Ferrari: how much is the best time in tests worth?

Ferrari concluded the Barcelona tests ahead of everyone, with Lewis Hamilton a tenth faster than George Russell’s Mercedes and 246 thousandths quicker than Norris’s McLaren. Even more than chronometric results, however, what matters is the level of preparation, an area in which the Brackley and Maranello teams stand as points of reference. Both teams also recorded positive comments from the drivers, influenced however by the generally better handling of the new machines compared to their ground effect progenitors. The value of the best time In racing they say that the only verdict that counts is that of the stopwatch, but with regards to the recent tests in Barcelona, ​​exactly the opposite is true. There were simply too many variables at play, such as the freezing temperatures of the asphalt or the often alternating days in which, for example, Ferrari and Mercedes ran. Furthermore, work programs are ignored, without knowing how much everyone has really pushed or tried to hide their potential. One could argue that the same discussions were also made at the 2025 Bahrain tests, when the most convincing team actually took home both world titles. However, last season we were at the end of a regulatory cycle, while this year we are at the dawn of what is defined as the greatest technical revolution ever. The learning and performance growth curve will be exponential, increasing the likelihood of seeing an evolution of hierarchies between now and Melbourne and in the months following. Photo: Ferrari Finally, never more than with the new highly electrified single-seaters, absolute time does not tell the whole story. In a championship in which energy management will be among the most important aspects, sustainable long-distance performance will count more than speed over the flying lap. However, despite having the feedback on the race pace collected in Barcelona, ​​the teams prefer to wait for Bahrain to sketch out the first hierarchies. In the Middle East, moreover, bio and/or synthetic petrols will finally make their debut, after in Spain it was decided to use traditional ones to allow further bench testing of the new fuels before their approval. The most important signals So the most important data in this phase is the accumulated mileage. It’s not just a question of reliability, but of collecting data on still immature cars, understanding how to make them work on the track to extract maximum potential and planning aerodynamic updates. It is no coincidence, moreover, that the best times belong to the teams that have lapped the most, developing a better level of preparation. Mercedes stands out with 60 laps more than Ferrari, both ahead of the competition in this special ranking. A round of applause therefore goes to the Brackley and Maranello teams for arriving more prepared than the others and ready to run continuously. The credit goes not only to the solidity of the power units, but to the planning and completion of the assembly on time, without any hitches in the crash tests, as well as the excellent work done on the dynamic benches to simulate the mechanical stresses on the car and find any fragility in time. Not everyone can say the same. Without going to inconvenience Williams, the only one absent in Barcelona, ​​the impression is that McLaren arrived a bit in a hurry, in fact running into some technical problems. “Following our work on the dynamometers in Austria, the first two days in Barcelona served to prepare the car and some small problems limited the timing in the initial days.” The words come from Neil Houldey, Technical Director-Engineering of the world champion team. According to Andrea Stella, McLaren was very daring with the timing to take as many development days as possible, with the impression, however, of having arrived slightly behind schedule. The espionage begins Even more breathless was Aston Martin’s debut, which took place no earlier than Thursday afternoon, a sign of how being ready was not at all a given. To reach Barcelona in time, the English team even had to resort to air transport, which costs significantly more than road transport. It will be one of the themes of the season, in which the bottleneck for developments will be the budget cap. Planning will therefore be important, having to choose not only when, but also where to introduce the updates, keeping in mind that sending them by air would cost more. Adrian Newey’s first Aston Martin still impressed with its lines and suspension, particularly the front one, which was even more extreme than the McLaren, which had already stunned the day before. Red Bull seemed strangely more conservative in this respect, although it boasts a different bodywork. What is striking about the Milton Keynes team, however, is the mileage accumulated with the new home-made power unit, a success that is absolutely not to be disdained. The debut of the Audi engine was more intermittent, normal, in any case, for a first-time engineer. The real engine everyone is talking about, however, is the Mercedes one, waiting to understand what the FIA ​​will decide regarding the increase in the compression ratio. And Ferrari? The SF-26 has also earned the attention of rivals, in particular for an already well-kept surface despite it being a temporary aerodynamic guise, destined to receive updates in the coming weeks. Positive comments Finally there are the pilots’ comments, which often provide clues to the quality of the individual projects. Even in this, however, it is difficult to have a clear idea, given that the impressions are generally positive. The new cars are radically different to drive compared to the previous ones, especially in terms of engine management, so much so that Ocon said that we will have to forget everything we have learned in our career since karting. On the other hand, the cornering behavior appears decidedly more pleasant compared to the ground effect Formula 1 cars, which were very difficult to balance in the transition from high to low speeds. Furthermore, old cars had a very narrow aerodynamic window, making them terribly unpredictable. The 2026 single-seaters, however, can run higher and softer, offering greater leverage with the set-up to accommodate driver preferences. Overall, it is too early to say how much the satisfaction of Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell and Antonelli is influenced by the new generation of cars and how much it is instead the reflection of two well-balanced projects. Undoubtedly, however, Ferrari and Mercedes had the merit of arriving ready for the Barcelona event, gaining experience in view of a season where the winner will be those who understand quicker than the others.