Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
The opening stages of the battle of the power unit manufacturers took place at the Circuit de Catalunya last week as the 2026 Formula 1 season got underway.
Although F1 testing started behind closed doors, all five engine suppliers were on track in Barcelona gathering as much data as possible about their new power units.
George Russell was left pleasantly surprised by Red Bull’s debut engine, while both Audi and Honda know they have work to do ahead of the opening race in Australia.
What’s stopping George Russell from winning the drivers’ championship this season?
However, the two biggest hitters are set to be Mercedes and Ferrari, who each had three teams testing their engines at the Spanish circuit.
Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time across all five days for the Scuderia, but Mercedes completed by far the most laps.
Now, it appears as though Mercedes might have the upper hand over Ferrari already when it comes to one key aspect of Formula 1’s new power units.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
Mercedes have better ‘integrated management’ of their 2026 F1 power units than Ferrari
A report from Motorsport has provided more details about how Mercedes and Ferrari tackled the test in Barcelona.
Formula 1’s new power units are made up of two main components, an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.
The idea was for both parts of the power unit to supply an equal amount of energy, although it’s more likely that the ICE will end up contributing more going forward.
F1’s first shakedown allowed teams to try and better understand how to deliver the power between both parts of their engines, as opposed to trying to extract the maximum performance out of the car.
George Russell topped the lap count at the Barcelona Shakedown 🔥
But is mileage everything at this stage? 🤔
The report from Motorsport has suggested that Mercedes have a ‘more integrated management’ of the power unit, meaning their engine can better deliver the required energy between the ICE and electric battery.
It’s going to be pivotal to every driver to understand the best way to extract the maximum out of their power units in each race, with the management of the battery set to be crucial for attack and defence.
Ferrari’s engine may end up being lighter than their Mercedes counterpart, but if the four teams who are using the Silver Arrows’ power units can better manage how the engine works, then Hamilton and Charles Leclerc might already have their work cut out.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Mercedes F1 Team from team principal to lineage
Lewis Hamilton admits first 2026 Ferrari shakedown was ‘really enjoyable’
Reflecting on the test at Montmelo, Hamilton said: “It’s been a really enjoyable and productive week.
“A lot of work has been done over the winter, both personally and by the entire team, and it’s positive to see this commitment reflected in the mileage completed without any major setbacks.
“There’s still a lot to learn and a lot of work to do, but the atmosphere within the team is good, and I see everyone very focused.”
Ferrari know that the next few weeks are critical to understanding how the car’s performance on track lines up with the work being done in the wind tunnel and on the simulator.
Mercedes have ‘more advanced strategies’ than Ferrari in the engine department right now, but it won’t be long until they and the other manufacturers catch up.
Fred Vasseur’s team have less experienced partners in Haas and Cadillac when it comes to understanding the initial outings of their power unit, compared to Mercedes being able to call upon McLaren, Alpine and eventually Williams.
This shouldn’t take away from the fact that Ferrari’s initial outing was extremely positive, but they will know that they need to be the best if they want to win that first title since 2008.
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