LIVE COVERAGE: Follow the action from Day 2 of pre-season testing in Barcelona

OVERVIEW

• Day 2 of pre-season testing in Barcelona as 2026 campaign gets underway
• Freddie Slater was fastest for TRIDENT on Day 1 ahead of Kanato Le and Ugo Ugochukwu
• Teams have three hours of running in the morning, a two-hour lunch break and three hours in the afternoon
• Follow the live timing here

TAPONEN BACK ON TOP

Stromsted briefly goes fastest on a 1:27.416, but Taponen's strong form continues as he goes just 0.014s quicker to return to the top.

NAEL UP TO P2

Théophile Nael has gone to P2, 0.083s off Xie's leading time. Nael's Campos teammate Ugochukwu had looked set to be quicker but last time in the final two sectors and stays in P10.

MORE QUALI LAPS

If you thought Qualifying simulations were done, you would be wrong. More cars on track on new tyres, readying up for some fast laps.

XIE GOES TO P1

A few teams have sent their drivers back out on new tyres and we have a few new names at the top of the timing screens.

Gerrard Xie has gone quickest for DAMS Lucas Oil on a 1:27.792, beating Brad Benavides to P1 by 0.111s.

WHY QUALIFYING SIMULATIONS ARE IMPORTANT

One of the things that drivers often talk about with Formula 3 is Qualifying, as they usually get one push lap to make it count, which is different to what they have faced before.

So during testing, not only will they be working on their pace, but they will be learning about tyre warmup and also about navigating traffic, especially with 30 cars on the track.

HITECH MAKE THEIR MOVE

Hitech left it later than their rivals to go on the new tyres and they have made it count with Jin Nakamura and Tim Tramnitz going to P3 and P4 respectively.

Fionn McLaughlin completes his lap to go to P13.

WIND CAUSING HAVOC

The track conditions are great for Qualifying runs right now, but the wind has been quite heavy all morning, and a few drivers have been caught out in the final corner, with some even going through the gravel.

TAPONEN TAKEOVER

Well that was very impressive from Tuukka Taponen, who goes quickest with a 1:28.064. That puts the MP Motorsport driver in P1, with a 0.278s advantage over Ugo Ugochukwu.

QUIET ON TRACK

All 30 cars are back in the pitlane. The teams will be making some setup changes and strapping on some new tyres ahead of the next set of laps.

TRIDENT HIT THE FRONT

TRIDENT are the first to put on a new set of tyres and Noah Stromsted has used that to go quickest with a 1:28.447.

Matteo De Palo is second, just over a second behind, while Freddie Slater is third having ran wide at the final corner. All three are back in the pitlane with the rest of the field.

SHARP ON TOP

PREMA showed good pace last night, Louis Sharp in particular was fourth fastest, and this time he has gone quickest of all with a 1:30.084, nearly two-tenths ahead of Taito Kato, with Ugo Ugochukwu in third.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Well to start the day, the teams have put on a used set of tyres. But there are those who plan to go for some Qualifying runs on new tyres later, with some teams possibly planning to throw two new sets on. Stay tuned for all the action!

GREEN LIGHT

Day 2 is underway!

RECAP OF DAY 1

Freddie Slater led the way on Day 1, leaving it late in the afternoon before topping the times with a 1:28.411. You can get his view on how things went here.

WELCOME TO DAY 2

Good morning from a cool yet windy Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where we are set to get the second day of pre-season testing up and running.