Ferrari stayed on top to end the post-2018 Pirelli tyre test at Yas Marina circuit with the team’s new recruit Charles Leclerc heading the way.
Leclerc, in fact, bettered Sebastian Vettel’s time set on Tuesday, setting a 1m36.450s while completing 135 laps in all with Red Bull Racing’s Pierre Gasly in second in his first day with the senior team.
The Frenchman clocked a 1m37.935s while completing 129 laps with Racing Point Force India’s Lance Stroll (1m38.044s) ending up third ahead of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas (1m38.448s) – the two completing 122 and 143 laps respectively.
Another driver with his new team was McLaren’s Carlos Sainz in fifth with a best time of 1m38.547s, completing 150 laps with his former team Renault’s Artem Markelov (1m38.590s) was sixth, having done 129 laps.
The Russian was slotted in to test after Red Bull did not allow Daniel Ricciardo to run. Williams’ George Russell was seventh having run in the afternoon hours with a best of 1m38.802s, completing 55 laps.
The returning F1 and Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat was eighth with a best of 1m38.862s, completing 155 laps. Making his F1 debut was Louis Deletraz in ninth for Haas with his best of 1m39.069s, completing 117 laps.
Williams’ Robert Kubica (1m40.265s) in 10th, having run in the morning hours, completing 39 laps with Sauber’s Antonio Giovinazzi (1m40.435s) was 10th with the Italian driver causing the day’s lone red flag. He still did 128 laps in all.
As per Pirelli details, Leclerc set his lap time on the 2019 tyre – Compound 5. The same was used by Gasly, Bottas, Sainz, Kvyat, Deletraz and Giovinazzi with Stroll, Markelov, Russell and Kubica setting on the 2018 compound.
Day 2 of #F1Testing at @ymcofficial comes to a close! Check out the results from our #Fit4F1 running! 🏁#AbuDhabiTest pic.twitter.com/KYalVcKnuH
— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) November 28, 2018