Taito Kato pleased after finishing Barcelona test fastest of all

Taito Kato topped the times across both days of Formula 3 post-season testing in Barcelona, ending the 2026 campaign with the quickest lap for ART Grand Prix. His 1:27.902 came in the second morning session and was faster than the best mark at the previous Barcelona test and this year’s race-weekend pole time.

The result capped a productive test for Kato and ART, with the Japanese driver reporting progress after the team identified an issue with the car. He said the team found pace over one lap and, in particular, on longer runs.

ART’s work unlocked stronger long-run pace

Kato described the team’s performance as improved after it addressed the car issue, saying he was regularly in contention around the top five and top three when on track. The long-run performance stood out most to him as the clearest gain from the weekend.

The test result adds another strong note to a season that included a victory in Kato’s rookie F3 campaign. He had already made headlines with his maiden FIA Formula 3 win at Monza, and his Barcelona pace carries that form into the end-of-season running.

Cooler conditions helped Kato complete his fastest lap

Kato acknowledged that the track was cooler than during the Barcelona race weekend earlier in the year, helping to limit rear-tyre overheating, particularly in the final sector. He said he was able to put all three sectors together, while stressing that the times were closely grouped: a loss of only a few hundredths could have cost several places.

The margin underlined how tightly packed the field was, even as Kato finished the test at its head. F1LivePulse has also followed his pace through the final day of Barcelona testing, where he ended the event fastest overall.

Kato closes the campaign with ART on a high

Kato said he enjoyed returning to the Formula 3 car and spending time with the team. After a successful campaign together, he described his connection with ART as close, and said he was happy to get back in the car and focus on driving.

The Barcelona test therefore gave Kato a final opportunity to build on the season’s progress, while ART left with encouraging pace over both a single lap and longer runs.