Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc ended up the quickest on Day 3 of second F1 2019 Barcelona test from Toro Rosso’s Alexander Albon.
Leclerc lowered the lap record with a 1m16.231s lap in the morning session which was enough for him to end up the quickest on third day of the second F1 2019 Barcelona test despite a late issue which caused the day’s last red flag.
With the lost time for drivers on the first two days, Leclerc was given a full day by Ferrari as the Monegasque completed 138 laps in all. He headed Toro Rosso’s Albon (1m16.882s), with the two the only drivers to dip into the 1m16s bracket.
The Thai racer racked up 118 laps with McLaren’s Lando Norris (1m17.084s) ending up third with 84 laps as a suspected fire late in the day, limited his running. Red Bull Racing’s Pierre Gasly (1m17.091s) was fourth but his day ended early after a heavy crash.
The incident with the barrier saw him lose his rear wing which ended his day early as he managed only 65 laps. All the Top 4 drivers set their best time on the C5 compound with Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo (1m17.204s) ending up fifth.
The Australian took over the car from Nico Hulkenberg (1m17.496s) in the afternoon with the German right behind him in sixth. The former set his time on C5 compound with 65 laps while the former set on the same compound with 73 laps.
Racing Point’s Lance Stroll (1m17.556s) had a slow morning session but picked up well in the afternoon to be seventh, completing 103 laps – his most in all the four days he ran despite stopping on track before the day’s end. He set his time on C5 compound.
Another stopper, Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi (1m17.639s) was eighth with 71 laps in his kitty as he set his best on C5 compound as well. The Italian led Haas’ Romain Grosjean (1m17.854s) and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (1m18.097s) in the Top 10.
Grosjean used (C4) compound with Hamilton on (C2) as the two completed 16 and 85 laps respectively. The Frenchman had limited running in the afternoon due to an exhaust issue after he took over from Kevin Magnussen.
Williams’ was back to completing more laps with George Russell (1m18.130s) undertaking 140 – the day’s highest, to be 11th as Magnussen (1m18.199s) and Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas (1m18.862s) rounded out the 13 drivers.
Russell set his quickest time on C5 compound with Magnussen on (C3) and Bottas on the same one as well – the latter duo undertaking 53 and 96 laps respectively to complete their penultimate day’s running
Check out Day 2’s report
Check out who’s driving on the final day 2019 test