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Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be feeling particularly positive about his chances for the upcoming Formula 1 season after the opening shakedown of 2026 in Barcelona.
No team completed more laps than Mercedes, and by the end of the test, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell were already doing qualifying and race simulations.
Although Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of the week for Ferrari, teams won’t be taking too much notice of those laps just yet.
George Russell topped the lap count at the Barcelona Shakedown 🔥
But is mileage everything at this stage? 🤔
Reliability was the most important factor at the Circuit de Catalunya, especially for teams like Red Bull, Racing Bulls and Audi, who were all debuting power units from teams with far less experience than the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari.
Mercedes appear to have an advantage in the engine department, but Antonelli is taking nothing for granted yet.
He’s now explained why the Silver Arrows’ closest rivals left him surprised during the first week of running the new regulations.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Kimi Antonelli surprised by Red Bull and Ferrari reliability during Barcelona shakedown
Antonelli was asked by Gazzetta dello Sport if there was one team that really impressed him during the Barcelona shakedown.
He said: “Given the above, and knowing that what we’ve seen is still premature, I’d say Red Bull.
“I’m talking primarily about how they’ve worked with the new power unit, given that it’s their first engine, having become a manufacturer this year.
Lewis Hamilton led the way in Barcelona but the gaps were tight!
Who impressed you most in the shakedown? ⬇️
“In the first tests, they managed to cover a lot of miles, and Racing Bulls also ran consistently.
“We expected them to have more problems, but they did a fantastic job.
“Ferrari also performed well in testing; in terms of reliability, they completed a lot of miles.
“McLaren had a few more issues, but the car seems really well-made aerodynamically.”
READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
Kimi Antonelli explains how Mercedes are now feeling about the 2026 season after Barcelona shakedown
Mercedes officially launched their car on Monday ahead of the 2026 season, and Antonelli, Russell and team principal Toto Wolff were positive about their chances.
However, they’ll know that there’s no point getting carried away yet, with two more tests around the corner in Bahrain before the opening race in Melbourne.
Every team will be bringing tweaks and upgrades in that time, with the likes of Aston Martin and Williams still needing to spend a lot more time out on track.
Mercedes insiders have been impressed with Adrian Newey’s first Aston Martin, while even the likes of Alpine and Haas caught the eye in Barcelona due to the amount of ground they were able to cover.
Antonelli was asked if there’s already optimism within the Brackley-based team, and he continued: “It’s difficult to say where we stand compared to our rivals right now.
“During this type of testing, you don’t know the fuel loads or engine settings chosen by the others, so it’s really impossible to get a clear idea of what the field will be like at the start of the season.
“What I can say, however, is that the feeling I got from driving the new car is positive, and I can’t wait to get back on track in Bahrain.”
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