A Formula 1 insider has revealed the main title contenders for the 2026 season following testing in Barcelona.
This week, we finally got to see the 2026 cars on track, with teams taking part in a private test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Although timings are largely irrelevant at this stage, the fastest time of the week was set by Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, who clocked a 1:16.3.
Hamilton was followed by ex-Mercedes teammate George Russell, whose best time was 1:16.445.
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Reigning world champion Lando Norris was third with a 1:16.554.
Prior to testing, it was widely reported that Mercedes could be the team to beat this season.
However, speaking recently, Sky Sports F1's Craig Slater claimed that Mercedes are keen to deny the favourites tag and said that they are among the same bracket as the Big Four.
He said: "According to [Mercedes], they don’t like that status and they deny that they’re ahead at the moment. As far as they see it, and I’ve spoken to a senior figure there, it is very close between last year’s big four.
"So, they count themselves in the same rough bracket as Ferrari, Red Bull, which is very creditable for them, and McLaren, too."
Slater added: "But if you speak to those three others outside Mercedes, they put Mercedes, well, certainly, I spoke to someone at McLaren, they think it’s not necessarily a permanent thing or built in for the whole season, but based on this test, they are a little bit ahead.
"[McLaren believe Mercedes] have come with a very good car, that it’s not just down to these conditions, which, in the previous iteration of cars, suited Mercedes, these cold conditions. They think it is irrespective of that.
"And part of it only is this better understanding of the power unit. and how to harvest and deploy the electrical energy. That’s not the whole story, as far as they’re concerned. [McLaren] think [Mercedes] have come out of the box with a good car, and are maybe a little bit ahead of the rest leaving here."
Topics: Sky Sports, Formula 1
Marcus Chan