The Barcelona shakedown entered an exciting phase on March 1, 2024, as McLaren debuted its new MCL40 car. Lando Norris took to the track, proudly displaying the number ‘1’ for the first time in his Formula 1 career. This event marked a significant moment for both Norris and the McLaren team as they launched their new contender for the upcoming season.
On the same day, Audi faced challenges when Nico Hulkenberg’s car stopped on the track, leading to a red flag. This incident came after a difficult opening day for Audi, which had already been hampered by a technical issue affecting Gabriel Bortoleto. As the morning session progressed, it became clear that McLaren was focused on short stints, while other teams aimed to gather more data.
The morning of Day 3 saw a shift in momentum following a rainy Day 2, which had limited action to just Red Bull and Ferrari. George Russell of Mercedes began logging laps in his W17, while Audi attempted to conduct performance validation with their aero rakes. This testing phase was crucial for teams as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Midway through the session, reports emerged of Franco Colapinto from Alpine setting a competitive lap time of 1:21.897. Both Mercedes and Alpine were reportedly prioritizing long runs, aiming to gather crucial data ahead of the season opener. By the end of the morning, Colapinto improved the benchmark to 1:19.150, showcasing the potential of the Alpine car.
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly Norris’s debut with the MCL40. As the reigning World Champion, he completed laps under clear skies, marking a fresh chapter for McLaren. Unofficial sources indicated that the team was still fine-tuning their new engine, which is expected to deliver strong performance in the upcoming F1 2026 season.
As the session drew to a close, it became apparent that McLaren was concentrating on optimizing their setup, while Russell continued to lead the lap count with over 70 completed. In contrast, Audi and Hulkenberg struggled to accumulate significant track time, managing only five laps before the morning ended.
The developments on March 1 highlighted the competitive environment of Formula 1, with teams racing against the clock to prepare their cars for the season ahead. As fans and teams eagerly anticipate the next stage of testing, the performance of McLaren and the challenges faced by Audi will be closely watched in the coming days.
