Are McLaren back in the fight against Mercedes in Barcelona?

On the first day of practice at the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, McLaren showed competitive pace that suggested they may be challenging Mercedes for pace. F1.com's Lawrence Barretto analyzed Friday's track action, with Lando Norris setting the fastest lap during FP2. Red Bull's Max Verstappen also encountered issues on Friday, adding further intrigue to the competitive order heading into the weekend.