The first day of three at pre-season testing is nearing its conclusion, with the longest running drivers approaching 100 total laps completed.
Max Verstappen currently has the fastest lap of the session so far with a 1:31:412 , with Mclaren’s Lando Norris and Antonio Giovinazzi from Alfa Romeo completing the top three in the standings, who all completed their laps on the hard compound of tyre.
One of the biggest talking points during Friday was the lack of Mercedes during the day, as a gearbox issue during the day resigned Valterri Bottas to just six laps during the session, being the second slowest driver of the day, ahead of only Lance Stroll who also suffered early on with an electrical issue.
Lewis Hamilton also suffered from Mercedes’ difficulties during the start with he himself managing seven laps before retiring complaining about the car’s balance, with the session soon suspended due to a sandstorm, delaying the today’s event.
Hamilton would return to the track but still having issues with the car, ultimately completing 27 laps currently placing him ninth in the table.
Inevitably with pre-season, drivers have made a vastly differing number of laps, with Verstappen again leading this with 110 laps completed, joint with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.
In terms of the new drivers, Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsnounda has set the fastest of the three rookies, setting the seventh fastest lap on the hard compound, 1.3 seconds off Verstappen’s time having completed 31 laps.
Meanwhile, Haas’ new duo of Nikita Mazipan and Mick Schumacher currently sit 14th & 15th, 3.3 and 4.7s off the fastest time respectively.
While Pre-Season testing is largely used by teams to tune their cars as best they can, and not necessarily about the fastest time, they can offer glimpses into teams current standings.
With two more days of testing to go, it remains to be seen whether Mercedes are still the dominant force they have been in recent years.
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