Barcelona Tests 2020
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Discover the analysis of the second week of winter testing carried out by our special correspondents in issue 2257 of AUTOhebdo, available from Monday evening in digital version on all platforms, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.
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Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) did not beat his time from the previous week, but the Finn still finished first in the F1 winter tests on the Catalunya circuit (Spain). The W11 was credited with a time of 1'16''196, almost half a second from its previous performance achieved last Friday.
Red Bull also showed good things since Max Verstappen (Red Bull) is closest to the reference with less than 8 hundredths behind. The Dutchman is the only driver in the Top 5 not to have used the C5 rubber (the softest) to establish his benchmark and he seemed to be able to take first place since he took his foot off during his last attempt towards the finish line.
Daniel Ricciardo (Renault) completes the top three, 7 thousandths behind the RB16, the Australian having only driven in the first part of the session before giving way to his teammate Esteban Ocon.
With 177 laps on the clock, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was the most diligent on the track. The Monegasque precedes Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).
Sergio Pérez (Racing Point) was not idle either. The Mexican precedes the McLaren of Carlos Sainz Jr while both drivers have exceeded the 150 lap mark. George Russell (Williams) follows in 9th place ahead of Daniil Kvyat (AlphaTauri), Romain Grosjean (Haas) and Kimi Räikkönen (Alfa Romeo).
Kevin Magnussen (Haas) and Alexander Albon (Red Bull) complete the rankings, the Dane having only been able to cover 25 laps following a clutch problem.
F1 will resume on March 15 with the Australian GP contested at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne.
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The rankings from the last day of winter testing in Barcelona:
17h
It's 18 p.m. and it's the end of winter testing for the 2020 season! Bottas (Mercedes) maintains the best time of the week with his lap completed in 1'16"196.
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Verstappen (Red Bull) seemed able to take the best time, but the Dutchman braked before the finish line. A traditional custom of winter testing.
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Verstappen (Red Bull) came out of the pits. Bottas (Mercedes), Russell (Williams), Kvyat (AlphaTauri) and Magnussen (Haas) are on the track.
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Verstappen (Red Bull) waits in the garage with soft tires fitted to the RB16…
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Bottas (Mercedes) replaces Magnussen (Haas) on the track, but it is with a set of C2 tires that he sets off. Will the chornos play less than 20 minutes from the checkered flag?
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Verstappen (Red Bull) returned to the garage this time. Bottas (Mercedes) is on track with Leclerc (Ferrari), Russell (Williams) and Kvyat (AlphaTauri).
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Verstappen (Red Bull) immediately returns to the track after practicing a standing start at the pit exit.
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Verstappen (Red Bull) misses the last chicane and chooses to return to the pits.
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Verstappen (Red Bull) misses the reference time of Bottas (Mercedes) by 73 thousandths behind. The Dutchman finds himself 2nd with 7 thousandths ahead of Ricciardo. However, the RB16 is fitted with C4 tires while the first 4 times were set on C5 rubber, Pirelli's softest.
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Bottas (Mercedes) clearly seems to be on racing pace and is more than 3s away from his best performance.
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Bottas (Mercedes) took over the track which he only shares with Russell (Williams). The Finn is on C3 tires.
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Bottas (Mercedes) is reinstalled in the W11 and should soon return to the track. Verstappen (Red Bull) came out of the pits to join Russell (Williams) who will pass the 120 lap mark.
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Verstappen (Red Bull) was ahead of Bottas' time (Mercedes) with almost a tenth ahead in the first sector, but the Dutchman cut his effort before the finish line.
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Leclerc (Ferrari) and Verstappen (Red Bull) join Russell (Williams) on the track. Alfa Romeo appears to have concluded its winter testing program.
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Sainz Jr (McLaren) is back on the track. The Spaniard exceeded the 140 lap mark on the MCL35 this Friday.
We're back out for the final hour of #F1Testing. Let's go, Carlos! pic.twitter.com/lpBz3hU5IC
- McLaren (@ McLarenF1) February 28, 2020
16h
Leclerc (Ferrari) is still the most diligent on the track with more than 150 laps covered one hour before the end of practice. It's Bottas (Mercedes) who keeps the lead in the rankings with a lap of 1'16"1, more than 4 tenths off his best performance with the W11 on the Catalunya circuit.
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Almost an hour from the end of practice, Pérez (Racing Point) is the only one on track.
Alfa Romeo practices pit stops.
