Hamilton Tops Barcelona Shakedown for Ferrari in Final Pre-Season Test

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time on the final day of pre-season shakedown running in Barcelona, as Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull all surpassed 100 laps in a productive session focused on reliability for the new 2026 cars. The SF-26, along with its rivals, demonstrated strong early durability, with teams accumulating crucial mileage ahead of the season opener.

Why it matters:

These closed-door shakedown tests are the first real indication of how the new 2026-spec cars handle extended running. While lap times are not definitive, consistent reliability and high lap counts are critical early wins for any team. A trouble-free test builds a foundation for the intense development race to come, making this a vital confidence-building exercise.

The details:

• Hamilton's Pace: Driving the Ferrari SF-26, Lewis Hamilton posted a best time of 1:16.348 in the afternoon session, the fastest recorded time of the week. This edged out Mercedes' George Russell (1:16.445 from Thursday) and teammate Charles Leclerc (1:16.653).
• High Mileage Focus: Ferrari completed 145 laps on Friday with Hamilton and Leclerc, bringing their three-day total to 440 laps. McLaren recovered from a Thursday issue to log 166 laps with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Red Bull's Max Verstappen completed 118 laps in the RB22.
• Widespread Participation: Eight teams ran on the final day. A notable addition was Aston Martin, which conducted the first full day of running for its new Adrian Newey-designed car with Fernando Alonso at the wheel, adding 61 laps.
• Context on Times: Teams emphasize system checks and reliability over outright speed during shakedowns, running varying fuel loads and engine modes. Therefore, the headline lap times are a poor indicator of true competitive performance.

What's next:

The curtain closes on pre-season testing, shifting all focus to the opening round in Australia. The real performance picture will only emerge under the pressure of qualifying and race conditions in Melbourne. Teams will now analyze the terabytes of data collected in Spain to finalize their packages for the first Grand Prix, where the 2026 season truly begins.