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The five‑day Barcelona shakedown offered the first comparative look at the 2026 Formula 1 power units, and the mileage figures emerging from the test provide an early snapshot of reliability across the grid.
Engine manufacturers accumulated vastly different totals, with Mercedes‑powered teams completing the most laps and Honda‑powered entries logging the least.
Mercedes sets the benchmark with 1135 LapsMercedes finished the week as the clear mileage leader, with its customer teams combining for 1135 laps. Across five days, this represents a strong early indicator of reliability for the revised 2026‑spec hybrid units. High mileage at this stage is particularly valuable given the extensive regulation changes affecting energy recovery, battery deployment, and combustion efficiency.
The total also reflects the depth of the Mercedes customer pool, with multiple teams contributing to the tally — a structural advantage when gathering early‑season data.
Ferrari follows with 997 LapsFerrari‑powered cars completed 997 laps, placing the Italian manufacturer second in the mileage table. The figure aligns with Ferrari’s own internal numbers from the shakedown, where the works team alone logged 440 laps with the SF‑26. The remaining mileage came from customer outfits, helping Ferrari build a broad dataset across different chassis and operating conditions.
The near‑1000‑lap total suggests a stable baseline for the new power unit, especially given the mix of wet and dry running during the week.
Red Bull Powertrains records 665 LapsRed Bull Powertrains, supplying both Red Bull Racing and RB, accumulated 665 laps. While lower than Mercedes and Ferrari, the figure still represents a meaningful volume of early‑season running.
The 2026 regulations place a heavier emphasis on electrical power, an area where Red Bull Powertrains and partner Ford have invested heavily. The mileage suggests a steady start, though not yet at the level of the two leading manufacturers.
Audi logs 243 laps in first public outingAudi, preparing for its full works entry in 2026, completed 243 laps during the shakedown. As a newcomer to the grid, the German manufacturer is still in the early stages of integrating its power unit with customer chassis. The mileage reflects a cautious but structured approach, prioritising system checks and reliability validation over outright volume.
Given the scale of Audi’s programme and the complexity of the 2026 regulations, the lap count is a reasonable starting point for a first public test.
Honda Trails the Field With 66 LapsHonda‑powered cars completed just 66 laps, the lowest total of any manufacturer. The figure is notably small compared to the rest of the field and suggests that Honda’s early‑stage programme remains limited in scope.
With the Japanese manufacturer set to supply Aston Martin exclusively from 2026, the low mileage may reflect a tightly controlled test plan rather than reliability concerns — though the lack of running inevitably reduces early data collection.
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