F1 testing highlights: Ferrari impress, but Renault go faster

1. Nico Hulkenberg goes quickest, ahead of Mercedes and Ferrari
2. Red flags: Norris in the morning session in the gravel, Hulkenberg, and Giovinazzi stop on track
3. Ferraris quickest on first two days; Toro Rosso's Kvyat quickest on day three
4. Williams two days late to Barcelona

See you next week

That's it for the first week of testing. We'll be back on Tuesday from 08:00 GMT with more live coverage of day five and beyond. (26 Feb - 1 March)

Read Andrew Benson's report for the highlights.

Adiós amigos.

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That's it for this week

Day four of testing is over.

Mercedes mechanics put the W10 EQ Power to bed for the weekend, ready for Lewis and Valtteri to drive again on Monday.

Reuters

Final times of the day

1. Hulkenberg (Renault) 1:17.393 (24 laps) C5 tyre
2. Albon (Toro Rosso) 1:17.637 (130) C5
3. Ricciardo (Renualt) 1:17.785 (34) C4
4. Bottas (Mercedes) 1:17.857 (57)
5. Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:17.977 (58) C4
6. Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:18.046 (138)
7. Norris (McLaren) 1:18.431 (132)
8. Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) 1:18.511 (154) C2
9. Grosjean (Haas) 1:18.563 (64) C4
10. Magnussen (Haas) 1:18.720 (66)
11. Gasly (Red Bull) 1:18.780 (146) C3
12. Stroll (Racing Point) 1:19.664 (72)
13. Russell (Williams) 1:20.997 (17)
14. Kubica (Williams) 1:21.706 (48)

'Ferrari, for sure, are the fastest car'

Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull's special advisor speaking to Sky Sports, says: "The engine is reliable and I would say we’ve never had a better start to the preparations for a season.

"We don’t look back we look forward, it’s a very good relationship (with Honda), the concern was reliability. From what I saw yesterday on the circuit Ferrari, for sure, are the fastest car. Behind are Red Bull and Mercedes so let’s see what we can do in Melbourne - we are optimistic we can win races from our own strengths, like Monte Carlo and Singapore.

"Max already did a positive step by being enthusiastic an concentrating on testing before we came here. It was boring for him before, but now he understands it is important - his engineers have developed the car.

"We had some discussion and patience that he understood if he can’t win, it’s important to make points to finish races otherwise you won’t win the championship; he’s far more mature now. We heard of the radio last year that we wasn’t so happy."

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Day four of pre-season testing done

Chris Medland

F1 journalist in Barcelona

Golden hour for the photographers as the sun sets in the final hour of the day. It’s been a good test from that point of view, with dry running throughout and largely sunny days that help with track temperatures.

A number of teams wanted to go testing in Bahrain where the weather is basically guaranteed to be so much warmer and drier, with temperatures more representative to race weekends. But the logistics are easier to manage closer to the factories in Europe, with it quicker to get new parts and personnel to the track.

This week, nobody can complain about the weather preventing running. The track has become extremely busy on this final evening with everyone trying to cram in some extra laps before the four-day break between tests.

BBC

What's happened today?

• Three red flags: Norris in the gravel earlier this morning on a cold track, Hulkenberg's Renault and Giovinazzi's Alfa Romeo stop on track
• Hamilton, Leclerc and Ricciardo had their time at the top of the sessions this morning, and were quickly overshadowed by Alex Albon in the Toro Rosso, and then Nico Hulkenberg

• Lance Stroll spun at the chicane
• Williams got some good track time today after a shakedown run yesterday afternoon, when they arrived to Barcelona two days late
• Dr Helmut Marko says he is impressed by Honda's reliability in both the Red Bull and Toro Rosso, and they have "never had a better start to the preparations of the season".
• Ferrari have had an impressive start to the week

BBC

Threats to the future of the Mexican Grand Prix

At the end of last season it was reported that the Mexican, and US Grands Prix are under threat.

Mexican driver, Sergio Perez, says on Mexico: "It's a fantastic venue for F1. If we lose the place that will be the end - we will have to wait another 30-40 years to get it back. It will be a shame if we lose the Mexican GP."

Giovinazzi brings out final red flag of the week

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Ferrari have gone home

But they've made quite the impression this week.

Reuters

Get Involved

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Rob Elmore: Christian, is Baby Spice single?

Latest times

1. Hulkenberg (Renault) 1:17.393 (24 laps) C5 tyre
2. Albon (Toro Rosso) 1:17.637 (130) C5
3. Ricciardo (Renualt) 1:17.785 (34) C4
4. Bottas (Mercedes) 1:17.857 (47)
5. Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:17.977 (58) C4
6. Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:18.046 (138)
7. Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) 1:18.511 (150) C2
8. Grosjean (Haas) 1:18.563 (64) C4
9. Magnussen (Haas) 1:18.720 (57)
10. Gasly (Red Bull) 1:18.780 (140) C3
11. Norris (McLaren) 1:19.187 (125)
12. Stroll (Racing Point) 1:19.664 (72)
13. Russell (Williams) 1:20.997 (14)
14. Kubica (Williams) 1:21.706 (48)

Pirelli's thoughts

Chris Medland

F1 journalist in Barcelona

While we were under red flags for Nico Hulkenberg’s stricken Renault, Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola has been talking. His biggest takeaways from this first test? The fact that the new cars are so fast - quicker than expected given increased car weight and the aerodynamic changes - and that the whole field appears so close at this stage. He does add the caveat of not knowing to what extent the biggest teams are sandbagging, but still...

Green flag

Charles Leclerc is back out.

'Christian, have you got Honda's number?'

Go on then, caption your best on #bbcf1.

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Your tweets:

David Greenhalgh: ’Christian, can you spare a couple of 6-packs? Turns out Daniel doesn’t like our energy drink’

Carl Hudson: "When your car breaks down and has a oui oui all over the track, there will be free tea and croissants at Renault hospitality for you. Lets still be friends and only have good "vibrations" between us."

Nico Hulkenberg stops on track

He's asked to switch off the engine, before it's put under a sheet on the back of a recovery truck. He's now back in the garage.

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Nico Hulkenberg is the new leader

The drivers have picked up the pace, as we've had a series of new leaders today. But I'll point out once again that lap times in testing don't mean very much.

It's a bit like an election poll. Actual results may vary.

Hulkenberg is wearing his C5's for some fast laps.

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Williams are out

George Russell is finally out in the Williams, on the C3s and he does a 1:21.287.

More from Valtteri Bottas

Andrew Benson

BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

This time discussing the dark places he went to after a disappointing, win-less season in 2018, and his hopes to do better this year: "It kind of nearly made me angry with myself that in my six years in Formula 1 I haven’t been achieving my target yet. Obviously, I have time, yet, but I’m starting to realise you definitively only have one career, and I don’t want to be in that situation again, that I feel like that and I start question myself if I could have done something better.

"I just want to make sure that this year I’ll do everything I can to achieve those targets and I’m basically willing to do whatever it takes to make sure I achieve those goals. I’m just mentally prepared for the whole year, but it all comes down to details, in this sport. I just have to be the best that I can, I can’t change certain things, how I drive and so on, but like I said in another interview, I know what I can do if I perform at my best level, I’ll be able to be matching and being ahead of Lewis in qualifying or race pace. I know I can do it and now it’s just hard work to be up there more consistently.

"My target for the year is to win as much as I can, I didn’t win a single race last year, and there is only one target for the whole season – the World Championship, for me personally and also for us, as a team."

Valtteri Bottas Instagram

Daniel Ricciardo says: "It's cool there's proper coverage of testing."

Yes, it's been a long off-season for the journalists too...

PA