Formula 1 | Test drives in Barcelona: Bottas the best even on the last day

After his best time last Friday, Valtteri Bottas also finished the second week of the winter tests in Barcelona as the fastest. Although he could not improve compared to the first week (1: 15.732 to 1: 16.196 minutes), his Mercedes team is the declared favorite for the 2020 Formula 1 season opener in Melbourne (March 15).

Bottas had taken over from Lewis Hamilton at lunchtime, who is known to find little joy in testing. On the sixth and final day, Hamilton landed 0.25 seconds behind his teammate in P5. But documented, Mercedes was on the road with throttled power after four engine defects over five days. And a new rear wing.

The problems with the drive unit are the big uncertainty factor in the camp of the silver arrows. “Does that bother me? Yes, sure! Usually we have more confidence in our reliability after the winter tests,” sighs Hamilton – although he did an impressive 90 laps on Friday. But he also says, “It’s good that we discover the problems with testing.”

In terms of speed, Red Bull seems to be close to Mercedes. Max Verstappen would probably have set the best time of the day if he had not failed the last sector on his fastest lap so far. He finished second, 0.073 seconds back. Sector analysis shows that Red Bull loses the most in the third sector.

Why Red Bull can be optimistic

Verstappen added no further to his six winter spins so far on Friday. Still, he spent a lot of time in the pits. The 100-lap mark was Red Bull’s last in the ten teams. Nevertheless, the 22-year-old Dutchman says: “The car feels good. It is definitely an improvement compared to the previous year.”

Before Verstappen improved with the C4 to P2, he drove 1: 16.384 minutes on the C3. It is 0.7 to 0.8 seconds slower per lap than the C5, with which all others from the top 5 set their best time. Or, in other words: Red Bull could have easily driven 1: 15.5 minutes on Friday – and thus set a new best time of the whole winter.

“Even if we miss a few kilometers: I have the feeling that we are much better prepared for the start of the season than a year ago,” said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. The fact that Verstappen turned more often than anyone else in the two weeks does not give him a headache. That is primarily due to the wind.

At the end of the day, Ferrari only used Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, and his qualification simulation brought in P4. Bottas gap: 0.164 seconds. “Our main opponents are faster,” Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto repeated his fears of the past few days. But: “We are at the beginning of a long season. We were very reliable. That was one of our goals.”

Binotto gives Ferrari a grade of 6/10

Seen in this way, winter was “a positive one”, Binotto sums up. But the suspicion of some conspiracy theorists in the paddock that Ferrari only bluffs in order to shock everyone in Melbourne costs the Swiss-born man a laugh. On a scale from zero to ten, he rated Ferrari’s Winter as follows: “An eight for the test itself. A six for performance.”

On Friday it was particularly exciting to watch the long racing simulations of the teams closely. There Mercedes is lonely top. Ferrari at best third force. And McLaren, although in absolute terms in the test finale only on P8 (Carlos Sainz / + 0.624), can be found in the midfield next to Racing Point. The test “definitely” went very well, beamed team principal Andreas Seidl: “I’m very happy.”

Driving on the C3 1: 16.8 minutes feels “special” and “fast”, even Sainz smiles slyly: “I’m particularly satisfied with today’s very good test day. Before Australia I tried three or four things that I had in the back of my head. This is how I define a good test day: determine what you want to try and draw your conclusions from it. “

Daniel Ricciardo (+0.080) ended Friday in third place. When he handed over to Esteban Ocon (6./+0.237) at noon, he was still in the lead – and made a joke with the journalists: “I think I could have driven 1:14 because we had 90 kilos of fuel in the tank had!” That would make him a World Cup favorite.

Ricciardo: Renault can’t drive under 1:16

The reality is: “One tenth is always possible. But our maximum at the moment would be 1: 16.0, 1: 16.1. I don’t think that three tenths would have been possible to drive under 1:16. Lewis also drove with a C5 “But I know that we are not as fast as Mercedes. On the other hand, if I had driven the C5 and finished sixth today, I would be disappointed.”

Racing Point did not participate in the lap times showdown as much as many other teams. Sergio Perez landed 0.438 seconds back on P7. Nevertheless, his technical director Andrew Green is optimistic about the new season: “It looks very promising. That is certain.”

The “pink Mercedes” is one of the big surprises of winter. And subject of criticism. Green leaves it cold: “People talk about us, they complain about us. I see that as a strong sign that we are doing something really well. If we were at the back, nobody would be interested in us.”

Apart from Alexander Albon (14./Red Bull / + 1.607), who tested without paying attention to the stopwatch in the morning, Alfa Romeo and Haas were again the slowest.

George Russell also finished remarkably ninth in the time chase on the last day of the test and came up to the lead by 0.675 seconds. Despite intermittent problems with the wheel suspension. At 145 laps, unlike team-mate Nicholas Latifi on Thursday, he was not the hardest-working pilot. That was Daniil Kwjat (10./+0.718) with 160 laps.

Kimi Raikkonen and Alexander Albon were already turning in the morning. Both incidents had no significant consequences. The session was never interrupted in the eight hours. With which the Formula 1 generation 2020 underlines its impressive reliability.

sport.de also accompanied the sixth and last day of testing in the live blog. You can read all the important information here:

+++ 18:00 clock: The times and laps in the overview +++

+++ 17:52 clock: Hamilton admits problems +++

While Valtteri Bottas is still stinting on a hard tire compound, team-mate Lewis Hamilton has spoken about the new W11. The world champion commented primarily on the reliability problems that had thrown him back.

More: Hamilton admits: “Have found many problems”

+++ 5:40 p.m .: Verstappen again with Speed +++

It seems that Max Verstappen wants to know it again. First, in a 1: 16.269, he does his personal fastest training lap this year. Then the next attempt: In the first sector he is on the best time course, but he blocks the lap in turn 13. He can still save the car and chooses the emergency exit to then break off the lap and drive into the pits. In the daily ranking, he moved up to second place.

+++ 17:31 PM: Bottas drives out again +++

The fastest man of the day has now returned to the slopes – but on the yellow medium tires. There will also be no more peak times from him in the next few minutes.

+++ 17:22 PM: Is there anything else? +++

After Bottas and Verstappen have turned again, three pilots are still driving. None of them are looking for a quick lap. It remains to be seen whether we will see a really hot lap. In any case, Leclerc, Russel and Kvyat continue to test their durability.

+++ 17:10 PM: Leclerc continues to tear off laps +++

He is not fast at the moment, but very constant: Charles Leclerc has already done a few stints, most of them on the C3 or C4 tires. The lap counter shows 161, which makes him the most diligent of all pilots today.

+++ 17:00 clock: The times and laps in the overview +++

+++ 16:55 PM: Verstappen improves +++

Max Verstappen set his fastest lap of the day on the C4 tires and moved ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the day’s classification with a 1: 16.384. Let’s see what the Dutchman can add if he can run out a softer tire compound again in the last hour.

+++ 16:48 clock: weather remains stable +++

We were worried that the last few hours could sink in the rain after it got quite crowded in Barcelona. So far, however, everything has remained dry here, so that the teams can continue to test diligently.

+++ 16:39 PM: Bottas with new best time +++

Finally Bottas gets the fastest tires. It delivers directly and burns a new record in the asphalt. The Finn circles the circuit in Catalonia half a tenth of a second faster than Ricciardo in the Renault before.

+++ 4.30 p.m .: Pérez completes longrun +++

Sergio Pérez once again confirms the strong impression of Racing Point. Not only are the pink ones fast on one lap, they are also consistently good with the long runs. The Mexican has just returned to the pits after a long ride on C2 tires, winding respectable lap times.

+++ 16:21 PM: Bottas on C4 on the way +++

Valtteri Bottas is also slowly turning up. He manages a decent 1: 16.637 lap on the second softest tire compound and returns straight to the pits after this quick lap. Carlos Sainz in the McLaren also drove into his garage after completing a racing simulation on the hard C1 tires.

+++ 16:13 clock: drivers continue to work hard +++

The teams also use the last two test hours before the start of the season. There is currently a lot of traffic on the route. Right rubber is just Esteban Ocon, who took over the late shift at Renault. The returnee drives a 1: 16.433 on the C5 tires as his fastest lap for the time being.

+++ 16:03 PM: Verstappen lets the muscles play +++

Out of nowhere, Max Verstappen slashes a 1: 16.805 minutes in his newly repaired Red Bull – on the C2 tires, mind you. That is a real statement by the Dutchman, who apparently has little fuel in the tank. Above all, this time gives hope for the grand finale at the end of the session, even if “Mad Max” on the C5 rubbers can show what he can do.

+++ 16:00: The times and laps in the overview +++

+++ 3:54 p.m .: Does Ferrari just bluff? +++

That is the question that many Formula 1 fans ask themselves. Team boss Binotto has now taken a stand on the bluff allegations and said: “We don’t play games. This is our real performance.” If this is true, the Scuderia to Melbourne still has some problems to solve.

+++ 3:50 p.m .: Verstappen directly on tours +++

Hardly back on the track, Max Verstappen climbs in the classification. The Dutchman improved his time to 1: 17.340 minutes and is finally back in business. Bottas also drives out in these seconds and starts the next run.

+++ 15:44 PM: Leclerc drives and drives and drives +++

Ferrari uses every minute of that last day and sends Charles Leclerc into one marathon run after the next. The Monegasse has already completed 138 laps. Daniil Kvyat (127), Carlos Sainz (119) and Kimi Raikkonen (110) are also busy collecting kilometers.

+++ 15:38 PM: Haas also has worries +++

Not only at Red Bull is or was diligently screwed in the garage. The Haas mechanics are also currently working on Kevin Magnussen’s car. The reason: a problem with the clutch. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen is finally back on the track.

+++ 3:34 p.m .: Sainz talks about Racing Point +++

Carlos Sainz commented on the appearances of Racing Point. A little reproach can be read between the lines. “The pink Mercedes is very fast. I think they will be ahead of us,” said the McLaren driver about one of the UK’s biggest rivals. If you want to know more about the “Mercedes copy” of Racing Point, you can get information here -> The (perfect) copy? How Racing Point surprises the F1

+++ 3:27 p.m .: It gets uncomfortable +++

The cloud cover becomes denser, the wind increases. Perfect conditions for a racing simulation look different. Perhaps the teams will switch to the qualification run earlier.

+++ 15:25 PM: braking problems with Verstappen +++

And now it is known what is wrong with Red Bull. There are problems with the brake caliper. We are excited to see how long it will take for the team to get to grips with the problems.

+++ 3:21 p.m .: High activity at Red Bull +++

And that’s where the visual proof of the problems at Red Bull comes in. Intensive work is being done on Max Verstappen’s car. Five mechanics take care of the rear, another five are accessible on the front axle. In the meantime there is nothing to see from the Dutch.

+++ 3:20 p.m .: Fireworks in Barcelona? +++

It can be assumed that the teams will test again at the end of the session how fast the cars really are. As in the morning, the qualifying trim will probably be used later. The C5 tires are still wrapped up in the garages.

+++ 3:15 p.m .: long runs wherever the eye looks +++

All drivers are on the C2 or C3 tires and fully fueled in these minutes. The times give hope for an exciting season. At least between McLaren, Haas and AlphaTauri it is very close. Racing Point is clearly the strongest of the midfield teams. Mercedes is one step ahead at the top. Red Bull is very difficult to assess. We hardly saw anything of the Austrians in the afternoon. It is obviously not going according to plan.

+++ 3 p.m .: The times and laps in the overview +++

+++ 2:57 p.m .: Bottas gets started +++

Valtteri Bottas is now on the journey with brand new C3 tires. It will be particularly exciting to see how the Finn does in comparison to Leclerc.

+++ 2:55 p.m .: Leclerc’s long run in numbers +++

That was the last 25 minutes for Charles Leclerc. What immediately catches the eye is the consistency with which the Monegasse carries the SF1000 over the course.

+++ 14:53: Is Red Bull a problem child? +++

Christian Horner and Red Bull cannot and will not like the course of the last day of testing. After Alex Albon was already struggling with problems this morning, Max Verstappen is also not making any progress. The Dutchman can always be seen briefly on the track, but he was not allowed to get out for a longer stint. The clock is ticking …

+++ 2:50 p.m .: Bottas gets warm +++

The Finn chases the W11 around the course and records a 1: 17.790 minutes in his first “real” timed lap. It’s not too bad to start with. All other pilots are currently doing 1:20 laps and are in the long run test.

+++ 2:47 p.m .: The Barcelona best times +++

Valtteri Bottas still leads the time table in Barcelona with his 1: 15.732 minutes. With his dream lap, Daniel Ricciardo moved from just to second place. Find out where Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Co. line up here:

>>> All Barcelona bests to click through

+++ 14:42: AlphaTauri tests for Sunday +++

AlphaTauri takes racing simulation very seriously. Daniil Kvyat has just finished his stint over 22 (!) Laps. In the meantime, Max Verstappen has also started work and made the first rounds. Valtteri Bottas is on the starting block and will be on the track for the first time.

+++ 2:34 p.m .: Leclerc on his long run +++

Charles Leclerc has also been back for eight rounds. The Monegasse drove an average of 1: 22.7 in his stint. Of course, it is not known how heavy the SF1000 is. Time clearly speaks for a full tank.

+++ 2:30 p.m .: stable appearance of Ocon +++

Just in time for the last day of testing, Renault has apparently drawn the right conclusions. After Daniel Ricciardo’s tough time in the morning, Esteban Ocon shows on his long run just how good the car is. The Frenchman runs six 1:19 times in a row and then turns two identical 1:20.127 minutes to the thousandth.

+++ 2:26 p.m .: The fastest sector times +++

While the boys are doing their rounds outside, here’s a quick look at the fastest sector times so far. In section 1, Lance Stroll keeps up 21.531 Seconds the record. A clear indication of the speed of the Racing Point. Valtteri Bottas is ahead in sector two (28.120 Seconds), which speaks for the cornering behavior of the W11. In the last section, Kimi Raikkonen’s fastest time so far (25.133 seconds)

+++ 2:20 p.m .: Big sounds from Racing Point +++

That’s an announcement. Racing Point technical director Andy Green has been asked by “Sky Sports” whether the team is faster than Ferrari this season. Green said, “It depends on the route.” In plain language means: Racing Point assumes that it will be faster than Ferrari on some routes. Well then …

+++ 14:16 PM: nothing to see from the Big Three +++

Ferrari is intensively preparing for a racing simulation. Leclerc is not yet on the move. Meanwhile, there is still no sign of Valterri Bottas and Max Verstappen. Red Bull in particular still has some catching up to do after a disappointing morning.

+++ 14:13 clock: focus on racing simulations +++

Perez, Russell, Kvyat and Ocon are all in racing trim and are accordingly on the road. Especially at Perez it is worth taking a look at the times, after all, after the impressions so far, you have to have the Racing Point here in Australia as well.

+++ 14:06 PM: Hamilton on the way with “DAS” +++

By the way, according to the on-board recordings during the lunch break, it is clear that Lewis Hamilton was still on the road with the new “DAS” system. It is very likely that you will contest the Australian Grand Prix.

+++ 2:03 p.m .: Trio on the track +++

Esteban Ocon, George Russell and Daniil Kvyat do not waste time and go straight to the track. For Ocon, it was enough for his first shot on the hard tires at a time of 1: 19.650 minutes.

+++ 2 p.m .: starting shot for the final +++

44 of 48 test hours are history, now the grand finale begins in Barcelona. Do the teams go all out again and chase the course record? Max Verstappen would be a candidate who can be trusted – if his Red Bull plays along. Valtteri Bottas will want to tickle everything out of the W11 again. And how are Ferrari and Charles Leclerc doing in the afternoon? We’ll find out all of this in the next four hours.

+++ 13:51 PM: Raikkonen update +++

What does a man like Kimi Raikkonen take care of during lunch break? Clearly, the really important things in life.

+++ 1:48 p.m .: News off the track +++

If you missed it, here’s a quick look at the important things that happened to motorsport fans off the track in Barcelona today. There are new pictures of the steep curve in Zandvoort (see 9:33 a.m.), the route in Hanoi is finished (12:07 p.m.) and the new season of the documentary “Drive To Survive“is available on Netflix (9:00 a.m.).

+++ 1:43 p.m .: Update to the Corona virus +++

Liberty boss Chase Carey has since commented on the possible effects of the corona virus on Formula 1. He cannot give the all-clear. One observes the situation “very closely”, said Carey, but one has to “decide from day to day” with regard to the first three races. A positive forecast sounds different.

+++ 1:40 p.m .: McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl comments +++

For McLaren, the previous test drives have been quite satisfactory. Team boss Andreas Seidl does not believe in the big hit, as he revealed to RTL’s colleagues earlier. Click here for the video -> Seidl: Podiums not possible with normal racing

+++ 1.30 p.m .: A look behind the scenes +++

If you always wanted to know what the team bosses and engineers at the command stand look at, please:

+++ 1:20 p.m .: New faces from 2 p.m. +++

For Lewis Hamilton, the Formula 1 test drives will end in 2020. The world champion clears his place for Valtteri Bottas in the afternoon. And Alex Albon is also finished. Max Verstappen takes over for him. There is also a change at Haas (Magnussen instead of Grosjean) and Renault (Ocon instead of Ricciardo).

+++ 1:13 p.m .: What happened in the first session? +++

– The biggest surprise Daniel Ricciardo and Renault, Even though it is of course not clear which car had how much fuel on board and the Renault was obviously very easy on the road, the Australian’s 1: 16.276 minutes came from nowhere.

– Ferrari has reported back for the second time in a row after yesterday. That Leclerc in the end, before landing in Hamilton, was not foreseeable. With regard to the amount of fuel and engine settings, the following also applies here: Nothing precise is not known.

– Lewis Hamilton has not the last bit of that W11 teased. After the lost test time yesterday, the main focus today was on collecting rounds. With 90 laps, the world champion drove more than any other pilot.

– Racing point you have to have on the bill. Sergio Perez is fourth in the classification and is just 0.382 seconds behind the leader. What makes the time of the Mexican so remarkable: Unlike Ricciardo, Leclerc and Hamilton, he was on the C3 tires.

– For Red Bull the morning did not go according to plan. Alex Albon could only do 59 laps, said goodbye to the gravel bed and had no chance to test the RB16 in the qualifying trim. He drove his 1: 17.803 minutes on the C3 tires.

+++ 13:03 PM: The times and laps in the overview +++

+++ 1:00 p.m .: lunch break! +++

That’s it from the first session in Barcelona. The top times have not been attacked in the last few minutes. The Renault is surprisingly the leader in the 60-minute break. Who would have thought that?! In a few moments we will give you an overview of all the important figures for the first four hours.

+++ 12:53 p.m .: Is something still happening? +++

The last minutes are running. Lewis Hamilton is back on track but on the C3 tires. Does the world champion show us again what is in the W11? Leclerc also comes back on the track. And the Monegasse also does its last laps on the C3.

+++ 12:47 PM: Ferrari and Mercedes with the handbrake on +++

If you are wondering whether Ferrari and Mercedes are driving at full power, you are welcome to take a look at the top speeds. It is obvious that the Silver Arrows and the Scuderia have not completely lowered their pants.

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+++ 12:43 PM: nothing going on the route +++

Doesn’t much happen anymore? Only Kimi Raikkonen is currently on the way. The Finn drives his qualifying simulation, but doesn’t come anywhere near the fastest times. Nothing can be seen from the other pilots. There are still around 15 minutes on the clock …

+++ 12:38 PM: What do the last 20 minutes bring? +++

Dare Hamilton and Leclerc take another shot? You will definitely return on the route. By the way, there is another question: What is going on at Red Bull? Alex Albon hasn’t been out since he rode out. Could he have slightly damaged his car when he went into the gravel bed?

+++ 12:34 PM: The fastest man of the day – until now +++

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+++ 12:32 PM: Leclerc can’t get +++

That is not enough! Leclerc spanked the first sector and left three tenths on Ricciardo there. His backlog grows in the course of the round, he is half missing eight Australian tenths. Obviously this was not a completely new set of tires for the Monegasque.

+++ 12:30 p.m .: The countdown is running +++

The last half hour of the first session is running. Charles Leclerc is on his warm-up lap and is really accelerating.

+++ 12:25 PM: Hamilton puts on +++ again

Now let’s get down to business. Hamilton is back at lightning speed and improves to 1: 16.410 minutes. And then suddenly Daniel Ricciardo comes shot. Wow! The Australian shakes a 1: 16.276 minutes from his sleeve and takes the lead. It came from nowhere! Very impressive. Since the Renault was on the road with little fuel. Leclerc is now starting his next attempt …

+++ 12:20 PM: preparation for the last shot +++

The teams bring the drivers into the pits and put on new tires again. Almost everyone will be driving out with the C5 tires. That should hail the next best times – although the wind has increased significantly and the conditions are somewhat more difficult. What is really in the new racing car?

+++ 12:14 PM: Hamilton can not get +++

Lewis Hamilton leaves a lot of time in the first sector. Apparently the Brit didn’t get all the power from the team, because in the first sector there is actually only one “real” curve. In the second sector it is enough for number 44 to set a personal best in the third sector, then Hamilton lets it pop and knocks out an absolute best. There alone he catches up 0.339 seconds on Leclerc. That is an announcement. Adds 1: 16,500 minutes.

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+++ 12:12 p.m .: Leclerc follows +++

Next Ferrari run on the C5 tires, next best time. After 1: 16.360 minutes, the clock stops for Charles Leclerc. Daniel Ricciardo also puts on the fastest rubber. And the Australian is also improving and is now at a best time of 1: 16.574 minutes. Now Hamilton comes to C5 …

+++ 12:07 PM: route in Vietnam is finished +++

Good news from Vietnam. The Grand Prix circuit has been completed these days, the Formula 1 circus can come. The premier class will be in Hanoi on April 5th. Here are some pictures of the new course.

+++ 12:03 PM: huge happiness for Alex Albon +++

Exit turn 11 wants Alex Albon too much. The Red Bull pilot loses control, slips over the stern into the gravel bed and is luckier than he is that he can free himself from the sand pit. It could have been very, very different. The session would have ended almost prematurely for Albon.

You can tell that the boys are now taking more risks and want to squeeze a great time out of their cars. Incidentally, Albon was also on the C5 tires when he slipped.

+++ 12:00 PM: The times in the overview +++

+++ 11:58: Leclerc grabs the best time +++

Personal best in the first, absolute best in the second sector. And in the last section? Another personal best. With a 1: 16.457 minutes, Monegasse races to the top of the classification. Even more: this is the second fastest time that was driven in Barcelona this year. Is that enough to encourage the Reds? Hard to say. Only when the other teams pull up the C5 tires will you know where the Scuderia is.

+++ 11:55 am: Ferrari wants to know +++

Now it’s getting exciting. Charles Leclerc takes to the track with new C5 tires. That literally cries out for a new record.

+++ 11:52 a.m .: Hamilton puts on +++

The world champion is now also targeting the top of the times table. With a 1: 17.205 minutes it is still not enough for the lead, but Hamilton is getting closer. It looks like the Silver Arrows are preparing for a simulated qualifying run.

+++ 11:42 am: Leclerc rumbles along the route +++

Charles Leclerc returns to the track on brand new C4 tires. In order to got to be a top time in it. In the end, Monegasse drove a 1: 16.850 minutes, but this lap was anything but round. The SF1000 is very restless and Leclerc has to work like crazy, especially in the winding sections of the track, to keep the racer on track. Ferrari must worry about this with Melbourne in mind.

+++ 11:38 am: calm before the storm? +++

Only Kimi Raikkonen is currently on the route. It is quite possible that the teams will prepare for the “final shot” of the morning session in these minutes. If this is the case, the record hunt will start slowly but surely.

+++ 11:33: Ricciardo makes a statement +++

Finally, the yellow ones, which are still in black during the test drives, show what they can do. Daniel Ricciardo burns a 1: 16.814 minutes in the asphalt in his Renault and improves to second place.

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With this lap, the Australian improves his best time by around six tenths. Is this the starting shot for the time hunt in the qualifying trim? The teams still have almost 90 minutes in this first session.

+++ 11:28: What do Wolff and Vettel say about the season? +++

With Toto Wolff and Sebastian Vettel, RTL’s colleagues got two of the protagonists of the coming season in front of the microphone. Here are the interviews in full:

>>> Vettel: “Sign not perfect for us”
>>> Wolff: “Don’t want us to be the favorite role”

+++ 11:21 PM: crisis talks in the paddock +++

By the way, Liberty CEO Chase Carey uses today to present himself to all teams. The big topic in the paddock is the corona virus and possible consequences. During the day there will be a meeting with all team leaders to discuss what measures can be taken. Race cancellations, that much seems clear, unfortunately cannot be excluded.

+++ 11:17 PM: luck for Grosjean +++

Take a deep breath with Haas and Romain Grosjean. The Frenchman loses his tail in turn 8 and slides into the gravel. In the end he is lucky that the car survives the trip without damage. It can be assumed that the 33-year-old just pushed too much. Shortly before his ride, Grosjean set a new personal best (1: 17.037 minutes). The time hunt was apparently in full swing.

+++ 11:15 a.m .: Hamilton makes up for omissions +++

Due to yesterday’s failure, Lewis Hamilton is of course missing a few test kilometers. However, the Briton is making up for this today. The world champion already has 55 laps completed. That is the top value of the day. Daniel Ricciardo followed in second place with 49 laps. Charles Leclerc (43) is currently third in the round table. At the very end: George Russell (28).

+++ 11:03: Perez counters immediately +++

No sooner has the Ferrari crossed the line than Racing Point shows that the good times of the past few days were no accident. Sergio Perez needs 1: 16.658 minutes for his new fastest lap. How fast is that? Only Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas were faster on the last five days of testing. That says a lot about the performance of the Racing Point.

+++ 11:01 a.m .: Leclerc accelerates +++

Finally Ferrari also takes part in the hunt for times. Charles Leclerc fully depresses the pedal and notes a 1: 17.046 minutes – on the C3 tires. This is a new personal Barcelona best time for the Monegasque. For comparison: Vettel’s best test time is 1: 16.841 minutes.

+++ 11:00 a.m .: The times at a glance +++

+++ 10:47 am: What’s going on at Ferrari? +++

The Reds are still puzzling. Charles Leclerc has just completed 15 rounds in a row and only broke the 1:20 mark in two rounds. Either the Scuderia doesn’t want to sprinkle a performance run yet, or it can’t.

+++ 10:43: Perez knocks you out +++

Sergio Perez sets a new daily best in the first and second sectors. RacingPoint runs out of steam only in the third section. For a 1: 17.308 minutes it is still enough. That’s enough for third place at the moment.

+++ 10:41 am: No “DAS” for Lewis? +++

Incidentally, it can be seen clearly on the on-board recordings that Lewis Hamilton is probably on the road today without the new “DAS” system or is not using the system.

+++ 10:39 am: Hamilton collects laps +++

The world champion is on the C3 tires and is currently in a longer stint. Its times fluctuate between 1:17 and 1:20. The silver pipe obviously does not yet provide him with full power.

+++ 10:35 a.m .: Again Sainz, again Pink +++

Sainz tirelessly laps and squeezes the next best time out of his McLaren. The Spaniard recorded a 1: 16.820 minutes and remains number one in the classification.

+++ 10:27 a.m .: Bye bye, Kimi! +++

The Iceman loses his C39 in turn 15 and turns. Apparently, the tires have not suffered any major damage. Raikkonen can continue his stint and is chasing the times again.

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+++ 10:23 PM: Perez improves +++

And there is already the announced best time of Sergio Perez. Checo takes 1: 17.156 minutes for his lap. Personal Barcelona record for the Mexican! Grosjean also adds and records a 1: 17.337 minutes.

+++ 10:22 PM: Vettel sounds alarm +++

How is it currently with Ferrari? Sebastian Vettel gives a clear answer -> Vettel honestly: “It doesn’t feel that good”

+++ 10:17 PM: New top times on the approach +++

Now we’re getting one after the other. Grosjean drives out on brand new C5 tires and will undercut his best time. The conditions are getting better every minute. Sergio Perez also starts his next stint on new rubbers. The problem child of the day is Williams. George Russell is the only pilot who does not have a timed lap.

+++ 10:11 am: Sainz follows +++

It is still early in the day, but the McLaren and Sainz are in top form early on. The Spaniard lapped the course in 1: 16.822 minutes on the C3 tires. This means that Valtteri Bottas (1: 15.732 minutes) is just one second short of the absolute best test time.

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+++ 10:00 a.m .: The times of the first hour in the overview +++

+++ 9:53 PM: Grosjean wants too much +++

Romain Grosjean wants to get too much out of his hair and brakes himself in front of the chicane. His left front wheel locks up and starts to smoke. The Frenchman takes the emergency exit and breaks off his round. Meanwhile, the traffic on the route is increasing. You can tell that today is the last chance for the boys to groove in for the start of the season. They all don’t want to miss a minute.

+++ 9:46 am Leclerc is released +++

Finally Ferrari also takes part in the party. Charles Leclerc drove his first timed lap in these seconds and carried the SF1000 over the line after 1: 19.056 minutes. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz races in sectors one, two and three at new daily best times and leaves the clock at 1: 17.255 minutes. This is already the best time for the Spaniard on these test drives. And we only have 10 a.m. That promises a lot for the remaining hours.

+++ 9:41 a.m .: Hamilton shrugs +++

First a small announcement from the champion. Hamilton goes out, turns his out-lap and then shakes a 1: 17.987 minutes out of his sleeve on the C3 tires from a standing start. This could be the start of the hunt for times that Valtteri Bottas announced yesterday.

+++ 9:37 am: Ferrari takes it easy +++

Sainz, Grosjean, Albon, Perez, Ricciardo, Raikkonen and Hamilton have set a lap time in the last minutes. Charles Leclerc has not yet been able to put his SF1000 through its paces. Ferrari always sends the Monegasque out and brings it back into the box immediately afterwards.

+++ 9:33 a.m .: A quick look to Zandvoort +++

While Carlos Sainz sets the next best time and outdoes himself with a 1: 17.508 minutes, we take a little look at Zandvoort. There you are already well prepared for the Formula 1 comeback this year. Already yesterday there were first pictures of the completed steep curve. More pictures have appeared today. Of course, we don’t want to keep that from you.

+++ 9:26 a.m .: Mercedes makes it smoke +++

At Mercedes and Racing Point it was already smoking from the rear. The teams did not report any problems. Everything looks like a controlled process. Maybe in response to yesterday’s oil pressure problems on the W11?

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+++ 9:23 p.m .: Times are falling +++

Slowly but surely it gets down to business. The boys are getting faster and faster. With a 1: 18.109 minutes, Carlos Sainz leads the classification in these seconds. Romain Grosjean followed in second place with a 1: 18.449 minutes. And Daniel Ricciardo just broke the 1:19 mark with his Renault.

+++ 9:17 p.m .: Advancement through technology +++

Those who have asked themselves in the past few days why the teams keep sending their cars out onto the track with the aero test grids will find the answer from the colleagues from “Sky”. The picture clearly shows how the air flow can be demonstrated by the aids. A highly complicated story that belongs to the craft of every Formula 1 team.

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+++ 9:11 a.m .: A legend celebrated a birthday +++

The paddock bows today to a living legend and wishes the 78 World Champion Mario Andretti a happy 80th birthday. We naturally join.

+++ 9:08: Hamilton sets the first time +++

After Lewis Hamilton lost a lot of time yesterday due to a defect, the world champion is the first driver to set a time today. On the C3 tires and a still cool track, the number 44 recorded a 1: 19.868 minutes.

+++ 9:05 am: It goes straight to the thing +++

No team wants to waste time today. As soon as the “go” comes, Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and Co. send their drivers onto the track. Hamilton, Albon, Leclerc and the other pilots do their installation laps and prepare themselves and their cars for the next few hours.

+++ 9:02 a.m .: Who drove how much? +++

After five out of six days, the mileage of the teams looks like this:

1.Mercedes: 3417 km
2. Red Bull: 3,147 km
3. Ferrari: 3086 km
4. McLaren: 2,975 km
5. RacingPoint: 2,923 km
6.Alfa Romeo: 2886 km
7. Alpha Tauri: 2835 km
8. Renault: 2807 km
9. Williams: 2751 km
10. Haas: 2486 km

+++ 9:00 a.m .: The post goes from +++

The traffic light is green, the route is clear. So into the sixth and last pre-season test day of the 2020 season.

+++ New Formula 1 documentary to be seen from today +++

A little tip for all Formula 1 fans. As of today, the second season of the successful documentary “Drive To Survive” can be seen on Netflix. This time also with a look behind the scenes at Mercedes, which did not play a role in the first season. Here is a small preview:

+++ reading material before starting +++

Before you start, you can pass the time with the latest Formula 1 news. Here is a small selection

>>> Bottas announces time hunt from Mercedes
>>> Hamilton about Ferrari: “Would be a short-term story”
>>> Vettel explains: Ferrari lacks the title

+++ Mercedes announces big +++

Mercedes currently holds the test record 2020 with a 1: 15.732 minutes. Valtteri Bottas announced yesterday with a view to today: “Tomorrow we will work a bit on our form of training and do a few qualifying runs.” That promises a lot. Will we see today what the new W11 really has in the quiver? We can at least be very excited.

+++ The lineup of the day in the overview +++

These drivers send the teams onto the slopes today

Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton (1st session) / Valtteri Bottas (2nd session)
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc
Red Bull: Alex Albon (1st) / Max Verstappen (2nd)
McLaren: Carlos Sainz
Renault: Daniel Ricciardo (1st) / Esteban Ocon (2nd)
AlphaTauri: Daniil Kvyat
Racing point: Sergio Perez
Alfa Romeo: Kimi Raikkonen
Haas: Romain Grosjean (1st) / Kevin Magnussen (2nd)
Williams: George Russell

+++ Good and bad news for Ferrari +++

Sebastian Vettel set the fastest lap of the day yesterday in his SF1000. On the one hand, this is good news for the Reds, but the Heppenheimer missed the absolute best time of the test drives by far more than a second. For this reason, team boss Mattia Binotto has sounded a low alarm as a precaution -> Ferrari team boss unpacks: car not competitive

+++ No perfect conditions +++

Compared to the past few days, Barcelona doesn’t offer drivers the very best conditions today. There is a small risk of rain in the afternoon, but on the whole it should remain dry. The maximum temperature is only 14 instead of the last 20 degrees. In addition, the sun cannot be seen above the course today. It will be a cloudy day in Catalonia.

+++ Welcome to the last day of Formula 1 test drives +++

Good morning and welcome to the sixth and final day of Formula 1 test drives at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. The grand finale is accompanied by some question marks. Above all, it could be finally answered today who has the fastest overall package before the season opener in Australia on March 15th. The engines roar on the track in Spain from 9 a.m.

It reports: Christian Schenzel

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sport.de also accompanied the sixth and last day of testing in the live blog. You can read all the important information here:

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Why Red Bull can be optimistic

Binotto gives Ferrari a grade of 6/10

Ricciardo: Renault can’t drive under 1:16

sport.de also accompanied the sixth and last day of testing in the live blog. You can read all the important information here:

Related posts:

Share this:

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Leave a Comment Cancel reply