Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #4 - Re-Cap & Times

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #4 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Kimi Raikkonen topped the times on a red flag ridden final day of testing. A number of teams, including Ferrari suffered mechanical problems as the teams headed onto the track for the last time before Melbourne.

    As has become the norm, the early part of the session was where most of the fastest lap times came. Lance Stroll, Nico Hulkenberg, and Max Verstappen each topped the times at points, but nobody was able to beat the 1:18.634 Raikkonen was able to set.

    The first red flag of the day came an hour and a half into the first session, when Romain Grosjean ran into the gravel at turn 5. It wouldn’t be the last time the Haas driver ran into trouble. He stopped on the back straight just before the lunch break, bringing out the red flag again.

    Unsurprisingly, the Honda powered McLaren fell into trouble again. Fernando Alonso had completed less than 20 laps when he stopped on track due to the same electrical issue that had caused problems for Stoffel Vandoorne yesterday, even though the team had changed parts of the power unit and chassis overnight. Alonso did manage to get back out before the end of the session, only to stop almost immediately.

    The team seemed to clear up the problem by the afternoon, as Alonso was able to get back out. He managed to complete 43 laps before the end of the day.

    McLaren weren’t the only driver to have limited morning running. Max Verstappen in the Red Bull hadn’t been out much after his pitch for the top spot early in the session. That was because Red Bull were fixing a turbo issue on the car, but the teenager was still able to get out in the afternoon. By that point, though, he’d already set the second fastest time of the day and Red Bull’s fastest time of the test.

    Anybody watching the timing screens would have had a less exciting afternoon, as many of the teams began race simulations again, but the simulations were disturbed by red flags. None from McLaren this time though.

    Raikkonen was the first to bring out the red flag in the afternoon. The Ferrari was on a race simulation when it suffered a problem. Raikkonen moved onto the unused part of the circuit to try and return to the pits, only to lock the rear wheels and spin at the unused chicane.

    Carlos Sainz was the culprit for the sixth and final red flag of the day as he stopped on the start finish straight after setting the third fastest time earlier in the day.

    Mercedes had a quiet day, with their two drivers finishing fourth and fifth by the end of the day with just over 100 laps between them, but the German team still heads to Australia favourites.

TIMES:

1. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:18.634 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 110 Laps
2. Max Verstappen - 1:19.438 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / 70 Laps
3. Carlos Sainz - 1:19.837 / Toro Rosso-Renault / 131 Laps
4. Valtteri Bottas (AM) - 1:19.845 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 53 Laps
5. Lewis Hamilton (PM) - 1:19.850 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 53 Laps
6. Nico Hulkenberg (AM) - 1:19.885 / Renault-Renault / 45 Laps
7. Sergio Perez - 1:20.116 / Force India-Mercedes / 138 Laps
8. Jolyon Palmer (PM) – 1:20.205 / Renault-Renault / 43 Laps
9. Lance Stroll - 1:20.335 / Williams-Mercedes / 132 Laps
10. Romain Grosjean - 1:21.110 / Haas-Ferrari / 76 Laps
11. Fernando Alonso - 1:21.389 / McLaren-Honda / 43 Laps
12. Marcus Ericsson (AM) - 1:21.670 / Sauber-Ferrari / 59 Laps
13. Pascal Wehrlein (PM) - 1:23.527 / Sauber-Ferrari / 42 Laps

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #4 - Line-Up

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #4 - LINE-UP

Mercedes-Mercedes: Valtteri Bottas (AM) / Lewis Hamilton (PM)*

Ferrari-Ferrari: Kimi Raikkonen

Red Bull-TAG-HEUER: Max Verstappen

Williams-Mercedes: Lance Stroll

Renault-Renault: Nico Hulkenberg (AM) / Jolyon Palmer (PM)*

McLaren-Honda: Fernando Alonso

Toro Rosso-Renault: Carlos Sainz

Force India-Mercedes: Sergio Perez

Sauber-Ferrari: Marcus Ericsson (AM) / Pascal Wehrlein (PM)*

Haas-Ferrari: Romain Grosjean

* - Notes drivers are sharing testing duties

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Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #3 - Re-Cap & Times

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    It was Sebastian Vettel who took Ferrari to the top of the time sheets on day 3 of the second pre-season test. Vettel wasted no time and racked up a total 153 laps over the 8 hour session. His fastest time was 1:19.024 and that kept him safe from being knocked from the top.

    Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas also made the most of their shared running times. Hamilton took the AM session and set the second fastest time of the day before Bottas took over in the afternoon and finished in 8th with a 1:21.819.

    McLaren suffered from more car issues, with Vandoorne's car stopping not once but twice in the AM session due to an electrical malfunction. This hampered Vandoorne's overall running for the day. However, the young Belgian driver still set the 7th fastest tie of the day and managed 48 laps total.

    Palmer and Kvyat also experienced less-than-perfect situations with their cars stopping on track and causing delays in running. This raises worry and questioning about how well the Renault engines will perform when the season starts in Melbourne. Hulkenberg was supposed to take over in the afternoon for the Renault team but plans were changed.

    Esteban Ocon continues to do well for his new team. The Rookie set the third fastest time for Force India with a 1:20.161. He also competed 137 laps. This is one of Force India's best results in this year's pre-season testing, so-far.

TIMES:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:19.024 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 153 Laps

2. Lewis Hamilton (AM) - 1:19.352 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 52 Laps

3. Esteban Ocon - 1:20.161 / Force India-Mercedes / 137 Laps

4. Daniil Kvyat - 1:20.416 / Toro Rosso-Renault / 94 Laps

5. Kevin Magnussen - 1:20.504 / Haas-Ferrari / 117 Laps

6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:20.824 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / 127 Laps

7. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:21.348 / McLaren-Honda / 48 Laps

8. Valtteri Bottas (PM) - 1:21.819 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 95 Laps

9. Pascal Wehrlein (PM) - 1:22.347 / Sauber-Ferrari / 44 Laps

10. Jolyon Palmer - 1:22.418 / Renault-Renault / 53 Laps

11. Marcus Ericsson (AM) - 1:23.330 / Sauber-Ferrari / 88 Laps

12. Felipe Massa (PM) - 1:24.443 / Williams-Mercedes / 77 Laps

13. Lance Stroll (AM) - 1:24.863 / Williams-Mercedes / 85 Laps

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Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #3 - Line-Up

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #3 - LINE-UP

Mercedes-Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton (AM) / Valtteri Bottas (PM)*

Ferrari-Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel

Red Bull-TAG-Heuer: Daniel Ricciardo

Williams-Mercedes: Lance Stroll (AM) / Felipe Massa (PM)*

Renault-Renault: Jolyon Palmer

McLaren-Honda: Stoffel Vandoorne

Toro Rosso-Renault: Daniil Kvyat

Force India-Mercedes: Esteban Ocon

Sauber-Ferrari: Marcus Ericsson (AM) / Pascal Wehrlein (PM)*

Haas-Ferrari: Kevin Magnussen

* - Notes drivers are sharing testing duties

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Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #2 - Re-Cap & Times

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Mercedes’ biggest rivals, Ferrari and Red Bull, battled problems on the second day of the second preseason test, whilst Valtteri Bottas topped the times.

    Bottas set the bar high early in the day, leaving the pits at the start of the morning session to run fast laps, but he still had to fend off Williams’ Felipe Massa, Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen as they both set times to challenge the Finn’s. He eventually ended the spat top with a time of 1:19.310, which wouldn’t be beaten through the rest of the day, though Massa did come close.

    Noticeable for their absence from the battle were Ferrari. Kimi Raikkonen had been out early on in the session, but spent two hours in the pits as the team conducted fluid system checks. Raikkonen did managed to get back out before the end of the session.

    Red Bull were also having problems. Verstappen was granted an extended lunch break as the team changed his Renault engine. Four hours later, he managed to get back on track and began a race simulation. Two laps before the end of the simulation, Verstappen stopped in the run off at turn 12, the same problem the team had seen in the morning reoccurring.

    Raikkonen’s off was a little more spectacular. The Finn span at the exit to turn three and hit the barrier. The Ferrari was left with a damaged front wing and left front suspension, bringing an end to the team’s day, but that wasn’t before Raikkonen managed to set the third fastest time of the day.

    The afternoon session mainly saw team’s focus on longer stints, with Hamilton completing 20 laps on ultrasoft tyres. One team that didn’t put too many laps in were McLaren. Though there were no obvious problems for the team for most of the day, the team still conducted less laps than any other.

TIMES:

1. Valtteri Bottas (AM) - 1:19.310 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 70 Laps
2. Felipe Massa (AM) - 1:19.420 / Williams-Mercedes / 63 Laps
3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:20.406 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 53 Laps 
4. Max Verstappen - 1:20.432 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / 102 Laps
5. Lance Stroll (PM) – 1:20.579 / Williams-Mercedes / 59 Laps
6. Lewis Hamilton (PM) - 1:20.702 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 79 Laps
7. Nico Hulkenberg (AM) - 1:21.213 / Renault-Renault / 61 Laps
8. Sergio Perez  - 1:21.297 / Force India-Mercedes / 100 Laps
9. Carlos Sainz - 1:21.872 / Toro Rosso-Renault / 92 Laps
10. Romain Grosjean - 1:21.887 / Haas-Ferrari / 96 Laps
11. Pascal Wehrlein (AM) - 1:23.000 / Sauber-Ferrari / 59 Laps
12. Fernando Alonso - 1:23.041 / McLaren-Honda / 46 Laps
13. Marcus Ericsson (PM) - 1:23.384 / Sauber-Ferrari / 46 Laps
14. Jolyon Palmer (PM) - 1:24.774 / Renault-Renault / 29 Laps

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Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #2 - Line-Up

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #2 - LINE-UP

Mercedes-Mercedes: Valtteri Bottas (AM) / Lewis Hamilton (PM)*

Ferrari-Ferrari: Kimi Raikkonen

Red Bull-TAG-Heuer: Max Verstappen

Williams-Mercedes: Felipe Massa (AM) / Lance Stroll (PM)*

Renault-Renault: Nico Hulkenberg (AM) / Jolyon Palmer (PM)*

McLaren-Honda: Fernando Alonso

Toro Rosso-Renault: Carlos Sainz

Force India-Mercedes: Sergio Perez

Sauber-Ferrari: Pascal Wehrlein (AM) / Marcus Ericsson (PM)*

Haas-Ferrari: Romain Grosjean

* - Notes drivers are sharing testing duties

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Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #1 - Re-Cap & Times

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    It was Williams on top of the time sheets at the end of day 1 of the second pre-season test. Felipe massa set the fastest time of the day; a 1:19.726. Stroll was originally supposed to run in the car but the driver line-up was changed after Massa missed out on some running in the first test due to the team missing the 4th and final day due to chassis damage.

    McLaren faced more issues and another engine change, making it a rough day for Vandoorne, who was in charge of testing duties for the day. Despite the engine problems, he still managed 80 laps and the 10th fastest time. 

    McLaren wasn't the only team to have to replace an engine. Renault had problems with a faulty sensor and ended up needing to replace their engine as well. Palmer was behind the wheel in the AM session and then when Hulkenberg took over in the afternoon, the car stopped on track. Not a good start to testing for the team.

    Pascal Wehrlein was finally able to drive after missing the first test due to recovering from back and neck injuries sustained in the Race Of Champions, when his car flipped over. He split the day with Ericsson and both drivers racked up over 40 laps each.

    Mercedes had a few issues during running as well, when Hamilton confirmed the floor of the car was broken, which made getting quick times hard. Despite this, he still set the 4th fastest time, before Bottas took over in the afternoon and set the 5th fastest, just behind Hamilton. Together, they completed a total of 135 laps.

TIMES:

1. Felipe Massa - 1:19.726 / Williams-Mercedes / 168 Laps

2. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:19.900 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / 89 Laps

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:19.906 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 168 Laps 

4. Lewis Hamilton (AM) - 1:20.456 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 49 Laps

5. Valtteri Bottas (PM) - 1:20.924 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 86 Laps

6. Esteban Ocon - 1:21.347 / Force India-Mercedes / 142 Laps

7. Nico Hulkenberg (PM) - 1:21.589 / Renault-Renault / 57 Laps

8. Kevin Magnussen - 1:21.676 / Haas-Ferrari / 81 Laps

9. Daniil Kvyat - 1:21.743 / Toro Rosso-Renault / 83 Laps

10. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:22.537 / McLaren-Honda / 80 Laps

11. Pascal Wehrlein (AM) - 1:23.336 / Sauber-Ferrari / 47 Laps

12. Marcus Ericsson (PM) - 1:23.630 / Sauber-Ferrari / 53 Laps

13. Jolyon Palmer - 1:24.790 / Renault-Renault / 15 Laps

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Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #1 - Line-Up

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #1 - LINE-UP

Mercedes-Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton (AM) / Valtteri Bottas (PM)*

Ferrari-Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel

Red Bull-TAG-Heuer: Daniel Ricciardo

Williams-Mercedes: Felipe Massa 

Renault-Renault: Jolyon Palmer (AM) / Nico Hulkenberg (PM)*

McLaren-Honda: Stoffel Vandoorne

Toro Rosso-Renault: Daniil Kvyat

Force India-Mercedes: Esteban Ocon

Sauber-Ferrari: Pascal Wehrlein (AM) / Marcus Ericsson (PM)*

Haas-Ferrari: Kevin Magnussen

* - Notes drivers are sharing testing duties

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Pre-Season Test #1 - Day #4 - Re-Cap & Times

PRE-SEASON TEST #1 - DAY #4 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    The last day of testing was quite an interesting one for the teams, as the circuit was artificially rained on by massive trucks. This was so the drivers could do a partial wet tyre test for Pirelli. The track was made wet in the morning and then a second time during the lunch break.

    Williams missed the last day of running due to chassis damage that happened during Lance Stroll's crash on the previous day. While the team was not about blaming Stroll, it still wasn't the best start to the pre-season for the Rookie.

    Mercedes missed most of the AM session due to an electrical issue. Lewis Hamilton opted out of running as there wasn't much time left before the lunch break and he felt he wouldn't be learning very much. Bottas got into the car for the PM session and managed 68 laps and the 8th quickest time on the board.

    Toro Rosso also encountered issues after Daniil Kvyat went out for his installation lap and never returned to the track. The team changed their engine but the day was over for them, meaning neither Kvyat or Sainz got to do any laps. It was a day of progress lost.

    As for McLaren, things were finally starting to turn around. Stoffel Vandoorne returned to the MCL32 and did a total of 66 laps and set the 7th quickest time with a 1:22.576, just slightly behind Perez's time in the Force India.

    It was Ferrari who ended the day on top, with Kimi Raikkonen setting the fastest time; a 1:20.872. The Fin also completed a total of 93 laps.

TIMES:

1. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:20.872 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 93 Laps

2. Max Verstappen - 1:21.769 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / 85 Laps

3. Jolyon Palmer (PM) - 1:21.778 / Renault-Renault / 39 Laps

4. Romain Grosjean - 1:22.309 / Haas-Ferrari / 118 Laps

5. Antonio Giovinazzi* - 1:22.401 / Sauber-Ferrari / 84 Laps

6. Sergio Perez - 1:22.534 / Force India-Mercedes / 82 Laps

7. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:22.576 / McLaren-Honda / 66 Laps

8. Valtteri Bottas - 1:23.443 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 68 Laps

9. Nico Hulkenberg (AM) - 1:24.974 / Renault-Renault / 51 Laps

10. Daniil Kvyat (AM) - No Time Set / Toro Rosso-Renault / 1 Lap

* - Notes Giovinazzi is filling in for Pascal Wehrlein

Note: Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton were scheduled to run but did not due to car issues.

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Pre-Season Test #1 - Day #4 - Line-Up

PRE-SEASON TEST #1 - DAY #4 - LINE-UP

Mercedes-Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton (AM) / Valtteri Bottas (PM)*

Ferrari-Ferrari: Kimi Raikkonen

Red Bull-TAG-Heuer: Max Verstappen

Williams-Mercedes: NOT RUNNING***

Renault-Renault: Nico Hulkenberg

McLaren-Honda: Stoffel Vandoorne

Toro Rosso-Renault: Daniil Kvyat (AM) / Carlos Sainz (PM)*

Force India-Mercedes: Sergio Perez

Sauber-Ferrari: Antonio Giovinazzi**

Haas-Ferrari: Romain Grosjean

* - Notes drivers are sharing testing duties

** - Notes Antonio Giovinazzi is filling in for injured Pascal Wehrlein

*** - Williams not running due to chassis damage after Stroll's crash on Day 3

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Pre-Season Test #1 - Day #3 - Re-Cap & Times

PRE-SEASON TEST #1 - DAY #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas topped the timings in the third day of preseason testing, setting a time 0.25s faster than Ferrari’s best of the day.

    Mercedes continued the test as they have the previous two days, splitting the duties with Bottas taking the morning session before Lewis Hamilton took over in the afternoon to complete race runs.

    Most of the teams spent the morning focusing on aero runs, trying to determine just what the wider tyres are doing to the airflow.

    The session was repeatedly stopped when driver mistakes brought out the red flag. The first stoppage was caused by Jolyon Palmer, when he ran his Renault into the gravel on an out lap.

    Just as the chequered flag fell for lunch, Williams’ Lance Stroll fell into trouble.

    Williams changed their driver line up for the day following Stroll’s incident in Tuesday’s session that saw the team miss out on almost an entire day’s worth of running.

    The rookie parked the car in the gravel. He appeared to be not completely confident in the car, trying to correct mistakes that the car can sort for itself.

    The “over driving” caused problems later in the day when he lost the rear of the car at the exit of turn five and span into the barrier, bringing out the red flag again and ending his running. The Canadian managed to get a few more laps in than he did on Tuesday, completing nearly 100 laps before his collision.

    McLaren had a stress free day. After engine problems caused them trouble on both of the previous day’s testing, the team will have been thankful they could complete their programme without any apparent signs of trouble. Though Fernando Alonso was rarely high on the timing screen, he did manage to complete a full 72 laps over the course of the day.

TIMES:

1. Valtteri Bottas (AM) - 1:19.705 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 75 Laps
2. Sebastian Vettel - 1:19.952 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 139 Laps
3. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:21.153 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / 70 Laps
4. Jolyon Palmer (AM) - 1:21.396 / Renault-Renault / 51 Laps
5. Nico Hulkenberg (PM) – 1:21.791 / Renault-Renault / 42 Laps
6. Marcus Ericsson - 1:21.824 / Sauber-Ferrari / 126 Laps
7. Lewis Hamilton (PM) - 1:22.090 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 95 Laps
8. Romain Grosjean - 1:22.118 / Haas-Ferrari / 56 Laps
9. Lance Stroll - 1:22.351 / Williams-Mercedes / 98 Laps
10. Fernando Alonso - 1:22.598 / McLaren-Honda / 72 Laps
11. Carlos Sainz (PM) - 1:23.540 / Toro Rosso-Renault / 32 Laps
12. Alfonso Celis - 1:23.568 / Force India-Mercedes / 71 Laps
13. Daniil Kvyat (AM) - 1:23.952 / Toro Rosso-Renault / 31 Laps

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Pre-Season Test #1 - Day #3 - Line-Up

PRE-SEASON TEST #1 - DAY #3 - LINE-UP

Mercedes-Mercedes: Valtteri Bottas (AM) / Lewis Hamilton (PM)*

Ferrari-Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel

Red Bull-TAG-Heuer: Daniel Ricciardo

Williams-Mercedes: Lance Stroll

Renault-Renault: Jolyon Palmer (AM) / Nico Hulkenberg (PM)*

McLaren-Honda: Fernando Alonso 

Toro Rosso-Renault: Daniil Kvyat (AM) / Carlos Sainz (PM)*

Force India-Mercedes: Alfonso Celis Jr.

Sauber-Ferrari: Marcus Ericsson

Haas-Ferrari: Romain Grosjean

* - Notes drivers are sharing testing duties

** - Notes Antonio Giovinazzi is filling in for injured Pascal Wehrlein

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Pre-Season Test #1 - Day #2 - Re-Cap & Times

PRE-SEASON TEST #1 - DAY #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Day two of testing got off to another shaky start for McLaren, this time with rookie, Stoffel Vandoorne, behind the wheel. While Vandoorne was at no fault, it was another Honda engine problem, resulting in another engine change for the team, hampering their progress for the day.

    Antonio Giovinazzi got to take the Sauber out as he filled in for an injured Pascal Wehrlein, who is recovering after crashing during the annual Race Of Champions. He placed 9th in the final standings of the day - with a total of 67 laps. Giovinazzi missed most of the AM session while Sauber had some troubles with mechanical issues.

    Another rookie, Lance Stroll, only managed 12 laps before a spin caused a broken part that the team was unable to fix during the rest of the session. The spin caused a brief red flag before the session was able to resume.

    Esteban Ocon also faced issues when the Force India came to a smoking halt on track in the later part of the AM session. Despite this, Ocon was still 5th fastest at the end of the day with a 1:22.509. This was the second red flag of the day, the first being for Stroll, who spun

    It was Ferrari on top of the time sheets with Kimi Raikkonen taking that top spot with a 1:20.960. Hamilton was close behind after his stint in the morning session, before Bottas took over for the afternoon. Bottas had a mild collision into the barriers but was uninjured. However, it cost him getting into the top 5 times for the day.

TIMES:

1. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:20.960 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 108 Laps

2. Lewis Hamilton (AM) - 1:20.983 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 66 Laps

3. Max Verstappen - 1:22.200 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / 89 Laps

4. Kevin Magnussen - 1:22.204 / Haas-Ferrari / 118 Laps

5. Esteban Ocon - 1:22.509 / Force India-Mercedes / 86 Laps

6. Daniil Kvyat - 1:22.956 / Toro Rosso-Renault / 68 Laps

7. Valtteri Bottas (PM) - 1:22.986 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 101 Laps

8. Jolyon Palmer - 1:24.139 / Renault-Renault / 53 Laps

9. Antonio Giovinazzi* - 1:24.627 / Sauber-Ferrari / 66 Laps

10. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:25.600 / McLaren-Honda / 40 Laps

11. Lance Stroll - 1:26.040 / Williams-Mercedes / 12 Laps

* - Notes Giovinazzi is filling in for Pascal Wehrlein

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Pre-Season Test #1 - Day #2 - Line-Up

PRE-SEASON TEST #1 - DAY #2 - LINE-UP

Mercedes-Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton (AM) / Valtteri Bottas (PM)*

Ferrari-Ferrari: Kimi Raikkonen

Red Bull-TAG-Heuer: Max Verstappen

Williams-Mercedes: Lance Stroll

Renault-Renault: Jolyon Palmer

McLaren-Honda: Stoffel Vandoorne

Toro Rosso-Renault: Daniil Kvyat

Force India-Mercedes: Esteban Ocon

Sauber-Ferrari: Antonio Giovinazzi**

Haas-Ferrari: Kevin Magnussen

* - Notes drivers are sharing testing duties

** - Notes Antonio Giovinazzi is filling in for injured Pascal Wehrlein

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Pre-Season Test #1 - Day #1 - Re-Cap & Times

I

PRE-SEASON TEST #1 - DAY #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton topped the timing screens on the first day of running in 2017, whilst Red Bull and McLaren suffered technical problems.

    Hamilton took over from new teammate Valtteri Bottas for the afternoon session, the Mercedes sporting a new fin with a slot that is understood to be a exit duct for hot air.

    The Brit ran 73 laps, just a few less than Bottas had during the morning session, to set a time of 1:21.765 on the new soft tyres.

    Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari also looked to be happy, completing lap after lap on the Barcelona track and finishing the day second on the timings with over a hundred laps under his belt.

    Whilst it’s not possible to read too much into the times set today, with different teams running different programmes to get to grips with their new cars, we can learn some things from today’s test.

    This was the first time we got to see the new shark fins in action. It was noted that the aero device on the Williams, and other teams, were unstable and wobbled. This could be a problem if they’re not considered a “stable aerodynamic device”, which would be illegal and inefficient.

    Shark fins weren’t the only thing causing problems.

    McLaren’s Fernando Alonso completed an entire lap in the morning session before having to return to the garage due to an oil system issue. The Spaniard managed to get back onto the track in the afternoon, only to come back into the pits at a crawling pace a few minutes later. He did eventually manage to come back out, setting nearly 30 laps in total to set the 10th fastest time of the day.

    Red Bull also battled technical issues. Daniel Ricciardo brought out the first red flag of 2017 when he stopped on track due to sensor issues. In the afternoon session, battery issues halted the team’s running. Ricciardo managed to complete 50 laps to set to fifth fastest time.

TIMES/LAPS

1. Lewis Hamilton (PM) - 1:21.765 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 73 Laps
2. Sebastian Vettel – 1:21.878 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 127 Laps
3. Felipe Massa - 1:22.076 / Williams-Mercedes / 103 Laps
4. Kevin Magnussen - 1:22.894 / Haas-Ferrari / 50 Laps
5. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:22.926 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / 48 Laps
6. Valtteri Bottas (AM) - 1:23.169 - Mercedes-Mercedes / 79 Laps
7. Sergio Perez - 1:23.709 / Force India-Mercedes / 39 Laps
8. Carlos Sainz - 1:24.494 / Toro Rosso-Renault / 51 Laps
9. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:24.784 / Renault-Renault / 57 Laps
10. Fernando Alonso – 1:24.852 / McLaren-Honda / 29 Laps
11. Marcus Ericsson – 1:26.841 / Sauber-Ferrari / 72 Laps

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Follow us on Twitter @Bethonie_Boost & @F1Insider78

In-Season Test 1 - (Barcelona) Day 2 / Line-Up

IN-SEASON TESTING / DAY 2 / LINE-UP

Mercedes-Mercedes: Pascal Wehrlein

Ferrari-Ferrari: Antonio Fuoco

Red Bull-TAG-HEUER: Max Verstappen

Williams-Mercedes: Felipe Massa

Force India-Mercedes: Alfonso Celis Jr.

Toro Rosso-Ferrari: Daniil Kvyat

McLaren-Honda: Stoffel Vandoorne

Renault-Renault: Kevin Magnussen

Manor-Mercedes: Jordan King

Haas-Ferrari: Esteban Gutierrez

Sauber **

** - Sauber has opted to sit out the first test

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @Bethonie_Boost 

Winter Testing Day 8 - Re-Cap & Times / Barcelona Test 2

The last day of testing gave Ferrari another chance to run the 'Halo' head protection concept. While some drivers are speaking out about not liking the design or saying they wouldn't use it, there is also a number of drivers who agree to it and say it offers a lot more protection and wouldn't mind using it in the future.

    Manor was delayed for most of the day due to mechanical issues, which meant less running for Rio Haryanto, who had already had limited running due to spinning out on a few of the previous testing days. However, at the end of the day he racked up 58 laps.

    Hamilton, who was running the Mercedes in the AM session, stopped on track right before the lunch break, causing a red flag. This was due to a transmission issue.

Here are the times from the session

TIMES/LAPS:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:22.851 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 142 Laps
2. Carlos Sainz - 1:23.134 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / 133 Laps
3. Felipe Massa - 1:23.644 / Williams-Mercedes / 129 Laps
4. Sergio Perez - 1:23.721 / Force India-Mercedes / 60 Laps
5. Lewis Hamilton (AM) - 1:24.133 / Mercedes-Mercdes / 69 Laps
6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:24.427 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / 123 Laps
7. Jenson Button - 1:24.714 / McLaren-Honda / 121 Laps
8. Jolyon Palmer - 1:24.852 / Renault-Renault / 90 Laps
9. Marcus Ericsson - 1:25.031 / Sauber-Ferrari / 132 Laps
10. Romain Grosjean (AM) - 1:25.255 / Haas-Ferrari / 66 Laps
11. Esteban Gutierrez (PM) - 1:25.422 / Haas-Ferrari / 25 Laps
12. Rio Haryanto - 1:25.899 / Manor-Mercedes / 58 Laps
13. Nico Rosberg (PM) - 1:26.140 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 70 Laps

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Winter Testing Day 8 - Line-Up / Barcelona Test 2

WINTER TESTING - DAY 7 - LINE-UP - BARCELONA TEST 2

Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton (AM) / Nico Rosberg (PM)
Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull: Daniel Ricciardo
Williams: Felipe Massa
Renault: Jolyon Palmer
Force India: Sergio Perez
McLaren: Jenson Button
Sauber: Marcus Ericsson
Toro Rosso: Carlos Sainz
Manor: Rio Haryanto
Haas: Romain Grosjean

(Subject to change)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Winter Testing Day 7 - Re-Cap & Times / Barcelona Test 2

Day 7 of testing brought a chance for spectators and fans to see the new "Halo" head protection concept, which Ferrari ran for 1 installation lap, before taking it off for the rest of the day. Raikkonen, who drove for the day, did not have any complaints about it limiting vision, but media and fans were quick to either love it or hope it never shows up in the sport.

    Romain Grosjean caused three red flags when his car spun off track multiple times and stopped due to brake-by-wire issues. Daniil Kvyat also had some car troubles during the day and once was pushed back into the garage. However, a red flag was not called out for that.

Here are the times from the session.

TIMES/LAPS:

1. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:22.765 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 136 Laps
2. Felipe Massa - 1:23.193 / Williams-Mercedes / 119 Laps
3. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:23.251 / Force India-Mercdes / 137 Laps
4. Max Verstappen - 1:23.382 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / 159 Laps
5. Nico Rosberg (AM) - 1:24.126 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 81 Laps
6. Felipe Nasr - 1:24.760 / Sauber-Ferrari / 115 Laps
7. Fernando Alonso - 1:24.870 / McLaren-Honda / 116 Laps
8. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:24.913 / Manor-Mercedes / 48 Laps
9. Daniil Kvyat - 1:25.141 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / 121 Laps
10. Jolyon Palmer - 1:26.224 / Renault-Renault / 63 Laps
11. Lewis Hamilton (PM) - 1:26.468 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 98 Laps
12. Romain Grosjean - 1:27.196 / Haas-Ferrari / 77 Laps

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Winter Testing Day 6 - Line-Up / Barcelona Test 2

WINTER TESTING - DAY 6 - LINE-UP - BARCELONA TEST #2

Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton (AM) / Nico Rosberg (PM)
Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel
McLaren: Jenson Button
Red Bull: Daniel Ricciardo
Renault: Kevin Magnussen
Force India: Sergio Perez
Sauber: Marcus Ericsson
Williams: Valtteri Bottas
Toro Rosso: Carlos Sainz
Manor: Pascal Wehrlein
Haas: Esteban Gutierrez

(Subject to change)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended