Mercedes Dominates Day Three of Barcelona F1 Test 2026

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team asserted clear control on Day 3 of the 2026 Formula 1 pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as both of its drivers topped the timesheets.

Rookie Kimi Antonelli, who took over driving duties from George Russell in the afternoon, set the fastest lap of the day with a 1:17.362. Russell followed closely in second, just 0.218 seconds adrift, making Mercedes the only team to break into the 1:17 bracket during the session.

Day 3 also marked the first full appearance of reigning Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris with McLaren. Norris completed 76 laps in the MCL40 and finished third on the timesheets, with the team prioritising mileage, system validation, and baseline data collection over outright performance.

Behind Norris, the BWT Alpine F1 Team placed both of its drivers inside the top five. Franco Colapinto finished fourth, while Pierre Gasly ended the day fifth, as Alpine continued to deliver consistent and reliable running.

Oliver Bearman secured sixth position for the Haas F1 Team after completing 42 laps. Meanwhile, Arvid Lindblad recorded the highest lap count of the day, completing 120 tours for the Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team, despite finishing seventh overall.

The day remained challenging for the Audi F1 Team. Following early technical issues, Nico Hülkenberg set the slowest lap time of the session, although Audi still managed to accumulate 68 laps, an important step in establishing baseline reliability during its debut season.

Full Results – 2026 F1 Barcelona Pre-Season Test (Day 3)

With one day of running remaining in Barcelona, Mercedes’ dominance on Day 3 further underlines its strong early readiness under the new regulations. Attention now turns to how rival teams respond in the final session before the focus shifts to the next phase of pre-season preparation ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season.