Mercedes was one of the teams that chose to take to the track immediately for the Barcelona Formula 1 tests, completing a busy and encouraging first day. Formula 1 officially returned to action on 26 January at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where the opening day of pre-season testing took place. This event represents a key milestone for the debut of cars designed under the new 2026 technical regulations. Mercedes was among the teams on track and provided a detailed account of its work, while also keeping an eye on activity in the neighbouring garages.
Mercedes’ work programme
Among the seven teams that decided to run on day one was Mercedes, which carried out an intense programme without any significant issues. In the morning session, Andrea Kimi Antonelli was at the wheel of the new W17, becoming the first driver to head out on a damp track as the pit lane opened. After completing several laps on intermediate tyres, the young Italian continued the programme using C3 soft and C1 hard compounds, finishing the morning with a total of 56 laps before the lunch break.
In the afternoon, George Russell took over driving duties and added a further 95 laps. This brought Mercedes’ total for the day to 151 laps and more than 700 kilometres completed in a single session. This figure is particularly significant given that the teams are still in the very early stages of development with the new generation of cars.
Antonelli reflects on his return to the car
Antonelli commented on his first outing of the year by saying: “It was great to be back in the car this morning and, above all, we had a productive first day here in Barcelona. With these new cars there is so much to learn, so it is crucial to complete as many kilometres as possible and gradually build up our understanding.”
However, the Italian driver also urged caution. “It is still early days,” he added. “Over the next few days we will certainly discover areas where we can improve, but that is exactly what testing is for. For now, the overall package feels good and we will try to build on this foundation during the next two days of testing available here in Barcelona.”
Russell’s view on Red Bull and Ferrari
Russell’s comments were also particularly noteworthy, as he did not hesitate to share his impressions of Mercedes’ rivals, including Ferrari. “It’s fantastic to be back on track and driving a Formula 1 car again! The cars feel quite different for us as drivers, but once you get used to them, the driving is fairly intuitive. It’s enjoyable to be behind the wheel and I think the fans have a lot to look forward to with these new regulations,” said the British driver, before turning his attention to the competition.
“We are happy with our day, but I was also impressed by several other teams. The Red Bull power unit completed a lot of laps. Haas also ran extensively, so the Ferrari power unit has shown good reliability. It’s not quite like 2014! The sport has evolved massively since then and the level today is extremely high in every area,” Russell confirmed.
Focus on reliability and long runs
Finally, Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director, summed up the technical side of the day. “Overall, we are satisfied with how the day went. The main priority during the first outings of a new car is to be able to complete a high number of laps,” he explained.
“Today the goal was to understand the car, make sure it was operating within the correct temperature windows and check our ability to complete long runs. It is positive that we were able to achieve this. We still do not know where we stand in terms of performance, but we have shown that we can keep the car running reliably, which is a testament to the excellent work carried out by everyone at our two factories,” Andrew Shovlin concluded.
Leave a Reply