Saturday, 31 January 2026 — Barcelona. The five-day F1 2026 Barcelona shakedown wrapped with a familiar face on top and a new era humming beneath the surface. Lewis Hamilton, now in Ferrari red, delivered the fastest unofficial lap of the week, a 1:16.348 set on soft tyres late on Day 5. It was a headline-grabbing marker for Ferrari at the end of a test built more for learning than for lap charts.

But the story of the week was not only about outright speed. The team that quietly set the tone was Mercedes, which logged more than 500 laps across three days. With its customers added, the Mercedes power unit ran close to 1000 laps of data-gathering — a powerful early sign in this new 2026 rules landscape where efficiency could decide titles.

Ferrari’s late punch: Hamilton fastest, Leclerc leads the morning

Ferrari bookended Day 5. In the morning, Charles Leclerc led the times with a 1:16.653 while grinding through 78 laps, a tidy mix of pace and patience. In the afternoon, Hamilton switched to softs and trimmed the week’s benchmark to 1:16.348, underlining the SF-26’s one-lap potential when turned up.

It was a clear uplift for the Scuderia after a mileage-focused week that still totalled 440 laps. Lando Norris also joined the party with a 1:16.594 for McLaren on Day 5, while George Russell’s 1:16.445 on Day 4 held as Mercedes’ best. Those four laps formed the top of the unofficial chart: Hamilton, Russell, Norris, Leclerc.

• Hamilton (Ferrari, Day 5): 1:16.348
• Russell (Mercedes, Day 4): 1:16.445
• Norris (McLaren, Day 5): 1:16.594
• Leclerc (Ferrari): 1:16.653

The morning window on Day 5 also told a useful story. Behind Leclerc, Oscar Piastri was +0.793 for McLaren after 80 laps, Max Verstappen ran +1.632 for Red Bull (69 laps), and Haas rookie Oliver Bearman impressed with +1.770 while racking up 106 laps — one of the day’s heaviest hauls.

“Ferrari looks quick on a push lap, but the team to beat might be the one doing the most laps.”

Mileage wins the week: why Mercedes matter most right now

In the 2026 era, energy management and system learning are king. That’s why Mercedes’ week stands out. More than 500 laps for the works team, with George Russell alone logging 265, gave Brackley a thick booklet of data on deployment, harvest, and the whole new hybrid balance. Add the customer teams and the Mercedes power unit ran roughly 1000 laps — gold dust when the game is still being written.

Behind them came Ferrari at 440 laps and McLaren at 291. Newcomers Audi and Cadillac, both completing all five days, ended on 240 and 164 respectively — sensible starts for brand-new projects. At the other end, Aston Martin managed only 65 laps after issues, with Lance Stroll turning just 4. Williams did not run at all due to production delays.

“Lap time thrills, mileage wins titles. Mercedes are playing the long game — again.”

New rules, new habits: learning the 2026 formula

The Barcelona shakedown was the first chance to feel the 2026 cars under the all-new rules, with a sharper focus on energy use and a reworked power unit formula. Drivers talked about adapting in real time — lifting, harvesting, and finding how to keep speed while saving charge.

As Charles Leclerc put it, “It’s an exciting time for Formula 1, where there’s so much change that we’ve got to adapt as drivers, we’ve got to adapt as teams and try and find ways to maximise what is now our new package.” Valtteri Bottas called it a proper problem-solving phase: “It’s great, but it is the problem-solving phase of the team. It’s the first time we’re properly running the car, so it’s been really valuable, a really important week, but really a milestone.”

Winners and worries: who leaves Barcelona smiling?

Ferrari will be pleased. A quick car on softs, tidy morning pace from Leclerc, and solid mileage form a strong base. Mercedes, though, may be happiest of all — their power unit did the most work, and many in the paddock already see them as early title favourites under these rules.

McLaren showed speed with Norris and steady running with Piastri. Red Bull kept a lower profile on the clock but got laps done, with Verstappen solidly in the mix on Day 5 morning. For the rookies, Audi and Cadillac got through the plan each day, which is the first win in year one. On the flip side, Aston Martin had one to forget. And Williams must wait to learn — no laps means no data.

“New regs reset the field. The team that learns fastest gets the early trophies.”

What the times do (and don’t) tell us

Barcelona’s week was not about a qualifying sim shootout. Tyre choices varied. Track evolution mattered. Cars ran different fuel loads and programmes. So the leaderboard is a hint, not a verdict.

Still, the patterns are hard to miss. Ferrari’s one-lap bite is there. Mercedes’ reliability and power unit stamina look strong. McLaren sits close. Red Bull remains a question we will only answer when everyone shows their hand. For now, the smart read is simple: speed is nice, laps are priceless.

The final numbers at a glance

• Fastest laps overall: Hamilton 1:16.348; Russell 1:16.445; Norris 1:16.594; Leclerc 1:16.653.
• Day 5 morning top four: Leclerc 1:16.653 (78 laps); Piastri +0.793 (80); Verstappen +1.632 (69); Bearman +1.770 (106).
• Team mileage: Mercedes >500; Ferrari 440; McLaren 291; Audi 240; Cadillac 164; Aston Martin 65.
• Standout driver mileage: Russell 265 laps; Stroll 4 laps.
• Mercedes power unit (with customers): ~1000 laps.

What comes next

Teams leave Barcelona with notebooks full of clues. The next step is to turn those notes into speed, stability, and smarter energy use. We will only know the true order when cars run comparable programmes on the same rubber, under similar conditions. Until then, remember the two truths of week one in 2026: Hamilton and Ferrari found the lap, and Mercedes owned the learning.

In a season where the rules invite change, the team that adapts fastest will lead first. Barcelona was only the opening chapter.