The final day of testing in Barcelona has come to an end with a lively Ferrari that remained a central figure right up to the final minutes. Lewis Hamilton emerged as the fastest driver overall.
In Barcelona, it is now time to pack up and head home to analyse all the data gathered over these days of testing. Every team will certainly have plenty to reflect on ahead of Bahrain, including Ferrari, which nevertheless closed the test with the quickest time. A lap time that is, of course, of limited significance on its own, but which undoubtedly adds to the solid work completed by the Scuderia at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
On the final day of the collective test, which also marked Ferrari’s third appearance on track, the team completed a total of 145 laps, covering 675 kilometres. Once again, the day was split between the two drivers. In the morning, it was Charles Leclerc who opened the programme and finished at the top of the morning session classification.
The focus then shifted to Lewis Hamilton in the afternoon. The British driver worked mainly on the C2 compound, alternating runs of varying length with setup checks and adjustments. In the final part of the session, he also had the C3 tyre available, before switching back to the yellow-marked compound in the closing minutes. His personal tally stood at 67 laps and more than 300 kilometres completed.
Hamilton fastest overall in the test
With this programme completed, Ferrari wrapped up the three days allocated to each team with a total of 440 laps and more than 2,000 kilometres covered. At the end of the day, Lewis Hamilton confirmed himself as the fastest driver across all three days of testing, setting a best time of 1:16.348.
“It’s been a really positive and intense week. Over the winter there has been a lot of work done, both personally and by the entire team, and it’s great to see that effort translate into so many kilometres completed without any major issues,” said the British driver.
“Running in wet conditions at the beginning was also very useful, especially with a completely new car, and overall we can say that we’ve built a good base. There’s still a lot to understand and plenty of work ahead of us, but the atmosphere in the team is excellent and I see everyone extremely focused. Now we’ll take everything we’ve gathered back home to analyse the data and prepare as well as possible for the Bahrain tests,” concluded the driver of car #44.
Ferrari therefore closes this shakedown phase with encouraging indications, particularly in terms of reliability and continuity of work. More than outright lap times, what matters in Maranello is the mileage accumulated and the quantity of information collected, key elements in arriving at the official tests with an already solid technical foundation.
Lewis Hamilton’s chart-topping performance in Barcelona marks a high-note finish for Ferrari’s 2026 debut, signaling that the SF-26 is a competitive and reliable platform from day one. With over 2,000 kilometers of data now heading back to Maranello, the team has successfully cleared the first major hurdle of the new technical era, providing Hamilton and Leclerc with a stable foundation to build upon. As the focus shifts toward pure performance in Bahrain, the encouraging reliability and focused atmosphere within the Scuderia suggest they are well-positioned to be a leading force when the season officially begins. This successful shakedown ensures that Ferrari heads into the next phase of pre-season with a clear technical direction and a significant momentum boost.
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