stages of the session, with Lance Stroll completing just five exploratory laps before an unexpected stoppage brought proceedings to an early halt.
Mercedes racks up crucial mileage ahead of Bahrain
The Silver Arrows focused on gathering data rather than chasing headline lap times during Thursday’s running. Russell set the fastest unofficial time with a 1m16.6s, though the lap count proved far more significant than any benchmark times at this stage of development. The team alternated between long-run simulations and shorter stints to evaluate various power unit modes and configurations.
Having now exhausted their three-day Barcelona allocation, Mercedes heads home with valuable data in hand. The W17 has demonstrated impressive reliability throughout the shakedown week, allowing both drivers to complete extensive programmes without major disruption. Antonelli expressed confidence about the team’s prospects heading into official pre-season testing in Bahrain.
“We go to Bahrain with high confidence and high hopes because, definitely, it’s been good,” the 18-year-old Italian explained. “Obviously, we had our issues during the shakedown, but we were able to fix them and now we can be sure that in Bahrain we can more or less hit the ground running there as well.”
The team’s ability to resolve early technical problems and maintain consistent running represents a stark contrast to some rivals who have struggled with reliability concerns during the secretive Barcelona sessions.
Newey’s Aston Martin breaks cover with intriguing design
After flying its car to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Wednesday, Aston Martin finally unveiled its 2026 contender in the final hour of Thursday’s session. Stroll took the wheel of the unpainted AMR26, which immediately caught attention with its distinctive sidepod and engine cover design that appeared markedly different from rival packages.
The Canadian driver managed just five installation laps before the car ground to a halt minutes before the scheduled 6pm local time finish. The stoppage triggered a red flag and brought an abrupt end to Aston Martin’s first on-track appearance of the shakedown week. Fernando Alonso is expected to take over driving duties on Friday’s final day of Barcelona running.
Aston Martin had deliberately delayed its shakedown appearance to ensure the Honda-powered AMR26 was in proper working order before hitting the track. The team’s decision to wait paid off in getting the car running, though the limited mileage means significant work remains to gather the data needed before official testing begins.
The Newey-designed car’s unique aerodynamic features sparked immediate intrigue in the paddock, suggesting the legendary designer has pursued a different technical direction compared to other teams tackling the radical 2026 regulations.
McLaren hits fuel system trouble after promising start
Oscar Piastri took over the MCL40 from Lando Norris for McLaren’s second day of 2026 running. The Australian completed 48 laps during the morning session before a fuel system issue forced the team to curtail its programme prematurely. Engineers opted to bring the car back to the garage for a detailed investigation rather than risk further running.
“It was nice to be back out today, especially in the new car,” Piastri reported. “There’s a lot of challenges this year up and down the grid, so it was good to get stuck in. We had a fuel system issue, which cut our day short, but the team’s working hard to get that fixed and back out tomorrow.”
Mark Temple, McLaren’s technical director for performance, emphasized the complexity of the 2026 machinery. “The car is very complex, so we decided to bring the car back into the garage and strip it down to fully understand where the problem is coming from, ahead of tomorrow’s running.”
The setback represents a blow to McLaren’s testing plans, though the team remains confident of resolving the issue before Friday’s final Barcelona session. The fuel system problem highlights the technical challenges all teams face as they adapt to the new regulations featuring dramatically different power unit specifications.
Hamilton completes productive Ferrari programme
After rain limited his running on Tuesday, Lewis Hamilton returned to the cockpit of Ferrari’s SF-26 for a full dry-weather programme. The seven-time world champion described it as “amazing” to complete 85 laps in optimal conditions, despite suffering an early spin exiting Turn 11 on his out-lap when cold tyres struggled with the chilly Catalan asphalt.
Ferrari accumulated 170 laps across Thursday’s running, the highest total of any team present at the circuit. The Scuderia has made steady progress throughout the shakedown week as Hamilton and Charles Leclerc familiarize themselves with the SF-26’s characteristics and behaviour under the new technical regulations.
Hamilton’s productive day allowed Ferrari’s engineers to gather crucial baseline data on tyre behaviour, power unit modes and aerodynamic performance. The Italian team appears well-positioned heading into official pre-season testing after maximizing its track time in Barcelona.
Racing Bulls and Cadillac complete programmes
Liam Lawson handled morning duties for Racing Bulls in the VCARB 03, helping the team complete its three-day Barcelona allocation. The New Zealander has now gained valuable experience in the 2026-specification machinery ahead of his first full season alongside Yuki Tsunoda.
Racing Bulls accumulated 111 laps on Thursday, bringing its total mileage to a respectable figure despite limited running days. The team will now focus on analyzing data before official testing begins.
Cadillac returned for its second shakedown appearance with Sergio Perez behind the wheel. The Mexican driver logged 66 laps as the American manufacturer continues its measured approach to F1 entry. After a low-key debut on Monday, the team demonstrated improved reliability and pace during its second outing.
Red Bull prepares return after Hadjar crash
Alpine, Audi, Haas and Red Bull all sat out Thursday’s running but are expected back on track for Friday’s finale. Red Bull Racing has been working to repair damage sustained when Isack Hadjar crashed the RB21 on Tuesday, with spare parts flown from Milton Keynes to facilitate repairs.
The Austrian team’s absence cost valuable track time as rivals accumulated data, though the team remains confident of recovering lost ground during official testing. Max Verstappen and Lawson will split the remaining Barcelona running before the entire paddock relocates to Bahrain for the first official pre-season test.
Friday’s final shakedown day promises further intrigue as Aston Martin aims for more substantial running and McLaren works to resolve its fuel system problem. Mercedes’ dominant performance sets an early benchmark, though the true competitive picture won’t emerge until teams reveal their full potential in Bahrain.
