Barcelona F1 test day one
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We have a Mercedes on something other than mediums - Hamilton is out there trying to get heat into a set of softs.
Edd Straw reports from Turn 1 that Grosjean has had a "half spin".
A pass-through the pits for Alonso, who is joined on track by Grosjean and Sirotkin. We're still waiting on Sirotkin's first timed lap of the afternoon since taking over from Stroll, but he has managed 12 laps since lunch.
Our inexact science of noting that bald people in the pits are not covering their heads - so it can't be raining - is interrupted by Alonso going back out in the McLaren for only his 31st lap of the day. Old friend Honda has 90 laps in the books with Toro Rosso.
Grosjean was one of a number of drivers to test the limits during that most recent flurry of activity, which included this moment in the Haas (LAT Images)
All the cars that were on track have come in, prompting suspicious looks out of the window to see if that's weather-related. Seems more likely right now that it was coincidence, but we'll keep making shifty glances towards the pit lane and into the grandstand opposite to look for people diving for cover from the elements.
Edd Straw
The Ferrari is again looking honest and true this year. Raikkonen is able to turn in confidently at Turn 1 and not have some of the problems others are having. Might suggest the car again works its tyres sensibly and consistently once up to temperature.
Big lock up from Sainz at Turn 1, as he runs wide into the runoff and over the speed bumps.
Big lock up from Sainz at Turn 1, as he runs wide into the runoff and over the speed bumps.
Apologies to Raikkonen for suggesting he wasn't up to much. He's just put in a 1m20.5s that is only fractions adrift of his best time so far today. He's awake out there.
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Here's a lap count update in current times order:
Ricciardo 80;
Bottas 58;
Raikkonen 72;
Hulkenberg 73;
Alonso 30;
Hamilton 18;
Hartley 89;
Stroll 46;
Grosjean 52;
Sainz 15;
Ericsson 56;
Mazepin 22;
Sirotkin 12
Ricciardo 80;
Bottas 58;
Raikkonen 72;
Hulkenberg 73;
Alonso 30;
Hamilton 18;
Hartley 89;
Stroll 46;
Grosjean 52;
Sainz 15;
Ericsson 56;
Mazepin 22;
Sirotkin 12
Ricciardo has rejoined the action, while Raikkonen is in the middle of a long run on softs, which is why we haven't mentioned him doing anything of note.
Sainz's next lap is 0.018s short of his best from the previous time around.
Sainz and Ericsson improve their best times in 10th and 11th. 16 laps for the Renault driver, 56 for the Sauber.
And Hamilton jumps up to sixth with a 1m22.327s.
Sainz moves ahead of Ericsson with a 1m23.777s.
Sainz and Hamilton also post improvements. They are 11th and ninth in the order.
Ericsson uses soft tyres to improve his best time to a 1m24.256s.
Marcus Ericsson in action for Sauber (LAT Images)
Alonso and Sainz get Spanish hopes up by both setting personal bests through sectors one and two, but neither improves at the line. Hearts broken everywhere at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Sainz continues to get to work in the Renault, and he's closed up on the field ahead of him with a 1m25.701s.
1m26.435s for Sainz, while Sirotkin again pits before setting a time as Williams goes through the early part of its programme following the lunchtime driver change.
Sainz finds another couple of tenths in what is presumably a heavy Renault at the moment, while Alonso teases us with a personal best first sector but doesn't improve in the end.
Edd Straw
It's starting to spot with rain again.
Sainz is back out and improves to a 1m27.922s. Only 7.7s off the pace now.
Track temperature has plummeted from above 20 degrees celsius during the lunch break, to just 11.7 now. The rain is still holding off for the moment, so the teams choosing to run are getting some meaningful running, even if it's in temperatures they are unlikely to encounter very often this year.
Information
Lap count, in current times order:
Ricciardo 80; Bottas 58; Raikkonen 67; Hulkenberg 73; Alonso 22; Hartley 89; Stroll 46; Grosjean 49; Hamilton 10; Ericsson 48; Mazepin 22; Sainz 6; Sirotkin 8
Ricciardo 80; Bottas 58; Raikkonen 67; Hulkenberg 73; Alonso 22; Hartley 89; Stroll 46; Grosjean 49; Hamilton 10; Ericsson 48; Mazepin 22; Sainz 6; Sirotkin 8
Grosjean improves again to produce a 1m22.578s in the Haas.
Edd Straw
The drivers are struggling to get the tyres up to temperature in these cold conditions. It’s taking a good few laps before they can lean on it and plenty of drivers are having moments into Turn 1 and running wide or picking up wheel spin. The fresh track surface probably isn’t helping.
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Grosjean improves with a 1m23.031s.
Raikkonen, Hartley, Grosjean and Ericsson are providing the excitement at the moment. As we say that, Hartley brings the Honda-powered Toro Rosso into the pits with 89 laps to its name already.
Still looking pretty, pretty, pretty grey overhead at Barcelona (LAT Images)
Sainz pits with six laps to his name, all stunning 1m30-somethings.
Autosport
A little bit more talk coming out of the Honda camp this afternoon. The engine manufacturer says it will prioritise getting its reliability in order for the start of the season before it starts chasing performance upgrades: 
Sainz keeps the tiny improvements coming, now to a 1m32.550s. What does this mean? Absolutely nothing.
Raikkonen takes the Ferrari out for its first action after lunch.
Sainz improves to a 1m33.741s, just 13.5 seconds off the pace set by Ricciardo before lunch.
Gary Anderson
Dicey moment for Grosjean as he came up behind Sirotkin into Turn 1 - both went deep and ended up squirming around very wide at the exit and almost tripping over each other. Looked like a slight misunderstanding.
More in-and-out of the pits running for Sirotkin at the moment, so he remains without a time to his name.
Sainz gets on the board with a 1m36.521s.
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By: Geoff Creighton
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