Overview
- Kimi Antonelli set a 1:33.669 to lead George Russell in a Mercedes one‑two, yet Russell called the week a “reality check” and said the team has “taken a step back.”
- Toto Wolff and Russell described Red Bull as the early benchmark based on straight‑line performance, while technical director Pierre Wache insisted Red Bull’s analysis shows it behind Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren.
- Ferrari logged heavy mileage and consistent pace as Lewis Hamilton reported “good discoveries,” though Charles Leclerc said overtaking feels harder with the 2026 cars.
- Aston Martin completed just 206 laps across three days, with Lance Stroll estimating the team is roughly four to four‑and‑a‑half seconds off the leaders and frustration showing for Fernando Alonso.
- The Mercedes compression‑ratio concept faces PUAC and FIA decisions ahead of March 1 homologation, and teams flagged energy‑management and manual turbo‑spool procedures as safety and drivability concerns before the Feb 18–20 test.