Kato leads the pack on final day of Barcelona Post-Season Testing

Taito Kato set the fastest time of the Barcelona Post-Season test, leading the morning session for ART Grand Prix on a 1:27.902. In the afternoon, Niccolò Maccagnani topped the times for TRIDENT with a 1:29.994

MORNING

It was a busy start to the morning with everyone getting out on circuit early on and Kato made a fast start to lead in the opening 10 minutes.

Rodin Motorsport’s Alessandro Giusti then took over with a 1:29.511 before the first Red Flag of the day arrived. Dion Gowda found the barrier at Turn 8 to bring a brief stoppage to proceedings.

Back to green and the times were falling fast, with Ernesto Rivera leading the field after setting a 1:28.186 for Campos Racing.

The top seven could hardly be separated as Qualifying simulations continued. They were covered by just 0.186s before drivers bolted on a fresh set of tyres for more fast laps.

Kato then took over at the top as the halfway stage approached, logging the fastest time of the test up to that point on a 1:27.902. Rivera filtered into P2, just 0.012s back from the Japanese driver.

Longer running then became the focus for the remainder of the session, but there was one more Red Flag as Reza Seewooruthun ran into the gravel at Turn 10.

With the session back to green flag running, there were no further improvements in the top spots as the chequered flag brought the morning to a close.

AFTERNOON

TRIDENT and MP Motorsport were out as the afternoon session commenced, with Niccolò Maccagnani setting the early benchmark with a 1:29.994.

There was an early Red Flag after Zhenrui Chi stopped on track for MP, requiring his car to be recovered.

Back to green flag conditions and race simulations were very much the focus, with longer running taking precedence over single lap pace.

TRIDENT led the pack 1-2-3 with Kean Nakamura-Berta taking P2 ahead of Sebastian Wheldon, the pair separated by 0.017s, but 1.2s off Maccagnani’s earlier effort.

Into the final half an hour of running and Dion Gowda moved AIX Racing up the order as he went second, 0.8s away from the fastest time.

AIX teammate James Egozi jumped up to third before the chequered flag, but there were no further changes to the top five.

Post-season testing in Barcelona is over and with it, the 2026 F3 action comes to an end this year.

BARCELONA POST-SEASON TEST, DAY 2, MORNING SESSION

BARCELONA POST-SEASON TEST, DAY 2, AFTERNOON SESSION