F1 testing: Ricciardo and Red Bull lead, McLaren in early trouble
Daniel Ricciardo topped the first morning Formula 1 pre-season testing at Barcelona for Red Bull ahead of Mercedes, as McLaren hit early problems
Ferrari and Renault also showed good pace, but McLaren's season began badly as a lost wheel confined Fernando Alonso to the garage for most of the morning.
Ricciardo's best time of 1m20.179s - set on medium tyres - came in the dying stages of the four-hour session, and minutes after Valtteri Bottas had knocked Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen off the top of the timesheets. Bottas ended up two tenths of a second down on the Red Bull.
Raikkonen led going into the final half-hour of running, having just deposed Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg with a 1m20.506s on softs, before Bottas took over with a 1m20.349s with 10 minutes left.
Ricciardo's last-minute effort knocked Raikkonen down to third place, while Hulkenberg remained fourth, 0.368s back, having racked up the most laps of the morning of any driver with 73.
That was one lap more than Brendon Hartley managed in the Honda-powered Toro Rosso, which ended the morning with the fifth-fastest time, albeit 2.192s off the pace.
Lance Stroll was sixth for Williams, ahead of Haas driver Romain Grosjean and Alonso in the McLaren, which managed the least laps of any team in the morning.
Alonso caused the first red flag of the day when a "wheelnut issue" resulted in the MCL33 losing its right-rear wheel and becoming beached in the gravel at the final corner in the first hour.
He spent the next three hours in the garage before finally re-emerging with less than 15 minutes remaining of the session, but only managed another four laps on top of the six he did before the incident. His best time was four seconds off the pace.
Force India development driver Nikita Mazepin caused the only other red flag of the morning with a spin at Turn 4.
Mazepin ended up at the bottom of the timesheets in 10th place, behind the Sauber of Marcus Ericsson and a little over five seconds off the pace.
Morning test times
| Pos | Driver | Car | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull/Renault | 1m20.179ss | 1m20.179s | 60 |
| 2 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1m20.349ss | 0.170s | 58 |
| 3 | Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | 1m20.506ss | 0.327s | 60 |
| 4 | Nico Hulkenberg | Renault | 1m20.547ss | 0.368s | 73 |
| 5 | Brendon Hartley | Toro Rosso/Honda | 1m22.371ss | 2.192s | 72 |
| 6 | Lance Stroll | Williams/Mercedes | 1m22.452ss | 2.273s | 46 |
| 7 | Romain Grosjean | Haas/Ferrari | 1m23.092ss | 2.913s | 32 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | McLaren/Renault | 1m24.202ss | 4.023s | 10 |
| 9 | Marcus Ericsson | Sauber/Alfa Romeo | 1m24.897ss | 4.718s | 41 |
| 10 | Nikita Mazepin | Force India/Mercedes | 1m25.628ss | 5.449s | 22 |
Previous article
The winners and losers of F1 testing's opening day
Next article
F1 testing: Alonso's wheel loss drama 'no big deal' - McLaren
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Daniel Ricciardo |
| Teams | Red Bull Racing , McLaren |
| Author | Jamie Klein |
Starting Grid for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
F1 Fast Facts: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
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
The clues Hamilton’s F1 contract afterthought gives to his future
The Formula 1 world reacted with surprise when it learned Lewis Hamilton’s long-awaited new Mercedes deal guarantees his presence on the grid only until the end of 2021. Both parties claimed publicly they were happy with the arrangement but, asks MARK GALLAGHER, is there more to it than that?
How a harshly ejected Red Bull star has been hooked by racing again
Driver-turned-DJ Jaime Alguersuari lost his love for motorsport when he was booted out of Formula 1 just as he was starting to polish his rough edges. Having drifted from category to category then turned his back on racing altogether in 2015, he’s come full circle and is planning a return in karts for fun
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well-aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead on pace. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping
