Mercedes completed an impressive 183 laps on its second day of track running during the Barcelona F1 shakedown with the W17. While lap times were the fastest, what truly stood out was the reliability of the car-power unit package and Kimi Antonelli’s race simulation in the afternoon.
Mercedes shines on Day 2
Mercedes delivered an excellent second day of testing. Kimi Antonelli and George Russell finished first and second in the timesheets, completing a total of 183 laps of the Circuit de Catalunya. After leaving the car in the garage yesterday due to heavy rain, today’s work on the W17 ran smoothly. More than the lap times (1:17.362 for Antonelli, 1:17.580 for Russell), the standout features were the overall reliability of the car and the race simulation completed by Kimi Antonelli in the afternoon.
Antonelli completes full race simulation
Antonelli ended the day on top, a small morale boost for the team. “After the rain affected my sessions on Monday, I was glad to run consistently in the dry. We managed to complete a full race distance, accumulating kilometers and gathering lots of data for the engineers. The car is completely new and very different from last year’s, so I’m getting used to it lap by lap. It’s a continuous learning process for me as a driver and for the team. Covering as many laps as possible is extremely useful.”
“This is the real objective of these tests,” Kimi Antonelli continued. “Over the first two days, we completed the planned work program, and I hope tomorrow will be the same. If the track remains dry, I expect we’ll focus on long runs to better understand tire degradation and overall tire management. At the same time, we’ll start improving the setup, finding the best balance and dedicating some time to qualifying laps. Among all the new features, it’s also important to familiarize ourselves with the different engine modes.”
Team confirms positive feedback
Kimi’s satisfaction was echoed by track operations manager Andrew Shovlin: “We’re pleased with the mileage covered. We achieved most of the goals set for the first two days. The car has proven reliable, and today we completed the equivalent of three Grand Prix distances. It’s an encouraging first step; the car works well, and I expect our drivers will feel a bit tired after all the laps today!”
Over the first two days, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell completed a combined total of 334 laps, covering over 1,500 kilometers. “But what matters most,” Andrew Shovlin added, “is that both drivers have given positive feedback on the car’s feel, especially compared to the previous generation. That said, they’ll only be truly satisfied once we see how the performance compares to our rivals, which won’t happen until the Bahrain tests.”
The relentless performance of the Mercedes W17 in Barcelona suggests that Brixworth has hit the ground running in the 2026 power unit era, prioritizing the “bulletproof” reliability that Andrew Shovlin believes will be the ultimate differentiator this season. With Kimi Antonelli already comfortable enough to push through a full race simulation and top the timesheets, the Silver Arrows are signaling that their preparation for the new regulations is as thorough as it is ambitious.
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