Vettel sets new benchmark in Barcelona

Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) set the best time on the morning of the last day of F1 winter testing in Barcelona, a time which has become the new benchmark for these tests.

Published on 01/03/2019 à 13:03

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The hitherto absolute reference signed in 1'16″231 by Charles Leclerc yesterday will not have lasted very long. The fault of Sebastian Vettel who had long laid the foundations for a potential improvement in the Monegasque's time, coming within a tenth of his teammate before beating the best time in the last half hour of this morning.

The four-time world champion has set the benchmark time since the start of the Barcelona test, by completing a lap in 1'16″221, in red C5 tires. That is ten thousandths better than Leclerc the day before, and enough to be ahead of the Mercedes W10 from Valtteri Bottas, also paved in C5.

Mercedes technical director James Allison said yesterday that the world champions would review the Pirelli line-up this Friday and focus on single-lap pace. Understand by this, that the hunt for the chrono was more or less launched by the German team, which Valtteri Bottas transformed into reality on the track, without however rising to the level of the SF90.

Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso) waited until the start of the last half hour to set his best time in 1'16″898 and move into 3rd place. Carlos Sainz (McLaren) is the last driver below the 1'17" lap mark this Friday morning, in 1'16"913. Both the Russian and the Spaniard also set their times on red C5 tires.

The classification is then completed by Romain Grosjean (Haas), the most diligent on the track (73 laps), Daniel Ricciardo (Renault) and Kimi Räikkönen (Alfa Romeo).

The Finn caused the only interruption of the session less than ten minutes from the checkerboard by stopping at the side of the track at turn 2, without the session resuming immediately. Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Sergio Pérez (Racing Point) and Robert Kubica, at the wheel of the FW42 far behind in terms of time, bring up the rear.