Although some media outlets claim that Lewis Hamilton was faster than Charles Leclerc in the tire test conducted by Pirelli in Barcelona, Leclerc actually had the best time of the day…
While the drivers tested the rain tires last week, it was now the turn of the 2026 slicks. As usual, Pirelli shared little useful information about the event, but the times were published. It was also noted that these should be treated with great caution, which is why the aforementioned hype is incomprehensible. Although Hamilton did indeed set the fastest time on the first day of testing, which included Scuderia Ferrari and McLaren, Charles Leclerc can be considered the winner – purely statistically – based on today's time results. After varying tactics, programs, and distances, Leclerc was the fastest at the end of the two days (1:14.971), followed by Oscar Piastri (1:15.815) and his teammate Lewis Hamilton (1:16.759).
In terms of distance covered, Piastri was the most diligent (152 laps), followed by the Ferrari duo, who each completed 74 laps. Pirelli has had a productive few days, as everyone completed at least one race leg of the Spanish Grand Prix today. The next races will take place on the 13th and 14th in Jerez, where Alpine, Mercedes, and McLaren will continue their work.
Photo: F1
