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Formula 1

Barcelona F1 test day four

Live Standings

Stopped

Summary

  • Hulkenberg fastest so far
  • Albon ends morning session on top for Toro Rosso
  • Hamilton sets Mercedes' first sub-1m18s lap of testing to end up third
  • Norris brings out early red flag in bizarre incident
  • Kubica slowest of all on first appearance in new Williams

Live Text

Sort by
Checkered flag
Driver, Team, Time, Tyre
Hamilton,Mercedes,1m17.977s,C4
Leclerc,Ferrari,1m18.046s,C3
Gasly,Red Bull,1m18.780s,C3
Ricciardo,Renault,1m17.785s,C5
Grosjean,Haas,1m18.563s,C3
Norris,McLaren,1m18.431s,C4
Stroll,Racing Point,1m19.664s,C2
Giovinazzi,Alfa Romeo,1m18.511s,C3
Albon,Toro Rosso,1m17.637s,C5
Kubica,Williams,1m21.542s,C2
Bottas,Mercedes,1m17.857s,C5
Hulkenberg,Renault,1m17.393s,C5
Russell,Williams,1m20.997s,C3
Magnussen,Haas,1m18.720s,C3
Autosport
There's a mammoth four days of Formula 1 testing next week. We'll be live again next Monday for the second test. 
But between now and then, don't forget to check out our website, YouTube and social media channels for the latest stories, emerging news, views and analysis. 
Motorsport Images will have some great pictures, too.

Here's our end of test report, and we'll see you back here on Monday for another four days of frantic bliss.

F1 testing: Renault's Hulkenberg fastest before breaking down

Nico Hulkenberg snatched the fastest time of Formula 1 testing on the final day in Barcelona, shortly before his Renault stopped on track with a disappointing number of laps completed

F1 testing: Renault's Hulkenberg fastest before breaking down
Information
Here's an actually definite end of day lap total. Definitely.

Giovinazzi - 154
Gasly - 146
Leclerc - 138
Albon - 136
Norris - 132
Stroll - 72
Grosjean - 64
Magnussen - 66
Hamilton - 58
Bottas - 57
Kubica - 48
Ricciardo - 34
Hulkenberg - 24
Russell - 17
Checkered flag
And there goes 1800 local time - thats the end of the first F1 test of 2019, and Nico Hulkenberg is fastest on the final day for Renault.
Giovinazzi hops out of his Alfa Romeo at Turn 4 as the rest of the cars cruise back to the pits.
Russell had just set a personal best middle sector before that red flag.
Red flag
Red flag. And that is day done.
Crash
The Alfa has stopped again!
Albon also heads out, presumably to get one last practice pitstop in for Toro Rosso.
Bottas, Norris, Giovinazzi, Magnussen and Russell have all headed out for one last run.
Autosport
Why not pass the last few minutes of the test session with a feature.

With front wings limited by the 2019 rules, there's another part of the car that F1 teams reckon is responsible for one third of the design's performance.

Our Technical Editor Jake Boxall-Legge explains the battleground happening in this area, and how teams have approached it so far

How F1 teams create a third of their performance - F1 - Autosport Plus

F1's simpler 2019 front wings have received plenty of attention during the first week of pre-season testing, but the reduced impact of that part means teams' bargeboard arrangements are now a key area for aerodynamic gains

How F1 teams create a third of their performance - F1 - Autosport Plus
Green flag
Green flag - we'll have four more minutes of action this week!
Information
With that red flag, this may well be the final lap count.

Giovinazzi - 152
Gasly - 146
Leclerc - 138
Albon - 135
Norris - 130
Stroll - 72
Grosjean - 64
Magnussen - 64
Hamilton - 58
Bottas - 54
Kubica - 48
Ricciardo - 34
Hulkenberg - 24
Russell - 14
Information
This might apply to everyone now we have a red flag, but Ferrari has officially declared its day is done.
Scott Mitchell
Pirelli’s evaluations of its compounds and the difference between them in lap time is always an interesting part of testing. Its F1 boss Mario Isola has now released its estimations for the five compounds at Barcelona. The compounds range from C1 to C5, increasing in grip level and performance through the range:

* The C2 is between 0.8s and 1s faster than the C1
* The C3 is 0.7s faster than the C2
* The C4 is 0.6s faster than the C3
* The C5 is 0.6s faster than the C4

That seems fairly balanced, which I’d imagine Pirelli is rather happy with. It opted for a more conservative C4 homologation to make sure it was not too close to the C5.

You can also see why it’s so frustrating for my tireless colleagues running the Autosport Live commentary that the C1/C2 and C4/C5 are so difficult to tell apart when the cars are on-track. It’s a big difference in performance, so it matters!
Red flag
Red flag. Giovinazzi has stopped at the pit exit.
Albon spooks us briefly by appearing on track with a set of C5 tyres. We say spooked because if he was about to go fastest, then Jack Benyon has to re-write the report he's already started. Fortunately it's just a set for a single lap between practice pitstops.
Norris next 'push' attempt is 1.1s slower than his new best lap he set at the start of this run.
Norris makes an improvement that finally moves him up the order, after all those personal bests earlier that couldn't get him higher than 11th. He's up to seventh with a 1m18.431s on the C4 tyres.
Autosport
Renault says it has sympathy for Williams's plight. Remember, Renault almost missed its own shakedown.

Renault Formula 1 team has sympathy for Williams's problems

Renault's Formula 1 chassis chief Nick Chester says it is easy to sympathise with Williams's testing plight having "lived through" car builds and knowing how hard the process is

Renault Formula 1 team has sympathy for Williams's problems
Magnussen has joined Bottas and Gasly on track.
Williams has at least set something resembling a proper lap time today, but the team is still going through basic aero runs when it gets a chance. Russell returns to the pits with giant aero rakes behind the front wheels.
And another! Pitstop practice is the order of the day for Toro Rosso - but there's a drama on the right front! This is costing Albon valuable...no, wait, it's just testing. As you were.
Bottas has emerged on a set of the yellow C3 tyres.
Racing pitstop for Albon there. Toro Rosso really getting down to work before the chequered flag comes out.
Norris does indeed improve to a 1m19.187s on C4s, but it's not enough to move him up a place from 11th.
Gasly has gone out, joining Leclerc on the unmarked development compound of tyres.
Norris is out on a set of C4 tyres. It wasn't that long ago he set his fastest time of the day with the harder C3 tyres, so perhaps we'll see a late improvement from McLaren.
Information
Into the last half an hour and Giovinazzi edges towards 150 laps.

Totals:
Giovinazzi - 146
Leclerc - 136
Gasly - 131
Albon - 124
Norris - 123
Stroll - 72
Grosjean - 64
Hamilton - 58
Magnussen - 56
Kubica - 48
Bottas - 42
Ricciardo - 34
Hulkenberg - 24
Russell - 12
Hulkenberg is in the pits after his Renault stopped on track

Hulkenberg is in the pits after his Renault stopped on track

Giovinazzi and Albon are on the C3 tyres, while Leclerc's developmental set are a slight variation on that compound.
Leclerc, Giovinazzi and Albon are the only cars on track at the moment with less than 40 minutes to to in the first F1 test of 2019.
Leclerc is out on a very shiny set of the development compound tyres.
The screens are pulled aside at Ferrari, we're about to see another Leclerc run.
Norris improves to a 1m19.387s on the yellow C3 tyres. He's 11th today.
Autosport
Sticking with Red Bull, you may or may not be surprised to hear its praising Honda once again

Red Bull says it's having best ever Formula 1 pre-season with Honda

Red Bull says it had its best ever pre-season Formula 1 test, amid its encouraging start with new engine partner Honda

Red Bull says it's having best ever Formula 1 pre-season with Honda
Jake Boxall-Legge
Red Bull has been circulating with two extra struts connecting the central wing pillar to the mounting points further down. It seems as though the team's not confident about the strength of its rear wing, bolting on some extra support to keep it in place.

And here we were, thinking Red Bull GIVES you wings.
Remember this picture of the Red Bull? Those struts are there for a reason.

Remember this picture of the Red Bull? Those struts are there for a reason.

Nope! Bottas's first sector is 1.5s down.

By: Geoff Creighton

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