Quiet morning for Max on test day four: "Not much to learn"

Published on 01 March 2018 by Stefan Meens

Max Verstappen experienced a quiet morning on the fourth day of the first pre-season test of 2018. The Aston Martin Red Bull Racing driver completed 18 laps of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, all on the intermediate tyres.

“We haven't had any good conditions so we haven't learned much this morning. However, the track is drying so we should head out on slicks in the afternoon. If it stays dry, we'll do a lot of laps.”

Apart from a brief red flag around the hour mark, caused by a Marcus Ericsoson who spun his Alfa Romeo Sauber into the gravel at turn two, the session is without incidents.

At that stage, Max has only completed a single installation lap. However, as the temperatures rise and the conditions improve, the Dutchman adds 17 laps in the new RB14 to his lap count, before returning to the pits for lunch.

McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne was the most productive driver on track with 72 laps. Quickest was Valtteri Bottas in the Mercedes.

Pre-Season Test 1 - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - Thursday 1 March 2018

   Driver	        Team	        Time	        Difference     	Laps
1  Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes        1:24.319	 		58
2  Nico Hülkenberg	Renault         1:24.433	+0.114		41
3  Pierre Gasly         Toro Rosso      1:26.464	+2.145		49
4  Max Verstappen	Red Bull        1:27.362	+3.043		18
5  Stoffel Vandoorne	McLaren 	1:29.252	+4.933 		72
6  Marcus Ericsson	Sauber          1:29.866	+5.547		63
7  Sergey Sirotkin      Williams	1:31.979	+7.660		47
8  Kevin Magnussen	Haas	        1:33.514	+9.195		24
9  Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari         1:36.162	+11.843		35
10 Sergio Pérez 	Force India 	1:41.706	+17.387		11