Teams were greeted by warmer conditions and stunning Spanish sunshine as day three of the third and final winter test kicked off.
Conditions were much more favourable and the majority of those driving managed to get plenty of runs in. We saw a range of them too, from long stints and qualifying simulations. With it being the penultimate day of running before Australia, teams really started to show what they were made of.
After a few wet days in Barcelona, it was a busy old day of testing for the teams and drivers. Of course there were also plenty of problems to be ironed out too, one of the most dramatic moments of the test being when Felipe Massa's wheel nut and wheel detached from the car just after the fast turn nine, fortunately he managed to slow down and stop the car safely.
So who was driving in the car on the penultimate day of winter testing? Mark Webber (Red Bull), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Sergio Perez (McLaren), Romain Grosjean and Davide Valsecchi (Lotus), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber), Adrian Sutil (Force India), Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas (Williams), Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso), Giedo van der Garde (Caterham) and Jules Bianchi (Marussia).
There were two big talking points before the green flag was even waved for the start of the morning session. Firstly Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen had been struck down by food poisoning and will be unable to complete the test, Davide Valsecchi covered for him in the morning and Grosjean returned to the track for the afternoon.
Secondly Luiz Razia was no longer a Marussia F1 Team driver. A problem with his sponsorship investment meant that he was dropped from the Banbury based squad, being swiftly replaced by Force India reject Jules Bianchi. The Frenchman had his first run in the car on Saturday.
After a busy day of running, Lewis Hamilton ended day three of the final winter test on top. The Mercedes W04 looked fast, despite both drivers downplaying its pace. The Brit completed 117 laps on route to a fastest time of 1m20.558 on the Soft compound Pirelli rubber.
Numerous rivals of the Brackley based team have praised the team for their fast looking car, and with the final two days being so important it looks like fuel loads were coming down. Hamilton's time was hugely impressive; a full seven tenths clear of Felipe Massa in second.
The Brazilian, as mentioned above, had a scary moment when his tyre detached itself from the car on the run to turn 10. It was a strange moment but one that fortunately ended swiftly and without damage to both car and driver.
Massa's time was set on the Super Soft tyre, completing 94 laps over the course of the day. Adrian Sutil showed some strong pace on his return to Formula 1 in the Force India, ending the day third fastest. He was a second off Hamilton, on the Soft tyre, and completed well over 100 laps.
Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas both spent time in the FW35, Maldonado piloting the car for the morning session and Bottas taking over the reins in the afternoon. Both drivers only managed lap counts in the 30's, finishing 1.7 and 1.9 seconds down respectively.
Esteban Gutierrez was at the wheel of the Sauber C32 once again, completing yet more miles in the car. Sauber's 2013 machine looked reliable and saw the Mexican complete 99 laps. Mark Webber was next up in the Red Bull, the Aussie's best time of 1m22.658 was just over two seconds down on Hamilton in his Mercedes. He completed 58 laps behind the wheel of the RB9, one of the lowest lap counts of the day.
Sergio Perez and Jean-Eric Vergne both surpassed the 100 lap mark, "Checo" eventually setting the eighth fastest time. Vergne looked consistent at best and set his best time on the Super Soft.
Romain Grosjean looked to be returning home on Friday night, but was called back to complete the teams test program after team-mate Kimi Raikkonen fell ill with food poisoning. The Frenchman was absent for the morning session whilst he travelled back to Barcelona, giving new Lotus reserve driver Davide Valsecchi a chance to pilot the E21.
Grosjean completed 46 laps in the afternoon, his best lap being nearly three seconds shy of Hamilton. However he managed some dry running, after admitting the wet and cold conditions of Thursday and Friday were far from ideal. Valsecchi completed 16 laps in the 2013 car and managed to finish just behind Grosjean on the time sheets.
It had been a whirlwind few days for Jules Bianchi. After losing out on the second Force India seat to Adrian Sutil, he was left without a drive. However problems with Razia's Marussia contract meant it was terminated, giving the Frenchman another bite at the F1 cherry.
On his first day in the MR02, he completed 74 laps and concentrated mainly on getting comfortable and familiar with the car. Giedo van der Garde rounded out the 13 drivers who set a lap time, completing 126 laps in the CR02.
The margin between first and 13th was dramatically cut to just 3.6 seconds.
Teams have just one day left to test their 2013 cars and prepare for Melbourne. There is no doubt now that Mercedes look strong but we will have to wait and see where everyone fits in when F1 moves to Australia.
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| (c) Sky Sports F1 |
After a few wet days in Barcelona, it was a busy old day of testing for the teams and drivers. Of course there were also plenty of problems to be ironed out too, one of the most dramatic moments of the test being when Felipe Massa's wheel nut and wheel detached from the car just after the fast turn nine, fortunately he managed to slow down and stop the car safely.
So who was driving in the car on the penultimate day of winter testing? Mark Webber (Red Bull), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Sergio Perez (McLaren), Romain Grosjean and Davide Valsecchi (Lotus), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber), Adrian Sutil (Force India), Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas (Williams), Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso), Giedo van der Garde (Caterham) and Jules Bianchi (Marussia).
There were two big talking points before the green flag was even waved for the start of the morning session. Firstly Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen had been struck down by food poisoning and will be unable to complete the test, Davide Valsecchi covered for him in the morning and Grosjean returned to the track for the afternoon.
Secondly Luiz Razia was no longer a Marussia F1 Team driver. A problem with his sponsorship investment meant that he was dropped from the Banbury based squad, being swiftly replaced by Force India reject Jules Bianchi. The Frenchman had his first run in the car on Saturday.After a busy day of running, Lewis Hamilton ended day three of the final winter test on top. The Mercedes W04 looked fast, despite both drivers downplaying its pace. The Brit completed 117 laps on route to a fastest time of 1m20.558 on the Soft compound Pirelli rubber.
Numerous rivals of the Brackley based team have praised the team for their fast looking car, and with the final two days being so important it looks like fuel loads were coming down. Hamilton's time was hugely impressive; a full seven tenths clear of Felipe Massa in second.
The Brazilian, as mentioned above, had a scary moment when his tyre detached itself from the car on the run to turn 10. It was a strange moment but one that fortunately ended swiftly and without damage to both car and driver.
Massa's time was set on the Super Soft tyre, completing 94 laps over the course of the day. Adrian Sutil showed some strong pace on his return to Formula 1 in the Force India, ending the day third fastest. He was a second off Hamilton, on the Soft tyre, and completed well over 100 laps.
Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas both spent time in the FW35, Maldonado piloting the car for the morning session and Bottas taking over the reins in the afternoon. Both drivers only managed lap counts in the 30's, finishing 1.7 and 1.9 seconds down respectively.
Esteban Gutierrez was at the wheel of the Sauber C32 once again, completing yet more miles in the car. Sauber's 2013 machine looked reliable and saw the Mexican complete 99 laps. Mark Webber was next up in the Red Bull, the Aussie's best time of 1m22.658 was just over two seconds down on Hamilton in his Mercedes. He completed 58 laps behind the wheel of the RB9, one of the lowest lap counts of the day.
Sergio Perez and Jean-Eric Vergne both surpassed the 100 lap mark, "Checo" eventually setting the eighth fastest time. Vergne looked consistent at best and set his best time on the Super Soft.
Romain Grosjean looked to be returning home on Friday night, but was called back to complete the teams test program after team-mate Kimi Raikkonen fell ill with food poisoning. The Frenchman was absent for the morning session whilst he travelled back to Barcelona, giving new Lotus reserve driver Davide Valsecchi a chance to pilot the E21.
Grosjean completed 46 laps in the afternoon, his best lap being nearly three seconds shy of Hamilton. However he managed some dry running, after admitting the wet and cold conditions of Thursday and Friday were far from ideal. Valsecchi completed 16 laps in the 2013 car and managed to finish just behind Grosjean on the time sheets.
It had been a whirlwind few days for Jules Bianchi. After losing out on the second Force India seat to Adrian Sutil, he was left without a drive. However problems with Razia's Marussia contract meant it was terminated, giving the Frenchman another bite at the F1 cherry.
On his first day in the MR02, he completed 74 laps and concentrated mainly on getting comfortable and familiar with the car. Giedo van der Garde rounded out the 13 drivers who set a lap time, completing 126 laps in the CR02. The margin between first and 13th was dramatically cut to just 3.6 seconds.
Teams have just one day left to test their 2013 cars and prepare for Melbourne. There is no doubt now that Mercedes look strong but we will have to wait and see where everyone fits in when F1 moves to Australia.
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