Mercedes topped the unofficial timesheets and lap counts on the third day of Formula 1's secretive 2026 shakedown test in Barcelona, as McLaren made its debut appearance. Six teams hit the track amid technical hiccups for Audi and Haas, while all cars completed at least 42 laps in improving weather conditions.
The third day of Formula 1's behind-closed-doors pre-season shakedown at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya saw increased activity, with six of the 11 teams taking part. Mercedes continued its strong showing, completing 183 laps—equivalent to over 850 km—with George Russell handling the morning session and Andrea Kimi Antonelli the afternoon. Antonelli set the fastest lap of the week so far at 1m17.362s on soft Pirelli tires, edging out Russell's 1m17.580s benchmark, though times remain irrelevant at this systems-check stage focused on reliability under the new 2026 regulations. Russell noted the cold track temperatures of 2°C Celsius in the morning but praised the smooth progress: “We got a huge amount of laps in today between Kimi and I, which was great.” Antonelli added, “It was a better day today... I did a lot of laps and was able to put a race sim in, which was nice.” Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin highlighted the car's reliability and the positive feel of the smaller, lighter machines compared to previous generations. Reigning champions McLaren debuted the MCL40 with Lando Norris at the wheel, who completed 62-77 laps after emerging around 11am. Norris, sporting the #1 on his car, described it as “nice to be back” and a productive day for understanding the new power unit and battery systems, calling it “pretty different” with quicker straight-line speeds but a challenge in corners. Alpine fielded both drivers, with Franco Colapinto logging 56-58 laps in the morning and Pierre Gasly 51-67 in the afternoon, achieving over 100 laps combined without major issues. Gasly remarked on the reset needed for the Mercedes power unit: “A lot feels different to what I’ve felt in my entire career in Formula 1.” Racing Bulls' rookie Arvid Lindblad was the busiest individual with 111-120 laps, despite a minor red flag, calling it a “really good” debut. However, technical gremlins struck Haas and Audi, both causing red flags—Oliver Bearman halted at Turn 2 after 42 laps for Haas, while Nico Hulkenberg stopped early in the Audi R26 due to a suspected hydraulic issue, marking the team's second stoppage this week after Monday's curtailment. Hulkenberg managed 60-68 laps overall, viewing it as a learning opportunity: “A slow start today... but then we got a grip on everything.” All teams running covered at least 42 laps in sunny conditions after a chilly start, with no rain forecast but windier weather expected Friday. Red Bull, Ferrari, and Cadillac sat out, while Aston Martin eyes a Thursday debut and Williams skips the event due to production delays. With teams limited to three days each, decisions loom on final runs amid balanced forecasts.
