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The testing failure Ferrari didn't need

An engine failure for Sebastian Vettel that robbed Ferrari of hours of running on day three of testing was a setback the team could really have done without - especially given the long-run averages don't match up favourably in comparison to Mercedes

At 10.34am on Friday, the final day of the first 2020 pre-season Formula 1 test, the engine in Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari cried enough. As Vettel was running from Barcelona's high-speed Campsa right-hander and down to the hairpin of Turn 10, the tune from the SF1000's power unit changed for the worst.

He tried to crawl back to the pits, but had to abandon that plan on the uphill climb towards Turn 11 and pulled over, bringing out the red flags for only the second time in testing at that stage. The four-time world champion climbed from the car, then crouched and inspected the situation at the rear, which Ferrari soon clarified was an engine failure - the spent power unit soon to be sent back to Maranello for a full analysis to be carried out.

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