Mercedes Leads Tests in Barcelona While Aston Martin Unveils Its New Car
The fourth day of private testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya confirms the positive sensations of the Mercedes team. The German squad not only accumulates a large number of laps, demonstrating reliability, but its drivers also record the fastest times. 🏎️
Mercedes Shows Solid Performance
With George Russell and Kimi Antonelli at the wheel, the German team has been able to work intensively to adapt its car to the new 2026 technical regulations. This regulation introduces profound changes in engine power and aerodynamic concept. Meanwhile, other teams like Ferrari and McLaren are also taking advantage to collect data, although some have had to deal with minor technical issues during the session.
Key points of the day:- Mercedes completes an extensive lap program, combining pace and robustness.
- Ferrari focuses on simulating race conditions and testing the durability of its components.
- McLaren and the rest process vast amounts of information with their new chassis.
The data from this penultimate day in Barcelona is crucial for fine-tuning the cars before the trip to Bahrain.
The Anticipated Debut of Newey's Aston Martin
Undoubtedly, the highlight moment came with the appearance of the Aston Martin AMR26, the first design by Adrian Newey for the Silverstone team. The car arrived at the pits in the last part of the day and completed a few installation laps with Lance Stroll driving. Although the shakedown was brief, it generated huge excitement to observe up close its innovative aerodynamic concept. 👀
Aspects of the debut:- The car performed a limited installation shakedown to verify basic systems.
- The closed-door preseason prevents seeing details, but offers initial clues about the balance.
- All teams keep their developments under strict secrecy.
Analysis and Next Steps
With Mercedes leading the time sheets, the focus now is on analyzing the real performance of each package. The information gathered in Spain will serve to make the final adjustments before the tests continue in Bahrain and the championship officially begins in Australia. The only serious "technical problem" seems to be the fans' inability to see the action up close, forced to analyze performance from afar while teams protect their secrets. 🤫