Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren ended the opening half-day of 2021 Formula 1 testing fastest.
A 1m32.203s on the C2 tyres – the second-hardest compound – kept Ricciardo on top despite Pierre Gasly using C3 medium tyres to close to within 0.028s of him in the AlphaTauri.
Red Bull completed a top three covered by just 0.042s with Max Verstappen, who also used C2s. Verstappen had a half-spin at the first complex early on.
Champion team Mercedes had a troubled start as an immediate gearshift problem prompted a precautionary gearbox change that sidelined Valtteri Bottas for over three hours.
He got going again with 35 minutes of the session left, but only covered six laps and goes into the lunchbreak slowest. Lewis Hamilton is due to take over the car for the second session.
Aston Martin also lost running to what it called a “small” problem that caused Sebastian Vettel to park in the pit exit. He rejoined after just under an hour and was seventh.
Charles Leclerc caused the first red flag of testing when he parked his Ferrari on the exit of the opening complex with 10 minutes before the end of the session.
🚩 RED FLAG 🚩
Charles Leclerc has stopped at Turn 4 #F1 #F1Testing @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/j6ndQnwe3N
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 12, 2021
Although running did resume, a virtual safety car was in place so no further quick times were set.
Leclerc was fourth fastest, between Esteban Ocon’s Alpine and Kimi Raikkonen’s Alfa Romeo.
Test driver Roy Nissany was on duty for Williams and placed eighth.
Mick Schumacher lost running to a gearbox change too and was ninth for Haas.
Friday AM testing times
