Sebastian Vettel set Ferrari’s hopes for the 2017 Formula One season soaring by blitzing the fastest time seen in Formula 1 pre-season testing in Barcelona on Thursday, his last day in the car before Free Practice 1 for the Australian Grand Prix on 24 March in Melbourne.
I the morning session, the German four-time F1 world champion clocked 1:19.024 despite appearing to ease off in the third sector of his fastest lap.
“Reports indicate that #Seb5 backed off: could he have set a 1:18s time? The fun and games have well and truly started!” tyre manufacturer Pirelli reported on Twitter.
No one went faster than Vettel during the afternoon, and no one went further than the 156 laps he covered during the course of the day. He no doubt leaves Barcelona on a high ahead of the season opener at the end of the month.
Somewhat worryingly for three-time defending champions Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton was three tenths slower on the same ultrasoft tyre compound used by Vettel.
Hamilton, though, may have been suffering the after effects of a long night as he celebrated Barcelona’s sensational Champions League comeback against Paris Saint-Germain with Barca star Neymar into the early hours in the Catalan capital.
McLaren’s miserable preparation for the season continued as electrical issues saw Belgian rookie Stoffel Vandoorne stop twice out on the track and in need of a tow back to the paddock.
Report in progress…
Barcelona Test Day 7, Thursday – Fastest Lap Times
| Driver | Team | Times | Laps | Tyres | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 1:19.024 | 156 | US |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:19.352 | 52 | US |
| 3 | Esteban Ocon | Force India-Mercedes | 1:20.161 | 137 | US |
| 4 | Daniil Kvyat | Toro Rosso-Renault | 1:20.416 | 94 | SS |
| 5 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | 1:20.504 | 119 | US |
| 6 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull-TAG Heuer | 1:20.824 | 128 | S |
| 7 | Stoffel Vandoorne | McLaren-Honda | 1:21.348 | 48 | US |
| 8 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1:21.819 | 95 | S |
| 9 | Pascal Wehrlein | Sauber-Ferrari | 1:22.347 | 44 | US |
| 10 | Jolyon Palmer | Renault | 1:22.418 | 53 | S |
| 11 | Marcus Ericsson | Sauber-Ferrari | 1:23.330 | 88 | S |
| 12 | Felipe Massa | Williams-Mercedes | 1:24.443 | 80 | M |
| 13 | Lance Stroll | Williams-Mercedes | 1:24.863 | 85 | S |
Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247
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