Taito Kato set the fastest time of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 post-season test in Barcelona, leading the second morning session for ART Grand Prix with a 1:27.902. TRIDENT’s Niccolò Maccagnani topped the afternoon times on the final day, bringing the year’s F3 track action to a close.
Testing began quietly on Monday, with Matteo De Palo setting the pace for MP Motorsport in the morning with a 1:28.516. Alessandro Giusti and Campos Racing’s Ernesto Rivera also featured near the top, while Rivera returned to lead the afternoon session with a 1:28.549, ahead of Enzo Deligny.
The pace increased on Tuesday morning as teams focused on qualifying simulations. Kato moved to the top with his 1:27.902, narrowly beating Rivera by just 0.012 seconds. The top seven had been covered by only 0.186s during the session, highlighting how closely matched the field was over a single lap. Two red flags interrupted the running, with Dion Gowda hitting the barriers at Turn 8 and Rodin Motorsport’s Reza Seewooruthun later going into the gravel at Turn 10.
The afternoon shifted back towards race simulations and longer runs, with TRIDENT’s Maccagnani setting the benchmark at 1:29.994. His team-mates Kean Nakamura-Berta and Sebastian Wheldon initially followed in second and third, although AIX Racing’s Gowda and James Egozi later moved into the top three. There were no further improvements at the front.
MP Motorsport’s Zhenrui Chi also brought out a red flag after stopping on track when his engine gave out, requiring the car to be recovered.
With the chequered flag falling on Tuesday afternoon, post-season testing in Barcelona came to an end. Kato leaves as the quickest driver across the two days, while teams now turn their attention towards preparations for the 2027 FIA Formula 3 season.
Images by Boeck Motorsport
