Leclerc sets pace for Ferrari on first morning in Barcelona

Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the morning on the first day of pre-season testing in Barcelona after driving the fastest lap in a Ferrari F1-75 1:20.165 ahead of a lunch break.

Leclerc spent most of the morning part of the first day at the top, after Ferrari did a film day on the same track yesterday and covered 100 kilometers in the new F1-75, and Norris in McLaren set the second fastest time, 13 minutes before the end of the first part of the day, three tenths slower than Leclerc.

The Ferrari driver drove 80 laps in the first part of the day, just as Verstappen (80) in the new RB18, which we had the opportunity to see for the first time today.

Russell surged through to third place for Mercedes in the final hour, driving 75 laps ahead of Hamilton’s takeover in the afternoon of the first day while Vettel was fourth for Aston Martin.

Tsunoda was fifth fastest for AlphaTauri ahead of Verstappen in Red Bull and Alonso was seventh fastest for Alpine with more than a second behind sixth-placed Verstappen.

Latifi was the first to try out the new Williams and finished eighth fastest, more than three seconds behind Leclerc, and Kubica managed to set a meaningful lap time 15 minutes before the end and avoid the last place which Mazepin took for Haas.

Sainz will take over F1-75 from Leclerc in the afternoon, Hamilton will replace Russell in Mercedes, Stroll will take over from Vettel in Aston Martin, Albon will replace Latifi in Williams, Bottas will take over Alfa Romeo from Kubica and Schumacher will replace Mazepin in Haas.

The test continues at 14:00 local time and lasts until 18:00.

DAY 1 MORNING RESULTS

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