F1 Barcelona pre-season test - Day 3
Minute by minute updates on the final day of the 2022 Barcelona F1 pre-season test
After a busy opening couple of days, all 10 teams complete the first test of the new era of F1 under the new technical regulations.
Track action gets underway at 8am GMT and finishes at 5pm GMT. The day will be split by a one-hour lunch break (12pm-1pm GMT) which can be reduced if requested due to lost track time from either red flags or poor weather conditions.
The final day will provide another good look at all of the 2022 F1 cars from every team, to see which teams have got it right and which have work to do. While never fully taken as the true pecking order, due to teams hiding outright performance levels by sandbagging their speeds, the tests still reveal an overview while giving teams which are struggling nowhere to hide.
The Barcelona shakedown test, conducted without live TV coverage or live timing, runs between 23-25 February. A second official test will follow in Bahrain on 10-12 March ahead of the 2022 F1 season opener at the same venue, the Bahrain Grand Prix, on 18-20 March.
Live Text
"On the Russia situation, it has been reported this morning that the Champions League final will be moved by UEFA to Paris from St Petersburg following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. F1 is yet to issue any further updates since the team boss meeting last night to discuss things. On the Haas front, Gunther Steiner will talk with the media in around an hour, so we should have more then."
From memory this is the first time Mercedes has run the C4 tyres at this test. Russell is in and out of the pits and sets off for another stint.
Photo by: Haydn Cobb
Red flag
The session has been paused, as it appears there's been a stoppage on track. It's Gasly in the first sector, according to the timing screens.
Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri AT03
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Here's Gasly's car on the way back to the AlphaTauri garage, and having just gone by the media centre it appears a few parts are out of place under the cover. That's the level of insight available at this stage until we invent a way to see through the covers.
Photo by: Matt Kew
Pirelli explains Barcelona F1 wet tyre test
Here's the full story on the Pirelli wet tyre test planned for this afternoon: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/pirelli-explains-barcelona-f1-wet-tyre-test/8485671/Red flag
Another stoppage - this time it is Zhou who has gone off at Turn 10.
Trackside update
"The Alfa has spun at Turn 10, Zhou was very hot into the apex on his second time around and lost the rear of the car."
Photo by: Alex Kalinauckas
Trackside update
"That was quite a long spin for Zhou. You could hear the tyres lose the fight for grip quite soon after he turned in but it took until he was two thirds of the way round the bend for Zhou to properly drop it, then continuing on into the kitty litter."Zhou gets out of the Alfa Romeo once the track marshals arrive on the scene. The restart shouldn't be too far off.
Photo by: Alex Kalinauckas
Trackside update
“A little bit of racing down at Turn 10 - Verstappen dives by Norris on the inside and surges ahead, but the McLaren stays snapping at his heels until the final chicane. They’re pushing on right now.”
Red flag!
Not another one!
Alpine's day is over
Alpine has announced its Barcelona F1 test has finished early due to a hydraulics issue which triggered a fire on Alonso's car this morning. The team won't return to action later today.Here's the full statement from Alpine on their early end to the test:
"After further investigations in the garage following Fernando Alonso’s on-track stoppage earlier this morning, the team can confirm the issue was a problem with the hydraulics. A minor sealing issue led to a fire in the back of the car. The team has successfully completed 266 laps during the three days of the Barcelona shakedown. Repairs on the car will continue, and as a result we won’t be running for the remainder of the day. We look forward to be back in action at the next test in Bahrain."
Red flag
We kid you not, a fifth red flag! This time it is Vettel who has caused it.By: Haydn Cobb
