On the fourth day of F1 testing before the 2026 season, six teams drove on the track near Barcelona. The highlight of the end of the day was the debut of the unique Aston Martin team car, which caught attention with its appearance. Mercedes was the fastest on the track, while Ferrari was the most hardworking.
Read more Results of the fifth day and summary of the entire F1 tests in Barcelona before the 2026 season
Testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on the fourth day was very busy, but not for all teams. Ferrari, Mercedes, and Racing Bulls each ran two drivers, and these teams clearly completed the most laps. Cadillac, McLaren, and Aston Martin ran significantly less, represented by one driver each. The reasons for this vary and will be explained below. The only red flag of the day was caused by Aston Martin in the final minutes of running.
Mercedes drivers were the fastest on the track. According to their statements, they dedicated the day to longer runs, this time mainly on soft tires. Russell and Antonelli set the best times of the tests, but it is very difficult to compare them to rivals. They are expected to work on performance and setup in Bahrain. Over three days, Mercedes completed over 500 laps, i.e., more than seven full race distances. They had no breakdowns. This is key news because they completed their entire planned program.
Ferrari was the most hardworking during this day. Hamilton and Leclerc both completed over 80 laps in both sessions. The atmosphere around Ferrari has significantly improved during these tests. The car and engine have been reliable so far, the drivers can run for a long time and are satisfied (no one criticizes the car during testing). Ferrari’s capabilities are not as bad as claimed in recent weeks.
Oscar Piastri made his testing debut, but it wasn’t a successful day for him. In the morning session, he went out an hour after the start and completed 48 laps by the lunch break. During the break, mechanics noticed a fuel system fault, and the car did not return to the track in the afternoon. The summary statement sent by the team to the media is very interesting. It reads: “Already after the first two days of driving, it is clear that there are opportunities for development and performance improvement that are worth exploiting. Furthermore, from the very beginning of the track running, it is evident that some rivals have set very high performance requirements for themselves.” Could it be that McLaren already sees that it lags behind its rivals (Mercedes) in terms of pace? That’s how I read it. More about the McLaren MCL40 here.
The Racing Bulls team concluded their participation in the tests very successfully. They had a busy day behind them and no technical problems. They were supposed to drive using various engine modes and different fuel loads. Regarding the new Red Bull Ford engine, information has emerged that its performance and reliability are at a good level; the challenge for both teams is cooling, as the engine is said to overheat more easily.
Cadillac quietly went about its business, but in the case of this team, neither the number of laps nor the lap times are sensational. It doesn’t look like a sensation, and the completely new team will start competing in F1 at the back of the grid. They will get better day by day.
The main event of the day was the track debut of the Aston Martin AMR26 car. Lance Stroll completed only five laps during the last hour of testing, driving with a speed limit – hence the very poor lap time. At the end, he stopped on the track, causing a red flag. There will be time for a broader analysis of this car from my side over the weekend when more photos are available, but it is already clear that this car is truly unique. It features more unique shapes and solutions than all other cars this year. The last time I was so impressed was by Mercedes in 2022, when it suddenly appeared at testing “without sidepods.” Adrian Newey and company have made a truly standout car. The only question remains: will results follow the unique look?
Results of the fourth day of F1 testing in Barcelona before the 2026 season
It was dry all day, but cool. Weather conditions were better than on Wednesday, but far from F1 requirements – temperatures were too low.
Read more Results of the fifth day and summary of the entire F1 tests in Barcelona before the 2026 season
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:16,445 | 78 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:17,081 | 90 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:18,223 | 83 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:18,419 | 48 |
| 5 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:18,451 | 47 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:18,654 | 87 |
| 7 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:18,840 | 64 |
| 8 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 1:21,024 | 66 |
| 9 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:46,404 | 5 |
I remind you for comparison that a year ago the Pole Position time was 1:11,546. The best race time in 2025 was 1:15,743.
There are minor differences in the number of laps from tests reported by various services, as well as by teams. This happens every day. Therefore, the data I provide below may differ slightly from other services.
Number of laps completed by teams during the fourth day of testing
1. Ferrari – 170
2. Mercedes – 168
3. Racing Bulls – 111
4. Cadillac – 66
5. McLaren – 48
6. Aston Martin – 5
1. Mercedes – 502 (three days)
2. Racing Bulls – 319 (three days)
3. Ferrari – 291 (two days)
4. Haas – 196 (two days)
5. Red Bull – 185 (two days)
5. Alpine – 185 (two days)
6. McLaren – 125 (two days)
7. Cadillac – 110 (two days)
8. Audi – 95 (two days)
9. Aston Martin – 5 (one day)
Number of laps completed by power units during the fourth day of testing
1. Ferrari – 236
2. Mercedes – 216
3. Red Bull Ford – 111
4. Honda – 5
1. Mercedes – 812
2. Ferrari – 597
3. Red Bull Ford – 504
4. Audi – 95
5. Honda – 5
Plans for the final day of testing on Friday
Mercedes and Racing Bulls have concluded their participation in the tests. On Friday, the cars of the eight remaining teams will appear on the track, promising to be the most intense testing day of the week. Weather conditions are expected to be better, with an air temperature of 16 degrees Celsius forecast, making it the warmest day of the week. However, there is a chance of scattered showers, which could disrupt the teams’ work.
On Friday, Aston Martin should be testing normally, and this will be the most important technical event because everyone is interested in this car. Red Bull will also return to the track, but this is not 100% certain as they had to repair the damaged car after Hadjar’s crash on Tuesday.
A complete set of information about all Formula 1 car presentations for the 2025 season can be found in a special summary here. You will find dates, details, photos, and links to reviews of all presentations.
Read more Preview, lineups and broadcasts of the first round of F1 testing in Bahrain before the 2026 season
