Image source: Crash
P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes set the pace as Aston Martin’s 2026 F1 car debuted and McLaren ran into trouble.
“Mercedes set a new benchmark lap time with George Russell leading the way on the penultimate day of F1’s pre-season shakedown at Barcelona.
Russell’s time of 1m16.641s was the quickest overall, with Mercedes recording a total of 168 laps on Thursday, maintaining their dominance.
Charles Leclerc placed third with a time of 1m19.128s, while Aston Martin’s debut and McLaren facing fuel system issues were notable events.
Red Bull sat out Thursday due to spare part delays, Haas skipped due to mechanical problems, and Alpine and Audi saved their final day for Friday testing.”
