Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel recovered from an early prang to record the quickest time during the opening day of post-season Formula 1 testing in Abu Dhabi.
Vettel spun and nudged the Turn 1 wall during the morning stint of the nine-hour session at the Yas Marina Circuit, but was able to recover to the pit lane and re-emerge shortly after.
Vettel wound up with a 1:36.812, 0.419s ahead of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas, as Formula 1 teams trialled Pirelli’s 2019 tyres, with some drivers getting their first taste of their 2019 teams.
Lance Stroll was the leading figure of those drivers as he climbed into Force India’s VJM11 for the first time, ahead of his yet-to-be-confirmed switch from Williams.
Stroll placed third during his afternoon in the car, having taken over from likely 2019 team-mate Sergio Perez, who ended the day in fifth spot.
Max Verstappen split the Force India drivers as he carried out running for Red Bull, with Pierre Gasly set to sample the RB14 on Wednesday, as he prepares to make the step up from Toro Rosso.
Formula 2 runner-up Lando Norris had another outing in McLaren’s MCL33 and the British youngster finished the day in sixth spot.
Norris will hand over to new team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr. on Wednesday, with the Spaniard having been given clearance by 2018 team Renault to join McLaren for the test.
Nico Hulkenberg finished seventh for Renault; test and development driver Artem Markelov will take over for the final day.
Pietro Fittipaldi had his first experience of Formula 1 machinery as he linked up with Haas but his day was interrupted by a technical issue that limited the American-born Brazilian’s mileage, with his lap count bolstered by a late surge.
Williams split its day between Robert Kubica and George Russell, the latter getting his first on-track running with the Grove-based operation.
Much of the focus fell on Kimi Raikkonen as the Finn renewed a relationship with Sauber after a 17-year break.
Raikkonen, sporting plain white overalls, racked up over 100 laps in the C37 and finished the day in 11th spot, having caused a red flag when he stopped at Turn 7 at the start of the final hour.
Toro Rosso development driver Sean Gelael had another outing in the Honda-powered STR13, completing a day-best 150 laps.
Formula 1 debutant Alexander Albon was present with Toro Rosso at Yas Marina as he started assimilating with his new team.
Albon, though, will not take part in the test, with the returning Daniil Kvyat to drive on Wednesday.
Running was extended by 15 minutes at the end of the day, ostensibly due to the time lost by the day’s three red flags.
Wednesday’s final day of 2018 action will run from 09:00 through 18:00.
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| 1 | S. Vettel | Ferrari | 1:36.812 | 69 | Hypersoft (2018) | |
| 2 | V. Bottas | Mercedes | 1:37.231 | +0.419 | 120 | Compound 5 (2019) |
| 3 | L. Stroll | Force India | 1:37.415 | +0.603 | 56 | Hypersoft (2018) |
| 4 | M. Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:37.947 | +1.135 | 133 | Ultrasoft (2018) |
| 5 | S. Perez | Force India | 1:37.976 | +1.164 | 67 | Compound 5 (2019) |
| 6 | L. Norris | McLaren | 1:38.187 | +1.375 | 136 | Compound 5 (2019) |
| 7 | N. Hulkenberg | Renault | 1:38.789 | +1.977 | 128 | Hypersoft (2018) |
| 8 | P. Fittipaldi | Haas | 1:39.201 | +2.389 | 56 | Hypersoft (2018) |
| 9 | R. Kubica | Williams | 1:39.269 | +2.457 | 32 | Compound 5 (2019) |
| 10 | G. Russell | Williams | 1:39.512 | +2.700 | 42 | Compound 5 (2019) |
| 11 | K. Raikkonen | Sauber | 1:39.878 | +3.066 | 102 | Compound 5 (2019) |
| 12 | S. Gelael | Toro Rosso | 1:40.435 | +3.623 | 150 | Hypersoft (2018) |
