Ferrari and McLaren on track for Pirelli 2026 F1 tests: first day recap

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There was plenty of activity on track yesterday for the two rival teams. Ferrari and McLaren completed the first day of Pirelli testing in Barcelona, so let's take a look at the work carried out by the teams and what to expect for the second day.

While McLaren had previously tested wet tires at Paul Ricard, this session in Barcelona is focused on developing dry tires. For these two days in Barcelona, Pirelli has selected the hardest available compounds, in line with the demands of the Spanish circuit.

Ferrari's day
Three drivers took to the track on this first test day: Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris. In the morning, Lewis Hamilton was at the wheel of the SF-24, while Charles Leclerc initially drove the SF-23. This was to make up for the work delayed in Barcelona due to Lewis Hamilton's earlier crash.

In the afternoon, the two swapped cars, with Charles taking over a modified SF-24 compared to the one seen in Abu Dhabi, while Lewis moved to the SF-23. Ferrari completed a total of 173 laps, with Hamilton covering 87 and Leclerc 86.

For the second day of testing, the SF-23 will no longer be on track: Leclerc will drive the SF-24 in the morning, while Hamilton will take over in the afternoon session.

Lando Norris on his own
The fastest driver on track, as well as the one who completed the most laps, was Lando Norris. The Brit had the MCL60, McLaren's 2023 car, available for the entire day, as Oscar Piastri is set to take the wheel on Wednesday.

Lando Norris completed a total of 159 laps, setting the fastest time at 1:15.215, compared to Lewis Hamilton's 1:15.930 and Charles Leclerc's 1:16.060.

Source: f1ingenerale

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