Barcelona F1 test day one
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It's finally here - day one of F1 testing 2019. Welcome to our live coverage, which we have opened especially early today because we are just as keen as you are.
We've seen every team in some form already - either with real cars, renders of their 2019 designs, or just new liveries. But there are a few unveils we're still on the lookout for to complete the set: We'll have the definitive 2019 Haas design on show in the pits in a little over 10 minutes, and in about half an hour the Alfa Romeo will be rolled out for the media - we've only seen that in a funky Valentine's Day livery so far. We've only had a 2019 livery launch from Racing Point so far, so we'll be on the lookout for this year's car appearing this morning as well. Another team that has only given us a livery reveal so far - Williams - is not scheduled to run today as its car is not quite ready.
What are the big stories on our minds heading into the start of testing today? Edd Straw and Scott Mitchell discussed the key topics they'd be looking out for before they set off for Spain over the weekend:
Another piece of the 2019 car-looks puzzle: Red Bull has revealed its utterly brand new colour scheme for this year. We preferred the shakedown livery...
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Red Bull explains why its car basically looks the same every year once we go racing: "In recent years, we've chosen to kick off the year with some memorable paint jobs – but we revert back to our well established racing colours pretty quickly. They are part of our identity and our heritage. Over the last 15 seasons, our livery has become an easily-recognised icon of the Formula 1 pitlane. Our blue colour scheme, complete with red highlights and distinctive yellow nose and airbox have been with us from the start, albeit occasionally revised to move with the times."
Haas showed us a 2019 front wing in the flesh when it kicked off launch season, but we'd only seen renders of its full car until now. The real thing is now on show in the Barcelona pits
While we wait for the Alfa Romeo to appear in the pits, check out what our technical editor Jake Boxall-Legge made of the early shots of the car we saw last week, including THAT front wing:
Alfa Romeo time...
We were hoping for a bit more of a change to be honest!
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Scott Mitchell informs us the Alfa Romeo is called the 'C38' - so it has retained the Sauber tradition of chassis names. Nice touch.
Another view of the Alfa, and proof that it has changed a little bit at least
Ferrari has just given the SF90 a quick fire up. We had a cracking view of it
Scott Mitchell
Just bumped into Esteban Ocon in the paddock. Big smile and a handshake - losing an F1 race seat hasn’t made him any less of a lovely lad. Important year for him as he bids to use his Mercedes reserve driver role to get back on the grid next season, but no scheduled driving for him this week.
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Here's how we're expecting the driver line-up to look this morning:
Bottas (Mercedes)
Vettel (Ferrari)
Verstappen (Red Bull)
Hulkenberg (Renault)
Grosjean (Haas)
Sainz (McLaren)
Perez (Racing Point)
Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo)
Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
We should see Bottas handing over to Hamilton and Ricciardo taking over the Renault this afternoon.
Bottas (Mercedes)
Vettel (Ferrari)
Verstappen (Red Bull)
Hulkenberg (Renault)
Grosjean (Haas)
Sainz (McLaren)
Perez (Racing Point)
Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo)
Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
We should see Bottas handing over to Hamilton and Ricciardo taking over the Renault this afternoon.
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A closer look at the new Alfa Romeo Racing #C38 👀💦... excited? 😍
#AlfaRomeoRacing
#GetCloser
#TheFutureRevealed
#SauberMotorsport #F1
#AlfaRomeoRacing
#GetCloser
#TheFutureRevealed
#SauberMotorsport #F1
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Bold statement as always from Mercedes - sending Bottas down to the end of the pits before the session even begins!
Green flag
Green light at the end of the pits - F1 testing 2019 begins!
Grosjean and Vettel join Bottas on track to kick things off.
Bottas charges past the pits - aero measuring kit attached in front of the sidepods - to start the first 'flying' lap of 2019 testing. No messing about from Mercedes, as we've become accustomed to on day one of pre-season in the last few years.
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Vettel also stays out, completing a much slower run past the pits, and hitting the brakes hard at the start/finish line. He didn't quite come to a stop, but it briefly looked like he was lining up for a practice start!
Stopwatch
Bottas posts the first time of testing - 1m28.515s on the 'C3' yellow compound of tyres.
Stopwatch
Bottas improves again to a 1m27.163s.
Red flag
We have our first red flag of testing!
A bit of overexcitement above the pits as we spot the Red Bull being pushed back to the garage, but Verstappen (or his Honda engine) wasn't the cause of this stoppage by the looks of it - he just happened to be making his way down the pitlane when the session was stopped. The timing screens suggest Raikkonen's Alfa is the offending car.
Crash
Raikkonen is in the gravel at Turn 5!
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Lap count prior to the red flag:
Bottas 4
Vettel 2
Grosjean 1
Hulkenberg 1
Raikkonen (4 corners)
Bottas 4
Vettel 2
Grosjean 1
Hulkenberg 1
Raikkonen (4 corners)
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This is what Raikkonen's Alfa looked like successfully leaving the pits not many minutes ago...
Green flag
The Alfa has joined Raikkonen back in the pits, so we are green again. Bottas, inevitably, heads straight back out.
Kvyat joins Bottas on track, as does Verstappen. Two Honda teams on track together for the first time since the Japanese manufacturer came back to F1!
It's taking all of our power not to declare that Bottas is on 'softs'. During testing the yellow-marked tyres are simply 'C3' - the middle compound in the range of five that are available.
Kvyat and Verstappen both return to the pits after an installation lap. Photographers excitedly pay attention to one more than the other.
Stopwatch
Another new fastest time from Bottas - 1m25.163s on the yellow C3 tyres.
Stopwatch
Bottas trims more time off his best with a 1m24.381s. Sainz is now on track in the McLaren, on the red C4 tyres.
Bottas already has eight laps to his name. No-one else has more than two.
By: Geoff Creighton
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