Barcelona F1 test: Alonso sets early day-three pace
Fernando Alonso led the way on Thursday morning in Barcelona Formula 1 winter testing

The Ferrari was quickest for the majority of the four-hour session.
Alonso and Williams's Pastor Maldonado swapped the top spot for a spell as both did short runs on soft tyres, but Alonso then started edging clear with repeated small improvements.
Nico Hulkenberg ultimately got closest for Sauber, lapping 0.286s adrift of Alonso on a quick soft-tyre run of his own.
Romain Grosjean took the Lotus over from Kimi Raikkonen and completed the top three.
Mercedes made a slow start to the morning, focusing on data-gathering. That meant a long garage sojourn while the various measuring appendages were removed, after which Nico Rosberg got up to fourth.
Following his early dice with Alonso, Maldonado concentrated on much longer runs, completing an ample 79 laps before lunch.
He will hand over to team-mate Valtteri Bottas for the remainder of the day.
Jenson Button completed the top six for McLaren.
Adrian Sutil's return with Force India gathered plenty of interest. The German was fully engaged with the team's development programme, starting off with aerodynamic tests before lapping a second off the pace in seventh.
Mark Webber was back in eighth at the end of a low-key morning for Red Bull.
The session ran smoothly, with no red flag interruptions.
Morning times Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m21.875s 51
2. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber 1m22.160s +0.285 43
3. Romain Grosjean Lotus 1m22.188s +0.313 47
4. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m22.627s +0.752 29
5. Pastor Maldonado Williams 1m22.675s +0.800 79
6. Jenson Button McLaren 1m22.840s +0.965 29
7. Adrian Sutil Force India 1m22.877s +1.002 39
8. Mark Webber Red Bull 1m23.024s +1.149 46
9. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1m23.366s +1.491 66
10. Max Chilton Marussia 1m26.416s +4.541 33
11. Giedo van der Garde Caterham 1m27.344s +5.469 50
AUTOSPORT special testing coverage:
Gallery Testing blog Technical blog Live commentary Trackside analysis

Previous article
Di Resta says he is not concerned about the identity of team-mate
Next article
Barcelona F1 test: Alonso leads the way on day three

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Fernando Alonso |
Author | Matt Beer |
Barcelona F1 test: Alonso sets early day-three pace
Trending
Starting Grid for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
F1 Fast Facts: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Why Russell was right to be wrong about Bottas after Imola F1 clash
George Russell and Valtteri Bottas' collision at Imola on Sunday prompted fury in the Formula 1 paddock. But Russell's carefully-worded heartfelt statement later, acknowledging that his initial response was wrong, proved the right move
How Verstappen and Hamilton’s Imola clash sets the tone for F1’s 2021 title fight
In Max Verstappen's Formula 1 career to date, he has been cast as the 'pretender', an acknowledged top-line performer without the car to regularly challenge Lewis Hamilton. But that no longer applies in 2021, and the start to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was the most telling signal yet of what we can expect from their duel this year
How “overwhelming” McLaren move has given Ricciardo a new verve
Daniel Ricciardo has found a new lease of life at McLaren – a move that’s been years in the making, as he explains to STUART CODLING…
The German legend who raced and beat Nuvolari
Ninety years ago, Rudolf Caracciola became the first non-Italian to win the epic Mille Miglia. We look at how he stacks up to the most famous pre-war ace Tazio Nuvolari, one of the drivers he beat on that day in 1931
How 2021's midfielders have taken lessons from F1's top teams
Formula 1’s latest Imola adventure turned into an expensive trip for many teams due to several crashes throughout the weekend. While balancing the books is an added factor in 2021 with the cost cap, a few midfield teams have cashed in early on development investments
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Driver Ratings
A frantic wet race at Imola produced plenty of excitement and drama as drivers scrabbled for grip. Amid the hatful of mistakes and incidents that ensued, who kept their noses cleanest?
How the Emilia Romagna GP result hinged on three crucial saves
Rain before the start of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix promised to spice up the action, and the race certainly delivered on that. Max Verstappen got the best launch to win from Lewis Hamilton, but both got away with mistakes that could have had serious consequences
The back-bedroom world-beater that began a new F1 era
The first in a line of world beaters was designed in a back bedroom and then constructed in a shed. STUART CODLING recalls the Tyrrell 001