Barcelona second F1 test day two
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That 1m19.3s from Bottas is four tenths quicker than he managed last week, and on a step-higher compound of tyre too – his benchmark in the opening test came on the ultra-softs.
'Hello, gauntlet? This is Mercedes. You've been thrown down.'
Stopwatch
That's very, very fast from Bottas – the quickest time in testing so far. A 1m19.310s, on super-soft tyres.
Bottas is flying though – set to go quickest again.
Stopwatch
Massa also improves – in more impressive fashion. He goes quickest on a 1m20.244s.
Grosjean improves to a 1m23.973s.
Perez found, and overstepped, the limit a little earlier. Pic: LAT
Hulkenberg's also in the pits. That leaves Bottas, Sainz and the returning (after some time in the pits) Massa, Grosjean and Wehrlein.
Alonso bring that run to an end – encouragement for McLaren-Honda.
Another time in the mid-1m23s from Alonso. He's also surpassed Sainz and Raikkonen now in terms of laps completed this morning.
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Alonso backs off, then posts another time in the 1m23s. This is a little better from McLaren.
Grosjean and Wehrlein share a bit of track on a Wednesday morning. Pic: LAT
Sainz has improved in the Toro Rosso, stopping the clocks at 1m22.139s.
We have a meaningful time on the board for McLaren, Alonso posts a 1m23.210s.
Bottas is back in. He's stuck on 41 laps for now. But after a 20-minute wait, we have seen Alonso again the McLaren-Honda.
Out goes Bottas again. He's made us look like a fool – like a fool! At this rate Bottas will be the first driver to hit a half-century for the morning.
No more Verstappen, no more Hulkenberg, no more Bottas on track. Just Perez, who has headed back out in the Force India.
Hulkenberg jumps to second! The Renault uses super-soft tyres to post a 1m21.213s.
Bottas is on mediums, and chugging along in the 1m21s.
Verstappen goes a tenth quicker on his latest run on soft tyres, and the benchmark is now a 1m20.432s.
And Hulkenberg makes it three cars. The air and track temperature have risen a few degrees so track conditions might persuade teams to knuckle down and get some proper running in now.
Only half a tenth off his best that time round from Bottas. Good consistency. Verstappen's out on track in the Red Bull now as well.
Bottas back out in the Mercedes and immediately laps within a tenth of his best time so far.
In comes the Mexican now, leaving Massa with the track to himself. The Brazilian is leading the mileage count for today, with 39 laps down.
Perez has the Force India back today, after Ocon started the second test. Pic: LAT
Perez improves again, to a 1m23.746s.
Just Perez and Massa on track during this quiet mid-morning spell.
Perez improves to a 1m24.027s, while Alonso appears and then disappears again – another outlap for the McLaren driver.
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Here are the headlines from the first two hours:
• Verstappen sets the pace on soft tyres in the Red Bull
• Mercedes goes for ultra-soft tyres early with Bottas but does not commit to a performance run
• A quieter start for Ferrari than yesterday, with only one real run for Raikkonen so far
• Alonso yet to post a meaningful time as McLaren-Honda struggles for mileage early on
• Verstappen sets the pace on soft tyres in the Red Bull
• Mercedes goes for ultra-soft tyres early with Bottas but does not commit to a performance run
• A quieter start for Ferrari than yesterday, with only one real run for Raikkonen so far
• Alonso yet to post a meaningful time as McLaren-Honda struggles for mileage early on
Information
Here's the lap count so far. Not a great read for McLaren fans.
1 Verstappen (29)
2 Bottas (31)
3 Massa (32)
4 Raikkonen (15)
5 Sainz (12)
6 Perez (17)
7 Grosjean (25)
8 Hulkenberg (23)
9 Wehrlein (28)
10 Alonso (11)
1 Verstappen (29)
2 Bottas (31)
3 Massa (32)
4 Raikkonen (15)
5 Sainz (12)
6 Perez (17)
7 Grosjean (25)
8 Hulkenberg (23)
9 Wehrlein (28)
10 Alonso (11)
Chilli's not on track at the moment, but Massa, Perez, Grosjean and Hulkenberg are. And that's about as much as we have to tell you, so why not have a lap-count update. Coming at you shortly...
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Why a chilli next to "Carlo55ainz"? Well, that's Sainz's nickname.
As he explained to F1Racing last year:
"So I was out with my friends and they maybe had a couple of drinks more than they should have. They call me Charlie sometimes and then it went from Charlie to Charlies and it ended up with Chilli, and since then everyone has called me Chilli in my circle of friends."
It's great banter.
As he explained to F1Racing last year:
"So I was out with my friends and they maybe had a couple of drinks more than they should have. They call me Charlie sometimes and then it went from Charlie to Charlies and it ended up with Chilli, and since then everyone has called me Chilli in my circle of friends."
It's great banter.
There's a story to this Sainz banner...
Massa's improved his time to a 1m21.618s, but he stays third quickest.
The thumbnail of this image made it look like somebody had tagged the inside of the McLaren garage wall. Turns out it was Stoffel. Pic: LAT
Grosjean and Hulkenberg are joined on track by Massa, who fancies a bit more action. Williams had a very good day yesterday and the Brazilian wants more of the same.
Verstappen's back in, so that run was nothing more than one flier on the softs. Also, Sainz is in the Toro Rosso garage.
We didn't get to see Alonso for long – he's back in the pits. Two hours on the clock, just 11 laps on the board for McLaren-Honda on day two.
By: Geoff Creighton
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