Vettel: “The benchmark remains Mercedes”

Sebastian Vettel hoisted the Ferrari SF15-T at the top of the timesheet at the end of the first day of testing in Jerez. With a time of 1'22"620, the quadruple world champion beat last year's benchmark (1'23"276 with the McLaren MP4-29 from Kevin Magnussen) and completed 60 laps without encountering any major problems. His closest opponent is Marcus Ericsson who finished one tenth of the car Italian.

The German was able to take advantage of his riding time to get used to his new mount. “I think it’s a good start”, commented Sebastian Vettel after the first day of testing in Jerez. “Many things are different like the steering or the steering wheel. This takes some getting used to. The car itself is also different. It's not the same philosophy and the same personnel behind this car, but I was able to use the break to make sure I felt comfortable. »

Sebastian Vettel did not hide his surprise to see the Mercedes W06 Hybrid also active during the first day of testing. “The reference remains Mercedes. They completed over 150 laps today and proved that they are starting with a reliable car. We hope they won't be as fast as last year, but we have to admit that they did a very good job. It would be a surprise if they weren't as competitive as last year. »

Sebastian Vettel will remain at the wheel of the SF15-T during the second day of testing before giving way to Kimi Räikkönen.

Discover the photos of the winter tests in Jerez by clicking on this link.