Sebastian Vettel the fastest in Barcelona

Published on 04 March 2016 by Mike Motilall

Ferrari-driver Sebastian Vettel finished the second four day preseason test as the fastest driver. The German clocked his time in the morning session. After that, there wasn’t any serious attempt to beat the time set by the four time world champion. Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez remained respectively second and third. Their fastest times were also on the time sheet before lunch.

As some are busy cleaning up the paddock, after lunch the teams head out one more time to gather some more precious data before the new season starts. Just like in previous afternoon sessions, the most teams focus on the long runs. Some even practice pit stops and starts.

Given the fact that Esteban Gutierrez was only able to do a small amount of laps, due to persisting mechanical problems, he takes over control from Romain Grosjean for the final hour at Haas F1.

At McLaren, they can look back at a resonable productive test session. Jenson Button laps the circuit a little over one hundred times. At the start of the final 30 minutes, his car even gets strapped on to the ultra-soft tyres. However, the Englishman is unable to improve his fastest time.

At Scuderia Toro Rosso, during the final part of the session, different bodywork is also tested. By no means is the focus, for the Faenza based team, on doing fast laps. Sainz is apparently enjoying himself in Toro Rosso’s new weapon, because when the flag is out, the Spaniard is still on the circuit.

When the calm has finally returned in the paddock, we see Rosberg’s Mercedes at the bottom of the time sheet. The German makes an effort in the dying minutes, but remains a few tenths down on Rio Haryanto.

Pre-season test II, day 4 - Circuit de Catalunya – Friday 4 March 2016:

1.   Vettel	Ferrari		    	1:22.852			142	
2.   Sainz	Toro Rosso		1:23.134	+0.282		133	
3.   Massa	Williams		1:23.644	+0.792		129	
4.   Perez	Force India		1:23.721	+0.869		60	
5.   Hamilton	Mercedes		1:24.133	+1.281		69	
6.   Ricciardo	Red Bull Racing		1:24.427	+1.575		123	
7.   Button	McLaren		        1:24.714	+1.862		121	
8.   Palmer	Renault	    		1:24.859	+2.007		90	
9.   Ericsson	Sauber			1:25.031	+2.179		132	
10.  Grosjean	Haas F1			1:25.255	+2.403		66	
11.  Gutierrez	Haas F1			1:25.422	+2.570		25	
12.  Haryanto	Manor F1		1:25.899	+3.047		57	
13.  Rosberg	Mercedes		1:26.140	+3.288		70