The first preseason test in Barcelona was characterized by low temperatures and snow on Wednesday, which in combination with rain and low temperatures destroyed the third day – we bring an overview of the first test in numbers.

During the first four days of testing, the teams completed a total of 2581 laps, which is about half the mileage they would do in warmer, dry conditions. The problem were also low temperatures, especially for harder compounds such as a medium that needed ten laps to reach the optimum temperature.

“After the medium tires warm up, you can drive forever, almost no degradation. It was a tough week with lots of questions and little answers,” said Sebastian Vettel.

Another new variable is the new, significantly smoother asphalt on the Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya track.

Most of the roughness on the old surface disappeared and track offers a lot of grip in the dry.

“You have the feeling of driving on the other course,” commented Nico Hulkenberg.

Mercedes sends an early warning

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of this year’s pre-season testing in Barcelona in his Mercedes W09 on the medium tire – 1:19:333.

Hamilton completed only 25 laps in the first three day, but added 69 on the final day when he set the fastest time.

Hamilton’s time was tenths faster than Vettel’s best time of the second day on soft tyres while third fastest was Vandoorne in McLaren on hypersoft tyres, the Pirelli’s softest tyres in F1 2018.

BEST TIMES – DRIVERS

  Driver Team Day Tyres Time
1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 4 Medium 1:19.333
2. Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 2 Soft 1:19.673
3. Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren 4 Hypersoft 1:19.854
4. Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 2 Medium 1:19.976
5. Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 1 Medium 1:20.179
6. Kevin Magnussen Haas 4 Supersoft 1:20.317
7. Max Verstappen Red Bull 2 Medium 1:20.326
8. Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1 Soft 1:20.506
9. Nico Hulkenberg Renault 1 Soft 1:20.547
10. Fernando Alonso McLaren 4 Supersoft 1:20.929
11. Carlos Sainz Renault 4 Medium 1:20.940
12. Lance Stroll Williams 4 Soft 1:21.142
13. Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso 2 Soft 1:21.318
14. Robert Kubica Williams 2 Soft 1:21.495
15. Sergey Sirotkin Williams 2 Soft 1:21.822
16. Esteban Ocon Force India 2 Soft 1:21.841
17. Sergio Perez Force India 4 Soft 1:21.973
18. Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso 1 Soft 1:22.371
19. Romain Grosjean Haas 1 Soft 1:22.578
20. Charles Leclerc Sauber 2 Soft 1:22.721
21. Marcus Ericsson Sauber 1 Soft 1:23.408
22. Nikita Mazepin Force India 1 Medium 1:25.628

BEST TIMES – TEAMS

  Team Driver Day Tyres Time
1. Mercedes Lewis Hamilton 4 Medium 1:19.333
2. Ferrari Sebastian Vettel 2 Soft 1:19.673
3. McLaren Stoffel Vandoorne 4 Hypersoft 1:19.854
4. Red Bull Daniel Ricciardo 1 Medium 1:20.179
5. Haas Kevin Magnussen 4 Supersoft 1:20.317
6. Renault Nico Hulkenberg 1 Soft 1:20.547
7. Williams Lance Stroll 4 Soft 1:21.142
8. Toro Rosso Pierre Gasly 2 Soft 1:21.318
9. Force India Esteban Ocon 2 Soft 1:21.841
10. Sauber Charles Leclerc 3 Soft 1:22.721

LAPS – TEAMS

Momčad Motor Krugova
1. Toro Rosso Honda 326
2. Mercedes Mercedes 306
3. Ferrari Ferrari 298
4. Sauber Ferrari 283
5. Williams Mercedes 276
6. Renault Renault 273
7. McLaren Renault 260
8. Red Bull Renault 209
9. Haas Ferrari 187
10. Force India Mercedes 166

LAP COUNT DIFFERENCE 2017/2018

Team Laps 2017 Laps 2018 Difference
Mercedes 558 306 -252
Ferrari 468 298 -170
Red Bull 294 209 -85
Force India 278 166 -112
Williams 213 276 +63
Renault 293 273 -20
Toro Rosso 183 324 +141
Haas 343 187 -156
McLaren 208 260 +52
Sauber 349 283 -66

LAPS – ENGINES

Engine Laps
1. Ferrari 768
2. Mercedes 748
3. Renault 742
4. Honda 324

LAPS – DRIVERS

Driver Laps
1. Gasly 229
2. Vettel 218
3. Bottas 212
4. Sainz 151
5. Vandoorne 147
6. Ericsson 143
7. Leclerc 140
8. Magnussen 132
9. Sirotkin 127
10. Hulkenberg 122
11. Alonso 113
12. Ricciardo 107
13. Verstappen 102
14. Stroll 100
15. Hartley 95
16. Hamilton 94
17. Raikkonen 80
18. Ocon 79
19. Perez 65
20. Grosjean 55
21. Kubica 49
22. Mazepin 22

BEST TIMES PER TYRE COMPOUND

Tyre Time Driver Team
Hypersoft 1:19.854 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
Supersoft 1:20.317 Kevin Magnussen Haas
Soft 1:19.673 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
Medium 1:19.333 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton Mercedes W09 F1 2018 Barcelona F1 test
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W09
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