Mercedes Dominates Barcelona Shakedown as Hamilton Spins Ferrari

Mercedes concluded its Barcelona shakedown week with a commanding performance, as Kimi Antonelli set the fastest unofficial time of the test and the team logged massive mileage. The session was not without drama, however, as new Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton spun his SF-26 at Turn 10, highlighting the early adaptation challenges for the seven-time champion.

Why it matters:

Pre-season testing, even in this limited 'shakedown' format, provides the first tangible clues about a team's winter progress and reliability. Mercedes' faultless running and strong pace, coupled with Ferrari's early teething problems for Hamilton, could signal an initial performance hierarchy as teams prepare for the 2026 season. These early impressions, while not definitive, set the narrative tone and build pressure.

The details:

• Mercedes' Commanding Display: Kimi Antonelli topped the Thursday morning timesheet with an unofficial 1:17.081, the fastest lap of the entire Barcelona week. He also completed 90 laps in the morning session alone, underscoring the W17's reliability.
• Hamilton's Early Struggle: Lewis Hamilton's first significant moment in red was a 360-degree spin at Turn 10. While spins in testing are common, it punctuated a session where he was over 1.5 seconds slower than Antonelli's benchmark time.
• Limited Running for Rivals: Haas sat out the day entirely after Wednesday's issues, while Red Bull was also absent as it awaited replacement parts for the RB22 after Isack Hadjar's crash earlier in the week. This contrasted sharply with Mercedes' relentless track presence.
• The Timesheet: Behind Antonelli, Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) slotted in, with Hamilton fourth and Sergio Perez (Cadillac) fifth in the morning running.
• Mercedes' Focus: Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin stated the team moved into setup exploration and softer tire work, a luxury afforded by their trouble-free mileage in the prior days.

What's next:

The shakedown week concludes, but the real work is just beginning. Teams will now analyze the terabytes of data collected, focusing on correlation between simulation and reality. For Mercedes, the challenge is to translate this flawless test pace into a competitive package for the first race. For Ferrari and Hamilton, the priority is accelerating their integration and understanding to close the apparent gap. All eyes now turn to the official pre-season test, where a clearer competitive picture will emerge.