Barcelona F1 test: Hamilton tops rain-hit final morning
Lewis Hamilton capitalised on the break between rain showers to set the fastest time on the final morning of the Barcelona test week

Rain marred the first few hours of running, but at least offered a chance to sample the wet and intermediate tyres.
A brief period of respite in the weather then allowed most teams to put in a reasonable number of slick-shod laps before the next shower shortly before the lunch break.
Hamilton and Mercedes were first to give slicks a go and were soon on top.
There followed a frantic period of improvements as teams experimented with how various compounds of slick tyre behaved on a drying track.
Felipe Massa, Jules Bianchi and Jenson Button all appeared at the head of the order, before Hamilton reclaimed the top spot with a 1m23.282s on medium Pirellis.
Button completed the morning second for McLaren, 0.351 seconds behind, followed by Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro Rosso and Bianchi's Force India.
There were plenty of red flags and incidents when the weather was at its worst.
Massa slid into the gravel at Turn 4 just 10 minutes into the morning, Giedo van der Garde put his Caterham off at the final corner, and both Sauber's Esteban Gutierrez and Vergne had similar incidents at Turn 5.
Webber parked his Red Bull with an issue just as Gutierrez caused his stoppage, and van der Garde prompted a fifth red flag when he stopped after Campsa just before lunch.
Valtteri Bottas did not set a flying lap time as Williams was focused on pitstop practice, but did complete 23 in/out-laps.
Morning times Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m23.282s 44
2. Jenson Button McLaren 1m23.633s +0.351 31
3. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1m24.071s +0.789 37
4. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1m25.239s +1.957 24
5. Jules Bianchi Force India 1m25.732s +2.450 51
6. Giedo van der Garde Caterham 1m27.429s +4.147 23
7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m27.563s +4.281 47
8. Mark Webber Red Bull 1m27.616s +4.334 34
9. Max Chilton Marussia 1m29.902s +6.620 21
10. Romain Grosjean Lotus 1m34.800s +11.518 19
11. Valtteri Bottas Williams no time 23
AUTOSPORT special testing coverage:
Gallery Testing blog Technical blog Live commentary Trackside analysis

Nico Hulkenberg impressed by Lotus's form
Lotus downplays testing form despite rivals' comments

Latest news
The “solemn promise” that cost quiet hero Brooks an F1 title
After two terrifying crashes, one of the best British racers of the 1950s retired before his career peaked. But that’s why GP Racing’s MAURICE HAMILTON was able to speak to Tony Brooks in 2014. Like his friend Stirling Moss, Brooks was regarded as one of the best drivers never to have won the world championship. Here, as our tribute to Brooks who died last month, is that interview in full
Inside the Faenza facility where AlphaTauri’s F1 pragmatic vision is realised
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz’s best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix