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Formula 1

Barcelona F1 test day four

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Red-marked C4 tyres for Bottas. Mercedes wouldn't... would it?
Bottas and Magnussen are first out, and queue at the end of the pits to perform practice starts.
Green flag
Green flag.
The Renault mechanics are ready with the screens in the pits to avoid any close-up photography.
Hulkenberg's car has been loaded onto the back of the pickup. We should be back green with five-10 minutes.
Information
While we're under a red flag, we've added up the laps completed by teams, rather than by driver:

Alfa Romeo - 136
Red Bull - 131
Ferrari - 131
Haas - 117
McLaren - 116
Toro Rosso - 112
Mercedes - 92
Racing Point - 72
Williams - 60
Renault - 58
Hulkenberg took his helmet off, headed to a service car and is now back in the pits.

Hulkenberg took his helmet off, headed to a service car and is now back in the pits.

Information
Under the red flag, your lap totals are:

Giovinazzi - 136
Leclerc - 131
Gasly - 131
Norris - 116
Albon - 112
Stroll - 72
Grosjean - 64
Hamilton - 58
Magnussen - 53
Kubica - 48
Ricciardo - 34
Bottas - 34
Hulkenberg - 24
Russell - 12
Hulkenberg is out of the car and inspecting it carefully. The medical crews and circuit vehicles were quick to join him.
The Renault driver was on an out lap, but has pulled up on the old circuit, outside where the final chicane currently is.
Red flag
Hulkenberg has stopped on track.
Here's the man on top of the times (Motorsport Images)

Here's the man on top of the times (Motorsport Images)

Gasly, Magnussen, Giovinazzi are all out and on the C3 tyre. Hulkenberg also takes the C3, which means he shouldn't trouble his best time, which was set on the C5
Testing topper Nico Hulkenberg has headed out for Renault.
Albon has pitted his Toro Rosso.
Information
If you combine the best sector times from today, the lap would be a 1m17.104s. It's very likely we'll be into the 1m16s at next week's test.

Best sectors in order:
Albon 21.839ss
Ricciardo 28.759s
Hulkenberg 26.506s
Information
All four cars on track are undertaking long runs.


C2: Gasly
C3: Magnussen, Giovinazzi, Albon
Russell is on the C4 tyre, and his car appears to have sprouted wings with huge sensors behind the front wheels. It looks more like a farm gate than a Formula 1 car at the moment.

Russell returns to the pits.
Russell is out on track for Williams.
Bottas is doing a slightly longer run on this set of C4s, as he's someway off the pace that car is capable of on those tyres.
Stopwatch
Hulkenberg posts a 1m17.393s to take the fastest time in the session. Albon's first sector is faster and Ricciardo's middle is also faster, but Hulk's lap combined to beat them.
Tyre choice on track:

C1: Norris
C2: Gasly
C3: Leclerc, Albon, Magnussen
C4: Bottas
C5: Hulkenberg
Magnussen and Hulkenberg have both ventured out on track. There's less than one hour, 30 minutes to go now so the remainder of the running in this session is not enough to complete a full race run.
Information
Some fans may have noticed that certain drivers have green lights flashing on their cars rather than the traditional red. There has been a misconception that it is for rookie drivers. Actually, it's for drivers who have yet to complete a certain amount of mileage.

Article 10.8c: (During testing) cars being driven by drivers who do not possess a Super Licence must be fitted with a green rear light which must be illuminated at all times the car is on the track.
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Tyre choices on track:

C1: Norris
C2: Gasly
C3: Leclerc, Albon
Giovinazzi pits the Alfa Romeo. It's been a strong day for the squad, with productive and quick long runs and the second most laps completed, 123.
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Leclerc continues to rack up those miles, but it's Giovinazzi ahead.

We're into the last 90 minutes of this week's testing.

Lap count is now:
Giovinazzi - 122
Leclerc - 121
Gasly - 110
Norris - 109
Albon - 97
Stroll - 72
Grosjean - 64
Hamilton - 58
Kubica - 48
Magnussen - 38
Ricciardo - 34
Bottas - 26
Hulkenberg - 19
Russell - 11
Hulkenberg's first flying lap on the C4s is a 1m18.248s, which puts him sixth. His team-mate Ricciardo set a 1m17.785s this morning and the fastest middle sector, but that was on the softer, C5 tyre.
Hulkenberg's tyres of choice are the C4s. Can he challenge near the top of the order with these?
Information
Tyre choice on track:

C1: Norris
C2: Gasly
C3: Giovinazzi, Leclerc
It's always dangerous when Autosport Live attempts maths, but we're confident in our own ability.

A bit of arithmetic shows that the best lap today, combining the best sectors of Albon, Ricciardo and Bottas, is a 1m17.276s.

We're four tenths off that at the minute. Can anyone beat Albon?
Albon has entered the circuit.
For the first time today, Gasly has ditched his much-loved C3 tyres for the harder C2s.
Gary Anderson
The Williams looks quite tidy through Campsa. It’s doing what the driver wants, it turns in and sticks in the corner. Russell isn’t able to be too aggressive but it’s able to ride the inside kerb quite well. It’s early days for them and will take time to build up confidence but at least they are building for next week in a car they can prove is working properly after the rush to get it here. And, it hasn’t stopped on track yet.
Gasly is out in the Red Bull.
Hulkenberg is on the move. He posts a 1m18.397 on the yellow C3 tyres, taking sixth.

By: Geoff Creighton

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