Max completes 52 laps on Monday morning in Barcelona

Published on 18 February 2019 by Kees-Jan Koster

Max Verstappen completed 52 laps on Monday morning in Barcelona in the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB15. With that a productive start of the week, half way the first day, was concluded with a fifth place.

After a long winter break, at 9.00 AM the lights turn green, and nine teams are eager to enter the track. Williams is missing today, because their car is not finished in time. Kimi Raikkonen had a false start, after just six minutes he ends up with his Alfa Romeo in the gravel. Both Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and Romain Grosjean (Haas F1) follow the Fin’s example and make some mistakes, although limited to a spin.

After an installation lap to check the systems, Max re-enters the pits. The team quickly applies so-called ‘flow viz’, brightly coloured paint which highlights the airflow on the car. The rear wing in particular, gets a thick layer of bright blue paint.

The second red flag is for Grosjean, whose Haas F1 comes to a stop in the last sector. Those are the expected teething problems, which the Formula 1 teams have to face.

After a little while Max starts a run of ten laps, around 11.00 AM he has completed nineteen laps. In the next run he improves his personal best time to 1:20.174, at that time P2. Meanwhile Vettel laps in 1:18.425 and also completes the most laps. After sixteen laps Max’ stint is over and he returns to Red Bull Racing.

In the last half hour Vettel improves his best lap time to 1:18.161, which is the fastest that morning. The German finishes at 1.00 PM on top and also completes the most laps, 72 in total. Sergio Perez (Racing Point) only completes twenty laps, but sets the second best time. Valtteri Bottas is, with 69 laps and a second place, very productive. Max concludes the morning in P5, with 52 laps and 1:20.174.

Results Monday 18 February at 1.00 PM, Barcelona: