On the fourth day of Formula 1’s secretive 2026 shakedown test in Barcelona, Aston Martin finally made its first appearance on track with its new car, marking a long-awaited debut for the team. Meanwhile, Mercedes continued strong running and showed reliability, completing a solid amount of laps without major issues.
Other teams also made progress during the session, using the limited private testing opportunity to gather data and check important systems on their 2026 machines. The session helped teams better understand their cars under the new technical regulations before official pre-season testing begins.
Overall, the day was productive: Aston Martin finally hit the track, and Mercedes confirmed its car’s reliability, giving both teams useful mileage and data ahead of the upcoming season.