Hamilton Tops Final Barcelona Test Day as Verstappen Battles Illness

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time on the final day of pre-season testing in Barcelona, concluding a productive week for Ferrari. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen revealed he has been driving while unwell throughout the test, adding a layer of challenge for Red Bull as the 2026 season approaches.

Why it matters:

Pre-season testing provides the first real glimpse of a team's competitive potential, and Hamilton's pace in the new SF-26 will fuel optimism at Ferrari. Verstappen's illness, while not uncommon for drivers during intense testing, highlights the physical demands placed on athletes and could impact Red Bull's data-gathering process just weeks before the season opener.

The details:

• The fifth and final day of private testing at the Circuit de Catalunya saw 12 drivers on track.
• Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was quickest in the morning session before his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, took over the SF-26 and set the overall fastest time of the day in the afternoon.
• Max Verstappen completed running in the RB22 but disclosed he has been fighting an illness all week, calling it a "challenging period" for the team.
• In other news, Martin Brundle expressed being "stunned" by the scale of Red Bull Powertrains' facilities after a tour last year, commenting on the impressive operation built for its first in-house F1 power unit.

What's next:

Teams will now analyze the terabytes of data collected in Barcelona, with the clock ticking down to the first race of the 2026 season. Hamilton's strong showing will increase scrutiny on his partnership with Leclerc and Ferrari's title ambitions, while Red Bull will hope a recovered Verstappen can hit the ground running when the competitive action begins.