Fernando Alonso topped the timing screens on an uneventful day three of the first Barcelona test – by being the only man to set a lap time.
The Spaniard’s initial time of a 2 minutes 21.268 seconds set with fifteen minutes to go was unchallenged. However, in the dying moments of the session, he bettered it by nearly three seconds to a 2:18.545. It marked the first time in just over four years that the McLaren F1 Team have ended a winter test day on top.
Formula 1 came to a standstill on Wednesday as snowfall overnight stopped any chance of serious lap times being posted, despite Pirelli’s extreme wet tyre being available for use on the wet track.
Red flag conditions saw the first three hours turn into a snow day for the marshals, drivers and teams, with Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport making the first snowman seen in winter testing history. Presumably.
After red flags made way for green around midday, just eighteen laps were completed between five drivers – Alonso did nine whilst Daniel Ricciardo and Brendon Hartley both did two. Marcus Ericsson, Lance Stroll, Robert Kubica all registered one installation lap.
Seven drivers – including Kimi Räikkönen and Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas opted against leaving the warm confines of their motorhomes.
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