Although some media outlets claimed that Lewis Hamilton was faster than Charles Leclerc during the Pirelli tire test in Barcelona, it was Leclerc who set the fastest time over the two days…
While the drivers had tested the rain tires last week, it was now the turn of the 2026 slicks. As usual, Pirelli barely shared any actionable information about the event, but the times were released. They also noted that these times should be taken with a grain of salt, which makes the aforementioned excitement all the more incomprehensible. Although Hamilton actually finished first on the first day of testing with Scuderia Ferrari and McLaren, given today's results—simply statistically—Charles Leclerc can be considered the winner. After different tactics, programs, and distances, at the end of the two days, Leclerc was the fastest (1:14.971), ahead of Oscar Piastri (1:15.815) and his teammate, Lewis Hamilton (1:16.759).
In terms of laps completed, Piastri was the most diligent (152 laps), followed by the Ferrari duo, who each completed 74 laps. Pirelli had a productive day, as everyone completed at least one segment of the race today, equivalent to the Spanish Grand Prix. The next round will take place on the 13th and 14th at Jerez, where Alpine, Mercedes, and McLaren will complete the work.
Photo: F1
