[Saba Sports News] The closed-door testing for the 2026 F1 season in Barcelona has concluded. Although Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton achieved the fastest lap time of 1 minute 16.348 seconds on soft tires on the last day, overall, the Mercedes team emerged as the biggest winner. The Mercedes F1 team performed exceptionally well in Barcelona, completing the highest mileage among all teams. On the first day, Mercedes completed 151 laps, followed by 183 laps on the second day, and 168 laps on the final day, totaling 502 laps and over 2,300 kilometers, all without any significant technical issues.
Meanwhile, the W17 car was one of the fastest in closed-door testing, with Russell leading the lap time charts at one point with a time of 1 minute 16.445 seconds. According to team sources, Mercedes made significant progress in their testing program over the three days, even beginning to conduct setup evaluations. A seasoned insider hinted that Mercedes driver George Russell could hardly conceal his joy as he walked over, with a smile that was hard to suppress at the corners of his mouth.
Media reports suggest that throughout the five-day testing period, the reliability and speed of the Mercedes W17 car were impressive, indicating that Mercedes may be on the verge of a resurgence after a downturn in the ground effect era.