Hamilton tops final day of 2026 F1 pre-season test for Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of the first 2026 pre-season test for Ferrari on the final day in Barcelona, edging out reigning champion Lando Norris. The session provided the first glimpse of competitive pace as teams concluded their initial running with the new-generation cars ahead of the season opener.

Why it matters:

Pre-season testing times are always treated with caution, but the final-day leaderboard offers the first tangible hint of the competitive order. Hamilton’s late surge for Ferrari, directly ahead of Norris’s McLaren, suggests a potential shift at the front. More critically, the test revealed which teams have built a reliable foundation and which are already facing challenges with the radically new 2026 regulations.

The details:

• Hamilton’s best lap of 1:16.348, set on soft tires in the final minutes, narrowly beat George Russell’s previous benchmark from Thursday.
• McLaren’s Lando Norris, who took over from Oscar Piastri for the afternoon, had earlier set the pace and finished second, just over two-tenths back.
• Team Strategies: Several teams split driving duties, with Charles Leclerc handling Ferrari’s morning program before Hamilton took over. Audi and Haas also made driver changes for the afternoon session.
• Notable Absences: Mercedes and Racing Bulls had already completed their allotted three test days and did not run on Friday, as per the testing regulations.
• Return to Track: Red Bull returned after a two-day absence following Isack Hadjar’s crash on Day 2, with Max Verstappen completing a hefty 118 laps—the most of any driver on Friday.
• 2026 Debuts: Fernando Alonso made his first appearance in Aston Martin’s striking AMR26, completing 49 laps.

What’s next:

The data from Barcelona will now be analyzed intensely as teams head back to their factories for final preparations. The true pecking order will only become clear at the season-opening Grand Prix, but this test has set the initial narrative for 2026, with Ferrari and McLaren showing early speed and questions remaining over Red Bull’s recovery and the potential of the new Aston Martin.