McLaren's Oscar Piastri was left frustrated in Barcelona after a technical issue marred his afternoon session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where his team-mate Lando Norris had made a promising debut just two days earlier. The Australian driver took to the track for his own test session on Thursday but was forced to spend most of it stuck in the garage due to a fuel systems problem.
In contrast, Mercedes and Ferrari delivered strong showings at the event, with the former team amassing an impressive 167 laps - over 100 more than McLaren's total. For Mercedes driver George Russell, the day was particularly memorable, as he lapped the circuit a record-breaking 1:16.445 in the afternoon session.
Ferrari also had a strong showing, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc combining for an impressive 174 laps. The Italian team is seen by many as one of the top contenders for this year's championship, and their performance has been well-received by observers.
Aston Martin made their long-awaited debut at the event on Thursday, with Lance Stroll taking to the track in the AMR26 car. Despite some initial gremlins overnight, the team managed to get a few laps under their belts before stopping out on track in the closing moments of the day due to a red flag.
With seven teams having completed two days of running and Aston Martin hoping to make it through the entire event, Friday promises to be an exciting day for fans of the sport. Among those expected to drive on Friday is Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who was forced to sit out the last two sessions due to a crash in the wet conditions.
The first major event of the 2026 Formula One season is shaping up to be a closely contested one, with teams jockeying for position and honing their skills ahead of the opening round at the Australian Grand Prix on March 6-8.
In contrast, Mercedes and Ferrari delivered strong showings at the event, with the former team amassing an impressive 167 laps - over 100 more than McLaren's total. For Mercedes driver George Russell, the day was particularly memorable, as he lapped the circuit a record-breaking 1:16.445 in the afternoon session.
Ferrari also had a strong showing, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc combining for an impressive 174 laps. The Italian team is seen by many as one of the top contenders for this year's championship, and their performance has been well-received by observers.
Aston Martin made their long-awaited debut at the event on Thursday, with Lance Stroll taking to the track in the AMR26 car. Despite some initial gremlins overnight, the team managed to get a few laps under their belts before stopping out on track in the closing moments of the day due to a red flag.
With seven teams having completed two days of running and Aston Martin hoping to make it through the entire event, Friday promises to be an exciting day for fans of the sport. Among those expected to drive on Friday is Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who was forced to sit out the last two sessions due to a crash in the wet conditions.
The first major event of the 2026 Formula One season is shaping up to be a closely contested one, with teams jockeying for position and honing their skills ahead of the opening round at the Australian Grand Prix on March 6-8.
I mean, think about it like this... you're gonna have days where things just don't go as planned 
, but that's when you gotta dig deep & find a way to make the most of it 
. Oscar Piastri's fuel system issue might've been frustrating for him, but at least he got some time in the garage, right? & who knows, maybe that's where he found a solution 
? That's the thing about racing - even when things aren't going your way, there's always something to learn from it 
. So, don't get too hung up on the setbacks, focus on what you can control & keep moving forward 
.
. Piastri's frustration is totally justified tho - who wants to spend half their session stuck in the garage 
? On a more positive note, I'm loving what I'm seeing from Mercedes and Ferrari so far 
. I'm hyped to see how the rest of the weekend unfolds, especially with Red Bull's Max Verstappen making a comeback on Friday 
. Bring it on! 
️
they're like the underdogs now 
but it's not all doom and gloom, piastri is still looking fierce 
mercury and ferrari are killing the game tho 
️ what's up with those teams? 
i'm loving the competition already 
and ofc max verstappen's gonna bring his A-game on friday 
this season is shaping up to be EPIC 
That's crazy fast! The Ferrari guys are looking strong too, with Hamilton and Charles Leclerc combining for over 174 laps. It's gonna be a wild ride this season 
! 
.
!
. McLaren's struggles in Barcelona just seem so frustrating, especially with Lando Norris doing well the day before. I mean, it's not like they're new to F1 or anything... 
. But at the same time, you've got Red Bull waiting in the wings, ready to pounce... it's gonna be a wild ride 
. Bring it on Friday, let's see what these teams are made of 
.
what a bummer for oscar piastri 
i mean i feel bad 4 him but ferrari is lookin good to go 
McLaren's just having the worst week ever! Their pit crew's on fire 
, they can't even get a simple fuel system fixed on time 
. And now Oscar Piastri's all frustrated 
because he couldn't even get out of the garage 
️. Meanwhile, Mercedes and Ferrari are just cruising along 
. 167 laps? That's insane 
. Their team's performance has been looking really strong lately and I'm curious to see how things play out on Friday 
. And yeah, Aston Martin making their debut is definitely an exciting development 
and it was LIFE.CHANGING!!! I mean, have you guys ever had a good breakfast? It's like the perfect combo of carbs, protein, and healthy fats... anyhoo, back to F1, I'm still salty about McLaren not doing well 
. But seriously, 167 laps by Mercedes is crazy! 
and oscar piastri was so hyped to get on track but it's all gonna happen 
. gotta keep an eye on ferrari tho, lewis hamilton and charles leclerc are looking super strong 
, can't wait to see what the weekend brings! #F1 #FormulaOne #McLarenProblems
. It's gonna be super competitive on Friday, can't wait to see what the teams come up with! 
! I mean, Mercedes is looking super strong as always, but Ferrari's been making some big moves lately. And can we talk about how crazy it is that they're seen as top contenders already? I still remember when Hamilton was driving for McLaren back in 2014... 
. So, who's going to win this year? Is it gonna be Mercedes or Ferrari? Can someone tell me what F1 stands for? 
. Still gotta be excited though - F1 is always good for the drama 
) |
) |