Bottas tops first morning of Barcelona F1 test

Bottas set a best time of 1m16.625s using the C3 Pirelli tyres, which were the designated softs for last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, shortly before midday.

This consolidated his advantage at the top of the timesheets over Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who had earlier topped the times.

Leclerc improved his time shortly afterwards using the Pirelli C1 tyres, the hards last weekend, to close to 0.797s behind.

Bottas subsequently set the fastest times of the day in each sector, although did not put them together on the same lap so his time did not improve.

McLaren driver Carlos Sainz was third-fastest using the C2 Pirellis, just 0.021s quicker than the similarly-shod Red Bull of Pierre Gasly.

Gasly completed 77 laps during the four hours of running, more than anyone else.

Ferrari fielded a second car in Spanish Grand Prix specification for Pirelli test work, with Sebastian Vettel driving and ending up fifth-fastest using unmarked test tyres.

Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat was sixth using C3 rubber ahead of Pietro Fittipaldi for Haas.

The Brazilian made a series of improvements in the final hour before lunch using C3 rubber, working his way down to a 1m18.643s.

Racing Point driver Sergio Perez was eighth-quickest in the second Pirelli test car, ahead of Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Hulkenberg had a quiet morning, completing only 12 laps early on before taking his tally to 22 and improving to a 1m20.239s.

Racing Point simulator driver Nick Yelloly made his first F1 appearance for four years and ended up 10th-fastest, just ahead of Alfa Romeo’s test debutant Callum Ilott.

Ilott focused on running on C2 rubber, setting his best time with just under 40 minutes remaining.

F2 championship leader Nicholas Latifi returned to action for Williams ahead of his planned FP1 appearance during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.

He set a best time of 1m21.008s, 4.483s off the pace, using C2 Pirellis.

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