Russell and Antonelli showcase Mercedes' promising 2026 F1 start with consistent running and strong lap times amidst a day of uncertainties.
Mercedes was one of the teams that left the best impression at the start of the private Formula 1 2026 tests in Barcelona. On an unusual day, with few cars on track and not much information available to the public, the German squad achieved what mattered most: completing an extensive program, running without issues, and finishing in the upper part of the standings with George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
The first day in Montmeló had one detail that shaped the overall reading: in the afternoon, Live Timing went dark and lap times stopped being public. That meant Monday’s wrap-up was surrounded by uncertainty, since only part of the running could be pieced together with partial records. Even so, Mercedes managed to stand out for something that’s worth gold on days like these: consistency.
The morning belonged to Antonelli. The Italian was the first to get in the car and ended the morning session as the second-fastest, putting in a clean, organized run on a track where several teams dealt with stoppages. The young driver was able to rack up laps without interruptions and set a solid benchmark so the team could stick to its plan in the second half of the day.
In the afternoon session, it was Russell’s turn. He took over the car and improved Mercedes’ internal mark. With a 1:18.696, the Brit finished second on Monday’s overall chart, just behind the fastest time. Antonelli, meanwhile, ended up +2.541, although the most relevant takeaway wasn’t the gap, but the car’s steady behavior throughout the day.
Overall, Mercedes logged an intense workload: Russell completed 93 laps and Antonelli 56, totaling more than 140 laps. On a day where reliability was the main storyline, those numbers carry weight. In fact, the German team was among the ones that ran the most, along with Haas and Monday’s pace-setter.
Another positive is that Mercedes wasn’t affected by the problems that slowed down other teams. The morning featured three red flags for stopped cars (no crashes), something normal when cars hit the track for the first time under these conditions. Still, Mercedes was able to keep its plan on track without drama, a good sign in a test where every lap matters.
The shakedown is also being held under a limited format: only seven teams are present, with the rule that each one can run three of the five days. With key absences like McLaren, Ferrari, Williams, and Aston Martin, Monday served as a short but useful sample.
In this context, Mercedes got off to a strong start: lots of running, few questions, and a solid base to keep building from Day 1.