Lewis Hamilton showcased his speed during the final day of Formula 1’s 2026 shakedown in Barcelona, clocking the fastest lap. Meanwhile, Mercedes dominated the week with the most laps completed.
Toward the end of the final day at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Hamilton raced to an unofficial time of 1m16.348s, pushing George Russell down from the top. Hamilton switched to soft tires, improving his time after a strong morning performance from his teammate, Charles Leclerc, who led the morning session with a time of 1m16.653s.
Oscar Piastri, finishing just behind Leclerc, felt a lot more positive after his experience on Friday. After struggling with a fuel issue on Thursday, he expressed his relief: “It was good to get some quality laps today. I got into a rhythm and started to understand the car better.”
His McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, put down a solid lap of 1m16.594s in the afternoon before Hamilton outpaced him later. The shakedown wasn’t just about speed, though; it focused on mileage to prepare engines for the upcoming season. Mercedes took the lead here, amassing over 500 laps during the three days of testing.
Mercedes’ success can be credited to its impressive power unit, deemed the best in Formula 1. Compared to other teams, its engine covered around 1000 laps when factoring in customer teams like McLaren and Alpine. This thorough testing seems essential as all teams gear up for a demanding 24-race calendar.
Ferrari’s power unit performed well, too, following Mercedes, while Red Bull had a quieter week. Max Verstappen returned to the track, completing 69 laps with a best time of 1m18.285s after a crash sidelined the team earlier in the week.
Although Aston Martin faced challenges during the shakedown, including issues with Lance Stroll, the team made waves with its unique car design. Fernando Alonso managed a smoother outing on Friday, completing at least 49 laps, all while other teams like Haas and Audi also participated.
With no red flags disrupting the final day, the teams now shift their focus to the official pre-season tests in Bahrain from February 11-13. As drivers and teams prepare, it’s clear that the competition will be fierce this season.
For more insights on F1 testing and updates, check out [Motorsport.com](https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/).
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Barcelona F1 shakedown Day 5: Lewis Hamilton tops the timings for Ferrari ,Lewis Hamilton,Formula 1,Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing,Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya
