Charles Leclerc felt it was a positive first pre-season test for the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, despite the difficult conditions that faced the drivers for much of the proceedings.
The Monegasque driver took over the driving duties in the C37-Ferrari for the afternoon session of the final day on Thursday, and said he feels more comfortable behind the wheel as he comes to terms to life as a fully-fledged Formula 1 driver.
“It was great to be back on a race track this week,” said Leclerc. “I was able to learn a lot about all of the new procedures and am starting to feel more comfortable in the car.
“The weather conditions were not ideal this week, but we made the most of it. As they were improving this afternoon, we completed a number of tests, which was a positive end to this first test. I can’t wait to get back into the car next week.”
Team-mate Marcus Ericsson drove in the morning session when the track was not at its best, but for the Swede, it was important to gain some knowledge of the behaviour of the car on intermediate and wet weather tyres.
“Today, we had the opportunity to gain insight into the behaviour of our new car in wet conditions, while testing different tyre compounds,” said Ericsson.
“All in all, this first week has been quite insightful, despite the limitations that we faced due to the difficult weather conditions here in Barcelona. I have learned a lot, and look forward to continuing to make positive progress next week.”
