George Russell has publicly expressed his satisfaction with the performance of Mercedes during the opening day of the 2026 Formula 1 shakedown testing held at the Circuit de Barcelona. The team demonstrated a notable level of consistency, completing a combined total of 151 laps. Kimi Antonelli kicked off the morning session, successfully navigating approximately 56 laps before handing over to Russell, who continued the effort in the afternoon, completing around 95 laps.
Importantly, Mercedes reported no significant reliability issues throughout the testing period. Russell provided an enthusiastic overview of the new W17, remarking that it feels smaller, lighter, and more powerful compared to its predecessor. He noted that the energy deployment systems are intuitive, potentially setting the stage for thrilling racing moments on the track. Furthermore, he praised the positive aspects of the new regulations, highlighting that the cars appear “really cool” in action and reflecting on the substantial evolution of F1 since the tumultuous introduction of hybrid engines in 2014, which had previously resulted in widespread reliability breakdowns.
Russell also offered commendation for Red Bull’s inaugural run with their in-house power unit, developed in partnership with Ford/Red Bull Powertrains. Despite it being their first self-manufactured engine, Red Bull’s program performed admirably, as Isack Hadjar completed an impressive 107 laps in the Red Bull RB22, while Liam Lawson contributed an additional 88 laps in his Racing Bulls car. This pushed the total for Red Bull-powered vehicles well beyond the 100-lap mark, with only minor issues recorded. Russell expressed that he was “pretty impressed” with the reliability demonstrated by Red Bull, elaborating, “The Red Bull power unit has completed a lot of laps which, given that it’s the first engine they’ve manufactured, means they’ve clearly done a good job.”
He favorably contrasted this with the challenges faced in 2014, noting that the high standards of the sport have effectively prevented a recurrence of past reliability issues. Unofficial reports indicated that Hadjar achieved the fastest lap overall with a time of 1:18.159, while Russell followed closely in second with a time around 0.5 seconds slower at 1:18.696. It is worth noting that times were not a primary focus during this closed-door shakedown day, as teams prioritized system validation over outright performance.
In addition to praising Mercedes’ performance during the opening day of the 2026 Formula 1 shakedown testing at the Circuit de Barcelona, George Russell also commended other teams for their achievements. Notably, Haas led the mileage chart with an impressive 154 laps using a Ferrari engine, demonstrating solid reliability and performance. Russell acknowledged this effort, along with the contributions from Audi, reflecting a competitive spirit emerging among the teams.
While expressing optimism about Mercedes’ prospects in the new era of regulations, Russell was also measured in his approach. He emphasized the importance of waiting for the official Bahrain pre-season tests in February and the subsequent season-opening Australian Grand Prix in March to gain a clearer understanding of the competitive order. This cautious yet hopeful perspective underscores the complexities of Formula 1 and the need for further validation of team performances.
Overall, the opening day of shakedown testing set an encouraging tone for the 2026 regulations, with robust early mileage recorded across multiple new power units. This early indication of performance not only highlights the advancements made by various teams but also contributes to an exciting build-up to the upcoming Formula 1 season.
In summary, the opening day of shakedown testing showcased encouraging results for both Mercedes and Red Bull, setting a promising tone for the upcoming season.
