What we learned from Barcelona

F1 2026 is, unofficially, up and running. All teams bar one, Williams, headed for Barcelona to get a first feel for their new-look machines.

It was a unique test, one closed to the media. However, with unofficial lap times and counts filtering through, as well as updates via unofficial sources, we began to get an inkling of where each team is at in these very, very early days. Let’s take a closer look at all 11.

What we learned about each team from Barcelona F1 2026 test

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Ferrari

Unofficial fastest time: 1:16.348 (Lewis Hamilton)
Unofficial lap count: 442

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari swooped late on Day 5 to deny Mercedes’ George Russell the P1 time. A 1:16.3 from Hamilton bettered Russell’s effort by one tenth, and understandably, spiked optimism over what Formula 1’s most successful team and driver could achieve in 2026.

The Ferrari SF-26 appears fast, but at the same time, the noise in the paddock is that it is quite a handful to drive, a car which Charles Leclerc is perhaps coping with better at this stage.

Not to be all doom and gloom, but we had a trip back through the history books… Ferrari clocked the fastest time around Barcelona four years in a row between 2016-19, but were beaten by Mercedes to the title in each of those.

Nonetheless, it was a strong, reliable start to the pre-season for Ferrari, with 442 laps completed. Hamilton’s positivity throughout and after the test is also a very good sign.

Mercedes

Unofficial fastest time: 1:16.445 (George Russell)
Unofficial lap count: 500

The hot pick for F1 2026, Mercedes did little to temper expectations in Barcelona.

Russell’s unofficial 1:16.4 looked destined to end up as the benchmark, only for Hamilton to call-off that particular party. But, what really stood out for Mercedes was its incredible reliability, considering that these were all-new cars and engines, hitting the track for the first time in Barcelona.

Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin admitted that the reliability surpassed Mercedes’ expectations. After its first two days on track, Shovlin said the W17 was running “faultlessly”, and little changed on its final day of running.

An unofficial 500 laps covered for the Mercedes team, and 1136 for its new power unit, the W17’s favourite tag has only been solidified by this test.

Russell even celebrated the eradication of porpoising, in a further boost for Mercedes.

Red Bull

Unofficial fastest time: 1:17.586 (Max Verstappen)
Unofficial lap count: 303

Barcelona could not have gone much better for Red Bull.

Isack Hadjar’s crash at the end of Day 2 was an unwanted setback, but, looking at the bigger picture, the first Red Bull Ford engine ran without any real troubles, and the RB22 proved a reliable car.

Red Bull surely would have snapped your arm off for that heading into the test.

Paddock whispers place Red Bull nipping at the heels of Mercedes, which if realised, would be a triumph for this new, Red Bull Ford era.

McLaren

Unofficial fastest time: 1:16.594 (Lando Norris)
Unofficial lap count: 291

It was a “surreal” moment for reigning World Champion Lando Norris, as he debuted the McLaren MCL40 in Barcelona, proudly sporting the number ‘1’ taken from Max Verstappen.

McLaren only emerged by Day 3, though Norris set the third-fastest time of the test, reportedly a 1:16.594. There were some teething issues, with a fuel-systems mishap disrupting Oscar Piastri’s opening run.

But, chief designer Rob Marshall confirmed that “no nasties” were found in the MCL40, which is always a positive sign.

Few in the paddock consider McLaren anything other than contenders to successfully defend its crowns.

Aston Martin

Unofficial fastest time: 1:20.795 (Fernando Alonso)
Unofficial lap count: 54

The team made us wait. But it was worth it as the first Adrian Newey-designed Aston Martin took to the track late in Day 4.

The AMR26 arguably stole the show, as everyone drooled over the design details which made this car stand out from the rest, innovations which have been put under the microscope by PlanetF1.com’s resident expert Matthew Somerfield.

The question mark is how fast this car will be.

Martin Brundle has apparently been told by Newey that Honda is playing catch-up with its engine, and there was not enough on-track running for the AMR26 in Barcelona to get a true read. We will get more answers come Bahrain.

More Barcelona F1 2026 test reaction via PlanetF1.com

Shakedown conclusions: Mercedes back in the light, Red Bull finds peace, key Newey question

Winners and losers from the Barcelona testing shakedown (Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya)

Alpine

Unofficial fastest time: 1:17.707 (Pierre Gasly)
Unofficial lap count: 345

Now running the Mercedes power unit, Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto go into F1 2026 expecting a far better experience than the woes of 2025.

It is a case of so far, so good.

The A526 completed 345 laps according to verified, yet unofficial figures, while Sky F1’s Craig Slater placed Alpine “clearly” next in line behind Mercedes, Red Bull/McLaren and Ferrari in his early pecking order verdict.

Racing Bulls

Unofficial fastest time: 1:18.840 (Liam Lawson)
Unofficial lap count: 319

Liam Lawson spoke of “big gains” being made for Racing Bulls, the caveat being, of course, that rivals were doing the same.

Still, no alarm bells emerged from Barcelona for Racing Bulls, which like the senior Red Bull team, chugged along nicely with the new engine.

Haas

Unofficial fastest time: 1:18.393 (Esteban Ocon)
Unofficial lap count: 386

“Super impressive” was the verdict from Haas driver Oliver Bearman, after a mammoth 154 laps were apparently completed by the team on the opening day in Barcelona.

There were reliability gremlins for Haas and Bearman to contend with on the morning of Day 3, though team boss Ayao Komatsu called them “nothing scary”, before Bearman laid down 106 on his final day. Haas went on to finish third in the unofficial laps completed table.

Haas is shaping up as a potent midfield threat.

Audi

Unofficial fastest time: 1:19.870 (Nico Hulkenberg)
Unofficial lap count: 240

Audi hit the F1 track for the first time in Barcelona. While “nothing particularly surprising” came its way, there were some initial setbacks.

Gabriel Bortoleto was the cause of one of three red flags on the first morning, as the R26 came to a halt, due to a “technical issue” as confirmed to PlanetF1.com by Audi.

That restricted Audi to just 27 laps on Day 1. It returned on the morning of Day 3, but so did the red flags, due to an early stoppage from Nico Hulkenberg.

Things improved from there as Audi ended the day with, unofficially, 68 laps, and added 144 on the final day, demonstrating marked progress.

Little suggests that Audi will compete beyond the midfield early doors in F1 2026, but this is a new squad that is finding continued reliability and improvement.

Cadillac

Unofficial fastest time: 1:20.920 (Valtteri Bottas)
Unofficial lap count: 164

The first Formula 1 team formed from scratch since Haas in 2016, the task facing Cadillac is stark, and Sergio Perez’s comments in Barcelona were eye-opening.

The returning six-time grand prix winner said “more than surprises, problems” came his and Cadillac’s way, though the silver lining was that they cropped up in Barcelona, not at the Melbourne season-opener.

Paddock chatter has Cadillac as the slowest team on the grid, but, it was never going to be easy, and the American squad has six more days of official testing in Bahrain to de-bug their first F1 car and press on.

Williams

Unofficial fastest time: N/A
Unofficial lap count: N/A

We wait in suspense to see where Williams is at, considering that the team was absent from Barcelona.

That, understandably, sparked concern, though team boss James Vowles assures that the Williams FW48 is the best-produced car of his tenure.

It will hit the track in Bahrain, where we will start to get some more answers.

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