Barcelona F1 test day one
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Lots of middling times being pumped in now, presumably as the drivers have got complacent as they wait for lunch in just 15 minutes time.
Kvyat has circled for over 20 laps this morning now, meaning only Haas has done fewer than 20. A fuel pressure issue caused Grosjean to grind to a halt earlier, after 12 laps.
More improvements on the board, this time it's Bottas who takes third with a 1m20.127s. He's on the C2 tyre.
Stopwatch
And Vettel also improves again. It's by less than a tenth, but it's an improvement nonetheless. The time is a 1m18.161s. Can he break into the 1m17s today?
Hulkenberg improves again. A 1m20.980s elevates him above the Haas of Grosjean and into seventh.
Sainz joins the party on track. Already dancing are Vettel, Verstappen, Bottas, Hulkenberg and Kvyat.
Hulkenberg has improved. Using the C2 tyre, he sets a 1m21.578s, but doesn't move up from eighth.
Stopwatch
Vettel is a man possessed today, he improves his own benchmark to a 1m18.418s. There's only one other driver quicker than a 1m20s!
Bottas is back on track while, already on it, Vettel is fastest of anyone in the first sector so far.
Vettel and Hulkenberg join the on-track running.
Verstappen improves, that's a 1m20.174s. But thanks to recent improvements from Perez and Raikkonen, it keeps him fourth overall.
Kvyat also improves, but is still last, on a 1m21.732s.
Kvyat also improves, but is still last, on a 1m21.732s.
Information
Current order (also available in the timing box to the right of the feed)
1 Vettel 1m18.425s
2 Perez 1m19.944s
3 Raikkonen 1m20.160s
4 Verstappen 1m20.174s
5 Bottas 1m20.285s
6 Sainz 1m20.430s
7 Grosjean 1m21.500s
8 Hulkenberg 1m21.633s
9 Kvyat 1m21.732s
1 Vettel 1m18.425s
2 Perez 1m19.944s
3 Raikkonen 1m20.160s
4 Verstappen 1m20.174s
5 Bottas 1m20.285s
6 Sainz 1m20.430s
7 Grosjean 1m21.500s
8 Hulkenberg 1m21.633s
9 Kvyat 1m21.732s
Kvyat, after what seemed like a decent start for Toro Rosso with 12 early laps, hadn't been seen for ages and hadn't added to that tally since this morning.
Raikkonen pits leaving the two Honda-powered cars on track. Verstappen is on C2s and Kvyat is on C3s.
Raikkonen pits leaving the two Honda-powered cars on track. Verstappen is on C2s and Kvyat is on C3s.
Information
Lap count with half an hour to go before the lunchbreak:
Vettel - 57
Bottas - 51
Hulkenberg - 46
Sainz - 45
Verstappen - 37
Raikkonen - 36
Perez - 20
Kvyat - 14
Grosjean - 12
Vettel - 57
Bottas - 51
Hulkenberg - 46
Sainz - 45
Verstappen - 37
Raikkonen - 36
Perez - 20
Kvyat - 14
Grosjean - 12
Perez pits after his strong run, during which he took second fastest time from Raikkonen.
Out on track, we have Verstappen, Kvyat and Raikkonen.
Out on track, we have Verstappen, Kvyat and Raikkonen.
Verstappen and Kvyat are out in the Honda-powered Red Bull and Toro Rosso respectively. Frankly, both cars sound like tractors.
Raikkonen doesn't look able to take that second spot back, as he's on a consistent run of hovering just over 1m20s.
PEREZ. The Racing dot driver takes second in the order from Raikkonen, with a 1m19.944s. That makes him the only person other than Vettel to dip under 1m20s.
Bottas has returned to the pits, while there's no sign of improvements on track.
Perez, Bottas and Raikkonen on track now. Perez is on C3s now, and improves slightly to a 1m20.406s. Tidy.
Verstappen's car has been rolled into its pitbox, he's had some cool air blown at him and now he's ready to fight the track and take second back from Raikkonen. Or is he?
Sainz pits to end his short stint.
Drivers are pushing on this morning even at this exploratory stage - here's a recent lock-up by Hulkenberg
No improvement on Raikkonen's second lap, although he's only two tenths off. No improvement for Bottas or Sainz last time around either.
Perez joins the fray in the Racing dot.
Immediate improvements on track as Raikkonen laps a 1m20.160s to establish second over Verstappen.
Vettel went out for an installation lap, returned, and then went back out.
Vettel went out for an installation lap, returned, and then went back out.
Here's the tyre choices for the four cars on track:
Vettel - C3
Raikkonen - C2
Sainz - C2
Bottas - C2
Vettel - C3
Raikkonen - C2
Sainz - C2
Bottas - C2
Unusually enormous sensor klaxon - Ferrari gathers data from... high up
Vettel is the only driver to pump in a time under a 1m20s, and on his last run of laps he did five tours under that time. Impressive stuff from Ferrari so far.
Vettel pits and then heads straight back out. Sainz has done the same, while Raikkonen heads back out too.
Bottas has got bored of Sainz and Vettel having all the fun, and aims his Mercedes towards the track for another stint.
Sainz has improved again, to a 1m20.430s, as Hulkenberg pits for real this time.
Hulkenberg is back into the pits, but in another attempt to trick Autosport as many of the teams have done today, he heads back out. Only Sainz and Vettel on track now.
Sainz improves to a 1m20.430s, which has him fourth overall. He's on C2s.
Despite a purple first sector, Vettel can't improve that time around.
Despite a purple first sector, Vettel can't improve that time around.
Bottas pits his Mercedes, while Vettel's splits look lively.
Good time for a picture of the new Mercedes looking purposeful on a kerb
Sainz is back on track, as is Vettel. Sainz has just gone fastest in terms of straightline speed on the start/finish straight. We're anticipating some quick times here.
In answer to an early criticism of Red Bull for its lack of running in relation to fellow Honda runner Toro Rosso...
Now, we'll redirect that, as while Red Bull has pummelled in 35 laps, Toro Rosso has been absent and stuck on 12. Haas – which had an earlier problem and stopped on track – and the late-starting Racing dot of Sergio Perez are also on 12.
Just Hulkenberg and Bottas are out on track.
Now, we'll redirect that, as while Red Bull has pummelled in 35 laps, Toro Rosso has been absent and stuck on 12. Haas – which had an earlier problem and stopped on track – and the late-starting Racing dot of Sergio Perez are also on 12.
Just Hulkenberg and Bottas are out on track.
Bottas, Verstappen and Hulkenberg are the drivers entertaining us out on track at the moment. Bottas is likely to become the second driver to break the 40-lap mark after Vettel, who is sat in the pits on 46.
Verstappen has joined us in the pits. Nice stint for him, after the Red Bull's metaphorical lie-in, they're up to a mid-table 35 now.
Verstappen has joined us in the pits. Nice stint for him, after the Red Bull's metaphorical lie-in, they're up to a mid-table 35 now.
Information
And a summary of the times - which you can also keep track of in the info box to the right of the feed:
1 Vettel 1m18.425s
2 Verstappen 1m20.174s
3 Bottas 1m20.285s
4 Perez 1m20.652s
5 Raikkonen 1m20.945s
6 Sainz 1m21.230s
7 Grosjean 1m21.500s
8 Hulkenberg 1m21.633s
9 Kvyat 1m22.985s
1 Vettel 1m18.425s
2 Verstappen 1m20.174s
3 Bottas 1m20.285s
4 Perez 1m20.652s
5 Raikkonen 1m20.945s
6 Sainz 1m21.230s
7 Grosjean 1m21.500s
8 Hulkenberg 1m21.633s
9 Kvyat 1m22.985s
By: Geoff Creighton
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