Aston Martin's testing woes cut fourth day short in Barcelona

Aston Martin's crucial pre-season test hit a major snag as Lance Stroll's AMR26 broke down after just four laps, triggering the only red flag of Thursday's session in Barcelona. The stoppage capped a difficult day for several teams, including McLaren, which also faced technical issues, while Mercedes continued to impress with strong pace and reliability.

Why it matters:

With limited testing time before the 2026 season, every lap is critical for teams to validate their new cars and gather data. A significant stoppage like Aston Martin's not only costs valuable track time but also raises immediate concerns about the reliability and fundamental readiness of a brand-new car, putting pressure on the team to recover during the final day.

The details:

• Aston Martin's Setback: The team worked all day to prepare the AMR26 for its track debut. Lance Stroll finally completed an installation lap with one hour remaining, but after only four slow laps, the car halted in the final sector. The cause was not immediately disclosed.
• McLaren's Troubles: Oscar Piastri's running was also severely limited by a fuel system issue on the MCL40, confining him to the garage for the entire afternoon session and cutting his day short at 48 laps.
• Mercedes' Strength: In stark contrast, Mercedes enjoyed a productive day. George Russell set the fastest time of the test so far (1m16.445s), leading a Mercedes 1-2 on the timesheets ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli. The team completed its allotted three days of running.
• Ferrari's Mileage: Ferrari logged substantial laps, with Charles Leclerc (83 laps) and Lewis Hamilton (87 laps) providing a solid data-gathering foundation, ending the day as the closest challengers to Mercedes on timing sheets.

What's next:

The focus shifts to Friday's final day of testing. Aston Martin and McLaren will be under pressure to resolve their issues and maximize track time. All eyes will also be on Red Bull, which has been absent since Isack Hadjar's crash on Tuesday and is scheduled to return to the track.