Mercedes dominates Barcelona test as Norris debuts new McLaren

Mercedes kept its reliability edge at the opening day of 2026 pre‑season testing in Barcelona, while Lando Norris finally took the new MCL‑40 out for a shakedown.

Why it matters:

• Consistent reliability gives Mercedes a strategic advantage heading into the season, letting them focus on performance upgrades rather than fixing basics.
• Norris’s appearance signals that McLaren is on track to complete its development cycle, a key factor for a team hoping to close the gap to the front‑runners.

The details:

• Mercedes – George Russell logged 92 laps by early afternoon and topped the session with a 1:17.580 fastest lap, eclipsing Alpine’s Franco Colapinto (1:19.150). The team’s W‑17 is now on 154 laps combined with teammate Kimi Antonelli, amassing a wealth of data.
• McLaren – After two days of silence, Norris ran 34 clean laps in the MCL‑40, completing systems checks without incident. The car is slated for a more aggressive program over the final two test days.
• Audi & Haas – Both struggled: Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi suffered a technical hiccup after four laps, while Oliver Bearman’s Haas briefly stopped before re‑joining before lunch.
• Other entrants – Red Bull sat out after Isack Hadjar’s crash. Ferrari, Cadillac, Aston Martin and Williams have yet to appear, while Racing Bulls fielded Arvid Lindblad.

What’s next:

• Mercedes will likely use the remaining private days to refine tyre maps and aerodynamic packages, aiming to translate reliability into outright pace.
• McLaren expects to push the MCL‑40 harder, gathering performance data that could shape its 2026 launch strategy.
• Teams still absent may still turn up for the final sessions, potentially reshuffling the early‑season hierarchy.

The Barcelona test remains a barometer for how quickly the grid will settle into the new regulations, and the early signs point to Mercedes still leading the pack while McLaren works to catch up.