Kimi Raikkonen clocked the fastest time of the opening Formula 1 pre-season test as he put Alfa Romeo top during Wednesday’s morning session.
Raikkonen used Pirelli’s C5 tyres to clock a 1:17.762, marking the first sub 1:18s of the test so far, as he denied ex-Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel top spot.
Vettel nonetheless wound up second, six-tenths behind Raikkonen, as Ferrari finished off top spot for the first time this week.
Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg classified third while Daniil Kvyat moved into fourth late in the session, as he continued preparations for Toro Rosso.
Red Bull re-appeared with a repaired car, following Pierre Gasly’s crash on Tuesday, and team-mate Max Verstappen put the Honda-powered machine into fifth position.
Haas handed the morning session to tester Pietro Fittipaldi and he caused the only red flag when his VF-19 stopped on the run between Turns 8 and 9.
Fittipaldi will hand over to regular racer Romain Grosjean this afternoon, but is scheduled to return to the cockpit for another outing on Thursday morning.
McLaren did not appear during the opening two hours – due to a suspected unscheduled gearbox change in the MCL34 – and Carlos Sainz Jr. placed sixth overall, via a trip through the gravel at the chicane.
Racing Point’s Sergio Perez was eighth while Valtteri Bottas finished at the rear of the nine-driver timesheet for Mercedes, three seconds down on Raikkonen, but completed the most laps – amassing 88 in the W10.
Reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton will take over testing duties for Mercedes post-lunch.
Williams again did not run – but it intends to have its FW42 prepared in time to make its track debut during the afternoon session.
Williams’ FW42 was delayed by production issues but George Russell is set to add the first miles to the new car this afternoon.
Testing is scheduled to resume at 14:00 local time
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