Oscar Piastri has posted impressive lap times during the fourth and final day of pre-season testing in Barcelona, positioning himself ahead of his McLaren teammate Lando Norris as the 2026 Formula One season approaches. The testing, held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, provided teams an opportunity to evaluate their new cars following the latest regulation changes.
The Barcelona session took place ahead of two officially scheduled, fan-televised testing weekends in Bahrain this February. Despite being closed to the public and media, some lap time data from these sessions has surfaced online, giving fans and analysts a glimpse into driver performances early in the season preparation.
Barcelona Pre-Season Testing Overview and Team Preparation
The first official pre-season tests of 2026 commenced on Monday, marking the long-awaited return of Formula One activity on track. All 11 teams on the grid were authorized to conduct up to three days of testing between January 26 and 30. Many teams have been using this time primarily to address reliability challenges posed by substantial technical updates to their cars.
McLaren introduced their 2026 contender on the third day, sending 2025 world champion Lando Norris out on track. Norris set a competitive time of 1:18.725 during the afternoon session on medium tires, ranking third fastest among the eight drivers who participated that day.
Piastri’s Performance Surpasses Expectations on Day Four
The following day, Oscar Piastri completed 48 laps in the new McLaren machine, joining drivers like Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton in the morning session. According to reports from the Spanish outlet SoyMotor, Piastri clocked a best lap time of 1:18.419, edging out Norris by just over three-tenths of a second.
Comparing Piastri’s Times with Leading Teams and Drivers
Piastri’s lap was the second fastest in the morning session, behind Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli who dominated with a 1:17.081 lap—his personal best for the week and the quickest overall. Lewis Hamilton placed just behind Piastri, posting a 1:18.654.
Throughout the week, Mercedes appeared to maintain the fastest pace. George Russell recorded the second fastest time on day three with a 1:17.580, closely following Antonelli’s quickest 1:17.382. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc posted their best laps earlier in the week at 1:19.578 and 1:20.844 respectively during Tuesday’s dry running session.
Testing Phase Offers Insight into the Challenges and Prospects Ahead
The emerging lap times from Barcelona give an early indication of driver form and team development, though the primary focus remains on assessing car reliability and performance consistency amid regulatory changes. Piastri’s faster times could signal a promising start to his 2026 campaign at McLaren, setting the stage for a competitive rivalry with Norris.
As testing moves to Bahrain later this month, teams will refine their cars further, and fans will gain clearer insights through live broadcasts. This preparation phase will be critical to establishing pecking order and driver momentum once the season officially begins.
“The Australian driver set a fastest time of 1:18.419, putting him just over three tenths of a second ahead of his teammate.” – SoyMotor
“The British driver finished third place out of the eight drivers on track, setting a time of 1:18.725 at the beginning of the afternoon on the medium tyre.” – SoyMotor
🚨 ACTUALIZACIÓN DE TIEMPOS 🚨
1️⃣ ANT: 1'17''382
2️⃣ RUS: 1'17''580
3️⃣ NOR: 1'18''725
4️⃣ COL: 1'19''150
5️⃣ BEA: 1'19''314
6️⃣ LIN: 1'19''420
7️⃣ GAS: 1'20''413
8️⃣ HUL: 1'21''010#F1 #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/EhsgGCqPor— SoyMotor.com (@SoyMotor) January 28, 2026
🚨TABLA DE TIEMPOS
‼️Así ha terminado la mañana de la cuarta jornada de test
Antonelli – 1:17.081 – 90 vueltas
Piastri – 1:18.419 – 48 vueltas
Hamilton – 1:18.654 – 87 vueltas
Lawson – 1:18.840 – 64 vueltas
Pérez – 1:21.349 – 38 vueltas#F1 #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/wSL8wLzILK— SoyMotor.com (@SoyMotor) January 29, 2026
