George Russell and Kimi Antonelli continue to rack up miles at the Barcelona shakedown, with Mercedes’ 2026 power unit impressing from the outset. The Brackley team completed their second day on track, with Russell taking the morning session while Antonelli piloted the W17 in the afternoon. The new power unit has already shown reliability, with no issues reported so far during testing.
Despite the early stage of the technical cycle, when “teething problems” are often expected due to the radical changes in engine regulations, Mercedes has avoided any setbacks. Across the first three days of testing—including sessions with McLaren and Alpine—Mercedes-powered cars have not experienced any reliability concerns, highlighting the thorough work conducted at Brixworth.
Mercedes’ milestones already achieved
In just two days, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell have completed a combined total of 334 laps, roughly 1,500 kilometres. This high mileage is largely thanks to a well-prepared 2026 power unit that has not hindered the team’s testing program. On the second day, Russell completed 92 laps, mostly on hard tyres, while Antonelli added 91, bringing the total to 183 laps for the day.
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director, emphasised the progress made so far: “We’re very pleased with the mileage we’ve achieved today and have completed most of the objectives we set for the first two days of testing here in Barcelona. The car has proven reliable, and today we managed to run multiple race distances.”
Andrew Shovlin added: “We still have one more day of running, where we will focus more on set-up work compared to what we’ve done so far. This will likely take place tomorrow and should give us even more useful data before heading to Bahrain. If that final day goes as smoothly as the first two, we’ll be very satisfied with how this shakedown in Barcelona has gone.” With reliability already confirmed, Mercedes will turn its attention to car behaviour and aerodynamic details on the next day of testing.
Russell reflects on day two
Both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli shared their impressions after their sessions. The two drivers were clearly pleased with the large amount of running completed, which allowed them to become more accustomed to the new cars.
Russell noted that reliability had been excellent: “Everything went relatively smoothly from a reliability standpoint today, which is very positive for our overall program. This test focuses mainly on mileage and ensuring that everything is functioning correctly. Today, Kimi and I were able to complete a high number of laps again.”
He added: “The real excitement will come when we head to Melbourne and get an idea of our position relative to our rivals. For now, we’re focusing on getting the most out of the preparation process for the upcoming season.”
Antonelli enjoys a productive session
Kimi Antonelli also expressed satisfaction after completing 91 laps in the afternoon: “Today was better than Monday, when the wet track limited my performance in the morning. This afternoon, we were able to run a full race distance, increasing our mileage and collecting a lot of valuable data for the team. It’s a continuous learning process for both me as a driver and the team, so accumulating as many laps as possible is very helpful.”
Antonelli highlighted that Mercedes is executing its program effectively, which could provide a significant advantage over rivals: “So far, we’ve completed our planned program over both days. That is the main objective of this shakedown phase, and we hope that the final day of running proceeds smoothly. We are focused on increasing mileage and putting ourselves in the best possible position before heading to Bahrain,” he concluded.
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