Valtteri Bottas quickest as post-Spanish GP test kicks off

Formula 1 title contender Valtteri Bottas led the way during the opening morning of Formula 1’s second in-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The championship has stayed on for two days of post-Spanish Grand Prix testing, following on from a similar schedule in Bahrain last month.

Bottas posted a time of 1:16.525 for Mercedes – over a second slower than his pole time from Saturday – to finish the four-hour session comfortably fastest.

Bottas had a moment of drama early in the session when he struck a couple of plastic cones in Mercedes’ pit box, with one becoming wedged in the aero rake attached to his W10.

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Charles Leclerc was second for Ferrari, his best time 0.797s down on Bottas, while McLaren’s Carlos Sainz Jr. was almost another second further back in third spot.

Pierre Gasly was fourth for Red Bull, in front of Sebastian Vettel, who was in action in the Pirelli-run Ferrari SF90, as the team assisted the company with 2020 tyre development.

Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat placed sixth, with Haas tester Pietro Fittipaldi seventh, leaving Sergio Perez eighth for Racing Point, as the team joined Ferrari in helping Pirelli for next season.

Nico Hulkenberg completed the fewest laps – 26 – for Renault in ninth spot, while Racing Point simulator driver Nick Yelloly had his first taste of the RP19 and capped the top 10.

Ferrari protégé Callum Ilott was the only Formula 1 debutant in the field as he completed his first mileage for Alfa Romeo, fresh from his maiden podium in Formula 2 on Sunday.

Formula 2 title leader Nicholas Latifi occupied Williams’ usual position at the rear of the field.

Latifi, Williams’ reserve driver, finished 4.4s adrift of pacesetter Bottas.

Testing will resume for another four hours at 14:00 local time