Mercedes underlined their strong start to 2026 with a commanding 1-2 on Day 3 of the private F1 shakedown at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Kimi Antonelli set the unofficial benchmark of the week with a 1:17.362, and teammate George Russell was next best at +0.218. McLaren rolled out the new MCL40 for the first time, while Alpine, Haas, Audi, and Racing Bulls also logged important mileage. Red Bull sat out the day after early-week issues, keeping the spotlight firmly on Mercedes’ speed and stamina.

Mercedes set the pace with Antonelli and Russell

On a dry and busy Wednesday, Mercedes were the clear headline. Antonelli’s 1:17.362 wasn’t just fastest of the day; it was the best of the week so far. Over a long program, he completed 91 laps, while Russell added 92, bringing Mercedes’ Day 3 total to a class-leading 183 laps — roughly 850 kilometers of running.

The team’s consistency has been a theme. An unnamed Mercedes voice summed up Day 1: “We did a good amount of laps today… a few little things along the way which are expected on Day 1, but I think [we’re] in a decent place.” Three days later, the stopwatch and the mileage backed that up.

“Is Antonelli already Mercedes’ secret weapon, or are they just running lighter?”

McLaren’s MCL40 debut: fast, tidy, and quietly confident

McLaren joined the action on Wednesday and finally put the MCL40 on track in an interim livery. Lando Norris slotted into third at +0.945 to Antonelli and completed strong mileage as the team checked off systems and balance work. Some outlets listed Norris’ lap total at 76, with others citing lower figures (33 or 62), but the tone across the paddock was the same: a clean, valuable first day for the new car.

Oscar Piastri’s early Day 4 effort added another green tick for Woking. In the morning session, he went second-fastest to Antonelli, who improved his own marker again down to 1:17.081.

“McLaren’s MCL40 looks planted — the big question is the long-run pace.”

Alpine, Haas, Audi and Racing Bulls: mixed fortunes across the midfield

Alpine split the day between Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly. Colapinto ended +1.788 with 58 laps (some reports list 56), while Gasly closed at +1.935 with 67 laps (some reports list 51). For a team that has shuffled its deck, this was a steady, low-drama day focused on laps and learning.

Haas had a stop-start Wednesday. Oliver Bearman recorded +1.952 and 42 laps before a mechanical issue cut his running. For Audi, Nico Hülkenberg’s day was tougher. He ended +3.648 and reached 68 laps, but technical problems and a red-flag stoppage hampered progress and cost time in the garage.

On the brighter side, Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad quietly banked one of the biggest lap counts. He finished +2.058 off the top and, according to several reports, logged as many as 120 laps (others listed 61). For a young driver and a team rebuilding its base, that volume of data is priceless.

“Audi’s gremlins are worrying — causing a red flag this early is not nothing.”

Mileage matters: Mercedes top both speed and distance

Laptimes in a shakedown are always unofficial and rarely tell the whole story. Fuel loads, tires, and run plans vary. But the combination of speed and volume does tell us something. Mercedes led both columns on Day 3, with 183 laps and the top two times, and pushed their week total to 334 laps.

That makes this week’s picture clear: Mercedes are maximizing the private window ahead of Bahrain. When asked broadly about readiness, Williams boss James Vowles offered an insight from elsewhere in the pit lane: “We are ready to run in the official test in Bahrain and we’ll carry out a promotional filming day ahead of it.” Teams are at different stages, but the goal is the same — hit the ground running in mid-February.

Day 3 classification (unofficial)

• Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes): 1:17.362, 91 laps
• George Russell (Mercedes): +0.218, 92 laps
• Lando Norris (McLaren MCL40): +0.945, 76 laps (other reports: 33 or 62)
• Franco Colapinto (Alpine): +1.788, 58 laps (other reports: 56)
• Pierre Gasly (Alpine): +1.935, 67 laps (other reports: 51)
• Oliver Bearman (Haas): +1.952, 42 laps
• Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls): +2.058, 120 laps (other reports: 61)
• Nico Hülkenberg (Audi): +3.648, 68 laps (technical issues, red flag)

What Day 4 already tells us

Thursday morning kept the storyline intact at the top. Antonelli went even quicker with a 1:17.081. Piastri was next, and Lewis Hamilton, now in Ferrari colors, followed with +1.573 and 87 laps on the board in the AM running. A lighter field is expected later, with Aston Martin tipped to appear as the week winds down.

Context: a private shakedown with clear stakes

This Barcelona running isn’t the official pre-season test. It’s a private five-day shakedown where teams can run on a maximum of three days. That means limited eyes and no formal timing, but plenty of value for the teams. The official Bahrain test comes February 11–13, with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 8.

Earlier in the week, rain on Tuesday restricted mileage and left Ferrari and Red Bull as the main runners. Max Verstappen set a 1:19.578 before Red Bull’s day was cut short by a crash for Isack Hadjar. That incident, plus the changing conditions, helped shape the Thursday/Friday plans and explains why Red Bull skipped Day 3 entirely.

Even Ferrari, after a busy Tuesday, kept a lower profile on Wednesday. Charles Leclerc captured the mood well: “I’m very excited. I’m very excited to see what the others have in store and when we start pushing a little bit more, see where we are compared to the others.” That’s exactly what Bahrain is for.

The bottom line

Yes, these times are unofficial and run plans are a mystery by design. But patterns still show. Mercedes look fast, planted, and reliable. McLaren’s MCL40 has arrived smoothly. Alpine are quietly stacking laps. Racing Bulls found volume, while Haas and Audi have early problems to fix.

The grids won’t form for weeks, and sandbags may still be in the trucks. But if you’re reading between the lines, Barcelona’s Day 3 told a simple story: Mercedes are putting down markers in both speed and stamina. The rest now have Bahrain to answer back.