This week the teams were allowed to test their cars for 2 days on Circuit de Catalunya in Spain near Barcelona.
It was testing period number 3 for this season. The frist two were in February and March.
So the teams gave it their best to get some important data for the development of their cars for the next couple of months.
It also was a good opportunity to test out some new things on the cars and to get a better understanding of the cars and tyres in general.
The cars were tested on Tuesday and Wednesday by current 2018 F1 drivers and also by several current 2018 F2 drivers.
Red Bull even let their simulation development driver Jake Dennis do some laps in the RB14. This way Jake can give a lot of feedback to the team about the correlation between Red Bull's Formula 1 simulator at the factory and the real thing.
Between the cars that were driving on the track for development purposes, there were also a few cars on the track to do tyre development work for the Pirelli 2019 tyres.
Pirelli used the VJM11 of Force India and the MCL33 car of McLaren to test out the new 2019 tyres.
Let's see what this weeks testing drivers had to say about this rare testing opportunity on the track last Sunday they had to drive the Spanish Grand Prix on.
Mercedes Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Lewis Hamilton (best lap 1:18.543 - 151 laps)
Lewis Hamilton
"It was a good day and a relatively interesting test, I'm glad we did it," Lewis said, after climbing out of the car in Barcelona.
"We got through a large programme and did 151 laps which is a good sign of reliability.
"I'm looking forward to Monaco; hopefully we can take some of the things we've learned onto there."
Valtteri Bottas (best lap: 1:16.904 - 139 laps)
Valtteri Bottas
"Today was really interesting and we got through our programme fairly smoothly.
"We had a good baseline from last weekend and used it to work on different set-ups, trying out bigger changes than we normally would on a race weekend.
"We also tried to gather some info on the tyres, as we will see similarly smooth tarmac at Silverstone and Paul Ricard.
"I enjoyed being back in the car today, I'm looking forward to being back in action next week in Monaco."
Red Bull Racing Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Max Verstappen (best lap: 1:17.528 (hyper) - 148 laps)
Max Verstappen
“The day was about gaining even more understanding of the car and tyres and we completed more than the programme we set out, so it was very good"
Max will also be doing some demo runs in his home country this weekend on the Zandvoort Circuit. He will do the demo with ex-F1 driver David Coulthard and his current team mate Daniel Ricciardo.
Jack Dennis (best lap: 1:20.440 (soft) - 75 laps)
Jake Dennis
"My first day in the RB14 went really well, obviously it’s a big step up from what I’m used to in GT racing but I got used to the speed and the grip quite quickly and we managed to get through the whole run plan in the end.
The morning session went pretty smoothly and then in the afternoon I managed to get quite a few laps under my belt, which was good.
It was nice to change a few things to give me a proper representation of the difference between the simulator and real life. So we have a few things to work on back in Milton Keynes to help Max and Daniel and make it even more realistic for them. But overall, super happy, a big thanks to the team for giving me the opportunity, and hopefully I’ll be back in the RB14 soon!"
Ferrari Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Sebastian Vettel
"Various developments were tried out on the SF71H, but not aimed at Monaco, because that race is too much of a one-off. Let’s say we got some ideas and now we have to turn them into reality.”
Seb’s best time of 1’17”659 was set in the afternoon on Soft compound tyres, of the type used at the start of the season and not in last weekend’s GP. “We learned various things on how to work on track like this one . We know we have a strong car."
Antonio Giovinazzi
“It was a tiring day. We did a lot of laps, but I really enjoyed it. Apart from yesterday, driving the Alfa Sauber, I hadn’t driven in an official test session since last year in Abu Dhabi.
We had an interesting programme to work on, with various things to test and different tyre compounds to try. The test was productive and delivered a really big amount of data to correlate with that from the simulator. To be at the wheel of a Ferrari is always a privilege and it was a fantastic feeling."
Haas Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Kevin Magnussen (best lap: 1:18.274 - 75 laps)
Kevin Magnussen
““I had a good day today. We were mainly testing tire items. There were lots of interesting things done.
We obviously had some kind of issue at the end, which sadly meant we had to stop for the rest of the day.
That’s still being investigated. All in all though, it was a good day with some good mileage, especially learning more with the tires.”
Romain Grosjean
“It’s been a very good day and a very productive day for the team. We’ve done a lot of mileage and we haven’t had any issues with the car. The circuit was a bit dirty, initially, in the morning.
The grip was a bit low – it was fresh. It got better and we got some really decent running. We did some very good testing with the car. We’ve learned a lot about the different tires and setup work, which you don’t get to do on a race weekend.
The feeling was super good, and I think it was important to get back on the horse after not being able to complete the grand prix on Sunday. So, feelings were good. Hopefully, they stay there for Monaco and the rest of the season. I’m very happy with the job that everyone’s done on the day.”
Renault Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Carlos Sainz (best lap: 1:17.562 - 119 laps)
Carlos Sainz Jr
“It was a busy day, but certainly a productive one for me and the team.
The main focus was on completing a number of tests and evaluations and discovering how to extract further performance from the car.
It’s been a busy few days, a lot of laps completed, and certainly beneficial for our progress.”
Jack Aitken (best lap: 1:18.942 - 128 laps)
Jack Aitken
“Today was an amazing experience for me driving a contemporary Formula 1 car for the first time.
I was a little surprised how quickly I adapted to the car as I was up to speed quite smoothly in the morning. It was a busy day with a packed programme! We got through it really well, with both the team and myself able to learn a lot through the day.
Overall, an awesome day with a lot of laps on the board and plenty of data to analyse so I’m a happy man.”
McLaren Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Stoffel Vandoorne
“It was a good day today and we covered a lot of laps in a relatively short period. We were testing for Pirelli to help them develop the tyres, but also for me it was good to be back in the car and deal with different changes without adjusting the set-up, and that was definitely a useful exercise.
"Today’s running was also valuable as I was able to get a little bit of a feel for the comparison between the two packages, as today I reverted back to the older spec. It meant I could see like-for-like what the improvements are in the new package and how they affect the car performance.
“The upgrades have behaved as they should, and I definitely feel that we made a step forward here this weekend."
Lando Norris (best lap: 1:18.039 - 80 laps)
Lando Norris
"Today wasn’t about testing while doing flat-out qualifying or race-spec driving as such, it was more about aero tests. It was also all about keeping it on the track, which I didn’t quite do – a little spin into the entry of Turn 12, but nothing major – to be consistent and complete the tests for the team. With these updates and going to Monaco next, there are some things the team is trying to work on that are very important for future races.
“There are definitely some differences in the two specs – positive in many ways, but there are still some things with the old one that are also positive, so it’s all about combining the two which will make the car even faster. In general, there’s more downforce and it’s good to have the confidence to push in Turns One, Two, and Three – the high-speed corners. Overall, it’s definitely been a step forward.
“Jumping from F2 is still a fairly large step, and it does take a bit of time to get used to it. There are definitely things we need to improve and work on, but the car is still very good to drive. It does give me a lot of confidence to carry the throttle and I don’t think I’m on the limit yet.
“This test has been a very good opportunity for me to get up-to-date with this car and the new power unit. It’s good that I can show the team what I can do, but I see it more as an opportunity for me to keep learning and developing, and learn from both Stoffel and Fernando over race weekends, rather than proving that I can do a lap-time."
Force India Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Nicholas Latifi (best lap: 1:18.530 - 107 laps)
Nicholas Latifi
“I was really looking forward to my first outing, especially after the disappointment of missing out on pre-season testing [due to illness].
It was a very good first day on track with the team and I finally had the chance to put to practice a lot of the procedures and processes that I had learnt in the simulator.
I am pleased with how the day went; we ran smoothly with no big dramas. We completed lots of laps and I couldn’t have asked for a better first day. I am glad I could help the team with their testing programme and I am looking forward to being back in the simulator with this new knowledge of how the car behaves on track."
Nikita Mazepin (best lap: 1:18.344 - 112 laps)
Nikita Mazepin
"It’s always a pleasure to be in the car and, as always, I have tried to deliver the best job I could in the most professional way.
The conditions are very different compared to the last time I drove the VJM11 during the winter. The car feels so much better now and from the first moment I could feel the positive step the team made.
I had my reference points from my work in the simulator so it wasn’t all new for me, but it still felt much more consistent and easy to drive compared to pre-season testing. Our programme today included a mix of long and shorter runs working mainly on the softs and hypersoft.
We had a small issue in the morning that prevented us from running as much as we would have liked, but we were able to catch up in the afternoon."
Sauber Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Charles Leclerc (best lap: 1:18.993 (hyper) - 139 laps)
Charles Leclerc
“It was a productive day of testing for us. I feel comfortable on this track, as we have spent quite a bit of time here this season – for winter testing, the Grand Prix last weekend, and now the third test of the season.
We tried out various car set-ups, and tested new aerodynamic parts. It was also interesting to drive on different tyre compounds and learn more about their behaviour.
I am satisfied with the number of laps we completed. We collected a lot of data and will be able to learn from this and apply our knowledge in the upcoming races.”
Antonio Giovinazzi (best lap: 1:19.693 (hyper) - 135 laps)
Antonio Giovinazzi
“It was a really good day for me. I am happy to have been back in the car for the first time since I did an FP1 session in Abu Dhabi last year.
It was a productive day – we tested different car set-ups, tried out some new aerodynamic parts and completed runs on different tyre compounds.
I would like to thank the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team for this test. I really enjoyed the day.”
Williams Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Oliver Rowland (best lap: 1:20.009 - 121 laps)
Oliver Rowland
"Today was really good. We completed a lot of laps and worked through our programme.
It was nice to get my first proper run in an F1 car. In general, the team has learnt quite a bit so we are happy. I actually felt quite comfortable in the car and we got the times down pretty quickly.
I didn’t drive as fast as I could as I couldn’t risk crashing, so I didn’t push it too much. This morning we went through quite a lot of stuff on new and old tyres so it was interesting to get a feel for everything.
I would like to thank Williams for this opportunity which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, I hope my feedback helps the team move forwards."
Robert Kubica (best lap: 1:19.253 (hyper) - 123 laps)
Robert Kubica (right)
"There will be a lot of things to analyse and double check with all the data we gathered.
It was an interesting day from a driving point of view but it will be more interesting for the guys back at the factory to look at the data and see what we can get out of it.
With limited time we need to find the best way of fixing our issues. That’s not something we will be doing in 24 hours.
I am happy to help and I did my best as always."
Toro Rosso Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Sean Gelael (best lap: 1:19.410 - 83 laps)
Sean Gelael
“It was a long session this morning. I stayed in the car a lot and completed 83 laps!
It was really fun, especially because yesterday, sadly, we had much less running. I’m really happy with today, I think the team had interesting ideas and developments, so that should hopefully be valuable for the upcoming races.
It was a pleasure for me to contribute with a lot of race simulations, hopefully the testing items we ran will be successful and will make the car quicker!”
Pierre Gasly (best lap: 1:19.410 (medium) - 39 laps)
Pierre Gasly
“It was a quiet afternoon for me.
We did 39 laps because we had a couple of issues, so I didn’t have a lot of running but we still managed to test a few things and get more answers to try and find the right direction to improve our package.
I think we found some interesting results and now I am fully focused on Monaco, I’m excited to go there for my second home race!”
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This week the teams were allowed to test their cars for 2 days on Circuit de Catalunya in Spain near Barcelona.
It was testing period number 3 for this season. The frist two were in February and March.
So the teams gave it their best to get some important data for the development of their cars for the next couple of months.
It also was a good opportunity to test out some new things on the cars and to get a better understanding of the cars and tyres in general.
The cars were tested on Tuesday and Wednesday by current 2018 F1 drivers and also by several current 2018 F2 drivers.
Red Bull even let their simulation development driver Jake Dennis do some laps in the RB14. This way Jake can give a lot of feedback to the team about the correlation between Red Bull's Formula 1 simulator at the factory and the real thing.
Between the cars that were driving on the track for development purposes, there were also a few cars on the track to do tyre development work for the Pirelli 2019 tyres.
Pirelli used the VJM11 of Force India and the MCL33 car of McLaren to test out the new 2019 tyres.
Let's see what this weeks testing drivers had to say about this rare testing opportunity on the track last Sunday they had to drive the Spanish Grand Prix on.
Mercedes Spain 2018 Test no. 3 comments
Lewis Hamilton (best lap 1:18.543 - 151 laps)
Lewis Hamilton
"It was a good day and a relatively interesting test, I'm glad we did it," Lewis said, after climbing out of the car in Barcelona.
"We got through a large programme and did 151 laps which is a good sign of reliability.
"I'm looking forward to Monaco; hopefully we can take some of the things we've learned onto there."
Valtteri Bottas (best lap: 1:16.904 - 139 laps)
Valtteri Bottas
"Today was really interesting and we got through our programme fairly smoothly.
"We had a good baseline from last weekend and used it to work on different set-ups, trying out bigger changes than we normally would on a race weekend.
"We also tried to gather some info on the tyres, as we will see similarly smooth tarmac at Silverstone and Paul Ricard.
"I enjoyed being back in the car today, I'm looking forward to being back in action next week in Monaco."
Max Verstappen (best lap: 1:17.528 (hyper) - 148 laps)
Max Verstappen
“The day was about gaining even more understanding of the car and tyres and we completed more than the programme we set out, so it was very good"
Max will also be doing some demo runs in his home country this weekend on the Zandvoort Circuit. He will do the demo with ex-F1 driver David Coulthard and his current team mate Daniel Ricciardo.
Jack Dennis (best lap: 1:20.440 (soft) - 75 laps)
Jake Dennis
"My first day in the RB14 went really well, obviously it’s a big step up from what I’m used to in GT racing but I got used to the speed and the grip quite quickly and we managed to get through the whole run plan in the end.
The morning session went pretty smoothly and then in the afternoon I managed to get quite a few laps under my belt, which was good.
It was nice to change a few things to give me a proper representation of the difference between the simulator and real life. So we have a few things to work on back in Milton Keynes to help Max and Daniel and make it even more realistic for them. But overall, super happy, a big thanks to the team for giving me the opportunity, and hopefully I’ll be back in the RB14 soon!"
Sebastian Vettel (best lap: 1:17.659 - 136 laps)
Sebastian Vettel
"Various developments were tried out on the SF71H, but not aimed at Monaco, because that race is too much of a one-off. Let’s say we got some ideas and now we have to turn them into reality.”
Seb’s best time of 1’17”659 was set in the afternoon on Soft compound tyres, of the type used at the start of the season and not in last weekend’s GP. “We learned various things on how to work on track like this one . We know we have a strong car."
Antonio Giovinazzi (best lap: 1:16.972 - 148 laps )
Antonio Giovinazzi
“It was a tiring day. We did a lot of laps, but I really enjoyed it. Apart from yesterday, driving the Alfa Sauber, I hadn’t driven in an official test session since last year in Abu Dhabi.
We had an interesting programme to work on, with various things to test and different tyre compounds to try. The test was productive and delivered a really big amount of data to correlate with that from the simulator. To be at the wheel of a Ferrari is always a privilege and it was a fantastic feeling."
Kevin Magnussen (best lap: 1:18.274 - 75 laps)
Kevin Magnussen
““I had a good day today. We were mainly testing tire items. There were lots of interesting things done.
We obviously had some kind of issue at the end, which sadly meant we had to stop for the rest of the day.
That’s still being investigated. All in all though, it was a good day with some good mileage, especially learning more with the tires.”
Romain Grosjean (best lap: 1:18.449 - 129)
Romain Grosjean
“It’s been a very good day and a very productive day for the team. We’ve done a lot of mileage and we haven’t had any issues with the car. The circuit was a bit dirty, initially, in the morning.
The grip was a bit low – it was fresh. It got better and we got some really decent running. We did some very good testing with the car. We’ve learned a lot about the different tires and setup work, which you don’t get to do on a race weekend.
The feeling was super good, and I think it was important to get back on the horse after not being able to complete the grand prix on Sunday. So, feelings were good. Hopefully, they stay there for Monaco and the rest of the season. I’m very happy with the job that everyone’s done on the day.”
Carlos Sainz (best lap: 1:17.562 - 119 laps)
Carlos Sainz Jr
“It was a busy day, but certainly a productive one for me and the team.
The main focus was on completing a number of tests and evaluations and discovering how to extract further performance from the car.
It’s been a busy few days, a lot of laps completed, and certainly beneficial for our progress.”
Jack Aitken (best lap: 1:18.942 - 128 laps)
Jack Aitken
“Today was an amazing experience for me driving a contemporary Formula 1 car for the first time.
I was a little surprised how quickly I adapted to the car as I was up to speed quite smoothly in the morning. It was a busy day with a packed programme! We got through it really well, with both the team and myself able to learn a lot through the day.
Overall, an awesome day with a lot of laps on the board and plenty of data to analyse so I’m a happy man.”
Stoffel van Doorne (started 11th & DNF)
Stoffel Vandoorne
“It was a good day today and we covered a lot of laps in a relatively short period. We were testing for Pirelli to help them develop the tyres, but also for me it was good to be back in the car and deal with different changes without adjusting the set-up, and that was definitely a useful exercise.
"Today’s running was also valuable as I was able to get a little bit of a feel for the comparison between the two packages, as today I reverted back to the older spec. It meant I could see like-for-like what the improvements are in the new package and how they affect the car performance.
“The upgrades have behaved as they should, and I definitely feel that we made a step forward here this weekend."
Lando Norris (best lap: 1:18.039 - 80 laps)
Lando Norris
"Today wasn’t about testing while doing flat-out qualifying or race-spec driving as such, it was more about aero tests. It was also all about keeping it on the track, which I didn’t quite do – a little spin into the entry of Turn 12, but nothing major – to be consistent and complete the tests for the team. With these updates and going to Monaco next, there are some things the team is trying to work on that are very important for future races.
“There are definitely some differences in the two specs – positive in many ways, but there are still some things with the old one that are also positive, so it’s all about combining the two which will make the car even faster. In general, there’s more downforce and it’s good to have the confidence to push in Turns One, Two, and Three – the high-speed corners. Overall, it’s definitely been a step forward.
“Jumping from F2 is still a fairly large step, and it does take a bit of time to get used to it. There are definitely things we need to improve and work on, but the car is still very good to drive. It does give me a lot of confidence to carry the throttle and I don’t think I’m on the limit yet.
“This test has been a very good opportunity for me to get up-to-date with this car and the new power unit. It’s good that I can show the team what I can do, but I see it more as an opportunity for me to keep learning and developing, and learn from both Stoffel and Fernando over race weekends, rather than proving that I can do a lap-time."
Nicholas Latifi (best lap: 1:18.530 - 107 laps)
Nicholas Latifi
“I was really looking forward to my first outing, especially after the disappointment of missing out on pre-season testing [due to illness].
It was a very good first day on track with the team and I finally had the chance to put to practice a lot of the procedures and processes that I had learnt in the simulator.
I am pleased with how the day went; we ran smoothly with no big dramas. We completed lots of laps and I couldn’t have asked for a better first day. I am glad I could help the team with their testing programme and I am looking forward to being back in the simulator with this new knowledge of how the car behaves on track."
Nikita Mazepin (best lap: 1:18.344 - 112 laps)
Nikita Mazepin
"It’s always a pleasure to be in the car and, as always, I have tried to deliver the best job I could in the most professional way.
The conditions are very different compared to the last time I drove the VJM11 during the winter. The car feels so much better now and from the first moment I could feel the positive step the team made.
I had my reference points from my work in the simulator so it wasn’t all new for me, but it still felt much more consistent and easy to drive compared to pre-season testing. Our programme today included a mix of long and shorter runs working mainly on the softs and hypersoft.
We had a small issue in the morning that prevented us from running as much as we would have liked, but we were able to catch up in the afternoon."
Charles Leclerc (best lap: 1:18.993 (hyper) - 139 laps)
Charles Leclerc
“It was a productive day of testing for us. I feel comfortable on this track, as we have spent quite a bit of time here this season – for winter testing, the Grand Prix last weekend, and now the third test of the season.
We tried out various car set-ups, and tested new aerodynamic parts. It was also interesting to drive on different tyre compounds and learn more about their behaviour.
I am satisfied with the number of laps we completed. We collected a lot of data and will be able to learn from this and apply our knowledge in the upcoming races.”
Antonio Giovinazzi (best lap: 1:19.693 (hyper) - 135 laps)
Antonio Giovinazzi
“It was a really good day for me. I am happy to have been back in the car for the first time since I did an FP1 session in Abu Dhabi last year.
It was a productive day – we tested different car set-ups, tried out some new aerodynamic parts and completed runs on different tyre compounds.
I would like to thank the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team for this test. I really enjoyed the day.”
Oliver Rowland (best lap: 1:20.009 - 121 laps)
Oliver Rowland
"Today was really good. We completed a lot of laps and worked through our programme.
It was nice to get my first proper run in an F1 car. In general, the team has learnt quite a bit so we are happy. I actually felt quite comfortable in the car and we got the times down pretty quickly.
I didn’t drive as fast as I could as I couldn’t risk crashing, so I didn’t push it too much. This morning we went through quite a lot of stuff on new and old tyres so it was interesting to get a feel for everything.
I would like to thank Williams for this opportunity which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, I hope my feedback helps the team move forwards."
Robert Kubica (best lap: 1:19.253 (hyper) - 123 laps)
Robert Kubica (right)
"There will be a lot of things to analyse and double check with all the data we gathered.
It was an interesting day from a driving point of view but it will be more interesting for the guys back at the factory to look at the data and see what we can get out of it.
With limited time we need to find the best way of fixing our issues. That’s not something we will be doing in 24 hours.
I am happy to help and I did my best as always."
Sean Gelael (best lap: 1:19.410 - 83 laps)
Sean Gelael
“It was a long session this morning. I stayed in the car a lot and completed 83 laps!
It was really fun, especially because yesterday, sadly, we had much less running. I’m really happy with today, I think the team had interesting ideas and developments, so that should hopefully be valuable for the upcoming races.
It was a pleasure for me to contribute with a lot of race simulations, hopefully the testing items we ran will be successful and will make the car quicker!”
Pierre Gasly (best lap: 1:19.410 (medium) - 39 laps)
Pierre Gasly
“It was a quiet afternoon for me.
We did 39 laps because we had a couple of issues, so I didn’t have a lot of running but we still managed to test a few things and get more answers to try and find the right direction to improve our package.
I think we found some interesting results and now I am fully focused on Monaco, I’m excited to go there for my second home race!”
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