Russell Fastest in Barcelona F1 Test 2026 Day 3 Morning

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - George Russell set the fastest time during the morning session of Day 3 of the 2026 Formula 1 pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, further underlining the strong early reliability of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.

Russell topped the timing sheets with a 1:17.580 lap set late in the session. Equally significant was his lap count, as the British driver completed 92 laps before the lunch break, providing Mercedes with a substantial volume of data during the early phase of the W17’s development.

Second position was held by Franco Colapinto for the BWT Alpine F1 Team, finishing 1.570 seconds adrift of Russell after completing 56 laps. Alpine continued to demonstrate solid operational consistency following weather-disrupted running earlier in the week.

The morning session also marked the first appearance of McLaren during the Barcelona test. Reigning Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris completed 34 laps and ended the session third, with the team prioritising system checks and baseline validation rather than outright performance.

Behind Norris, Arvid Lindblad placed fourth for the Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team, logging 61 laps. Oliver Bearman followed in fifth for the Haas F1 Team after completing 21 laps, despite causing a brief interruption earlier in the session.

In contrast, the morning proved difficult once again for the Audi F1 Team. Nico Hülkenberg managed just four laps before a technical issue forced the car to stop on track, continuing Audi’s reliability challenges since the opening day of testing.

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

With two days of running remaining, the Day 3 morning session has begun to highlight early differences in reliability and preparation levels across the grid. Attention will now shift to the afternoon session and the remaining test days, which are set to play a decisive role in shaping development priorities ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season.