Russell Dominates Barcelona F1 Test with Fastest Lap Yet
Mercedes driver George Russell has made headlines at the Barcelona F1 test by achieving the fastest lap so far. His time of 1 minute and 17.580 seconds outperformed the previous best set by Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar by 0.6 seconds.
Overview of the Barcelona F1 Test
On Wednesday, during the first half of the testing session, Russell demonstrated impressive performance. This success followed a productive Monday when he completed nearly 100 laps. After taking over from teammate Kimi Antonelli, Russell continued to push the limits, reportedly nearing 100 laps once again on Wednesday.
Record-breaking Lap Times
Russell’s impressive lap time was significantly faster than that of Franco Colapinto, who clocked 1 minute and 19.150 seconds in the Alpine. Other notable performances included:
- 1. George Russell (Mercedes) – 1m 17.580s
- 2. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 1m 19.150s
- 3. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1m 19.672s
- 4. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – 1m 20.714s
- 5. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 1m 20.840s
- 6. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) – No time set
Team Performance and Challenges
Mercedes enjoyed a highly productive day, recording the most laps before lunchtime. Meanwhile, McLaren’s Lando Norris had a solid start, achieving over 30 laps with the new MCL40, which debuted just hours into the morning session.
In contrast, some teams faced challenges. Audi, represented by Nico Hulkenberg, struggled significantly, managing no recorded lap time after an early mechanical issue. Similarly, Ollie Bearman and Haas experienced interruptions after about 20 laps, limiting their overall performance.
What’s Next at Barcelona
With the testing continuing, Kimi Antonelli is set to return to the track for the second half of Wednesday. The results so far indicate a competitive landscape as teams refine their setups and assess their performance for the upcoming season.
