Räikkönen points his snout at the top of the timesheet

One Ferrari engine chases another at the top of the 2019 pre-season testing hierarchy. While the Team had dominated all of the Catalan races until Wednesday, he is a veteran of the house, Kimi Räikkönen, which is reported in the morning of the 3rd day of action on the track. 

And here's our lunchtime round-up, with #Kimi7 @SauberF1Team going quickest of anyone so far in this test… pic.twitter.com/eNuceQfnkh

- Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) February 20, 2019

The new Alfa driver sets a benchmark lap in 1:17.762 and is already getting closer to the best 2018 winter mark (a time of 1:17.182 signed by Sebastian Vettel in Hyper-Soft) while some initially thought that the new aerodynamic rules would slow down the cars significantly. 

Räikkönen completed the fastest of his 64 laps on Pirelli’s softest red C5 compound. The 2007 world champion precedes the Ferrari SF90 of his former teammate Vettel, which continues to run like clockwork – 80 laps on the clock. The German was running on the yellow C3 tires (medium) during his best attempt. 

The Top 3 on Wednesday morning is completed by the Renault RS19 Nico Hulkenberg. The German was equipped with C4 tires when he completed his most convincing lap on the 4,655 km Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. 

Just behind the best representative of Renault engines, we find two Honda engines with Daniil Kvyat in 4th place for Toro Rosso and the 5th time of Max Verstappen in Red Bull. The two bulls completed 81 laps between them for the Japanese manufacturer, 48 to the credit of the Russian and 33 for the Dutchman. 

Pietro Fittipaldi, test pilot Haas, is in 6th place aboard the Ferrari-powered VF-19. The young Brazilian had to get into the car at the last moment on Tuesday afternoon after Kevin Magnussen complained about a problem with the headrest that was causing pain in his neck. Victim of a mechanical incident in the middle of the session, the grandson of Emerson Fittipaldi still covered 48 laps.

McLaren made several changes on the MCL34 between Tuesday and Wednesday, which delayed the entry onto the track of Carlos Sainz, 8th this morning. The Spaniard also got a little scare with an inconsequential spin. 

The bottom of the timesheet is occupied by two engines Mercedes : that of the Racing Point 19 of Sergio Pérez, and that of the Mercedes W10 of Valtteri Bottas, the most dedicated driver on the track with 88 revolutions of the track nestled in the hills of Montmelo. 

The reigning five-time world champion team continues to evolve far from the front but has not yet sought to really chase down the clock. However, we could sense a hint of doubt in the declarations of Lewis Hamilton at midday when the Briton presented himself to the press. 

Finally, still no Williams in the Barcelona rankings but the FW42 finally arrived at the circuit early this morning and George Russell should debut it this afternoon. The third day of winter testing resumes from 14:00 p.m. and will still be followed in live commentary via our live-text.