Verstappen quick on wet morning track: “Not too bad”
Published on 02 March 2017 by Mike Motilall
On a track that was getting drier by the minute, Max Verstappen had a productive morning session on Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. With no less than 43 laps and a 1:23.920, good enough for fourth, there was no need to complain. The Dutchman dictated the tempo in the wet conditions while Kimi clocked the fastest time once the track got dry. Grosjean and Vandoorne followed in third and second.
Max tells Verstappen.nl after the session: “It wasn’t too bad. With the wet track it was a bit different than usual. The track of course was not the same as yesterday, because there is little grip with the full wets, but we were able to do some decent testing.”
The fourth and final day of pre-season testing in Barcelona starts on an artificially watered track. In the early morning, water trucks are busy getting the track wet. The teams will be able to test Pirelli’s new intermediates and full wets so there will be no surprises for them once in Australia.
Prior to the session, Max says: “It is of course wet today and the track will gradually get drier. We will try to get as many laps in as possible.” The Dutchman is true to his word and heads out on Pirelli’s full wets. He is the first to get a timed lap on the clock, a 1:41.706. After four laps Max heads back in. After a brief stop he heads back out again for a short run on the intermediates. It is evident that the track is still wet as the youngster gets on the straight drifting.
Most of the drivers wait patiently till the track gets dry enough. Vandoorne and Giovinazzi are the only ones to get a time on the clock in the first 30 minutes of the session. Then it’s Raikkonen who betters Max’ time. Verstappen in turn sets his sight on the time set by the Fin. The Dutchman succeeds in beating that time by clocking a 1:40.357, on the full wets. Almost half a second faster than the Ferrari-driver. Moments later he betters that with a 1:40.191.
The track is getting drier and drier and the conditions favor the intermediates. On this set of tyres Verstappen immediately clocks a 1:38.148. While Max is off track, Raikkonen does a 1:32.026. Max betters that with more than two seconds during his next run (1:29.867). Eventually this proves to be the fastest time set on the intermediates.
With over an hour left on the clock, it is Raikkonen who dares to venture out on track on the slicks. With the faster tyre strapped on, the Fin makes little work of Verstappen’s time. Max also heads back in for the medium compound tyre at the end of the session. He betters his time to a 1:23.920, earning him the fourth spot.
Mercedes chooses not to head out on track under the wet conditions. Bottas gets out on track right at the very end and only does six laps. Daniil Kvyat only does one lap. An engine issue is giving the Toro Rosso team some headache. Williams pull a no show. Due to Lance Stroll’s crash on Wednesday, the team is forced to leave this day for what it is.
At 14.00 hrs local time, the afternoon session gets underway. At lunchtime, the track is artificially watered again so the full wets can be strapped on again.
Pre-Season Test 1 - Circuit de Barcelona-Cataluyna - Thursday 2 March 2017
1 K. Raikkonen Ferrari 1.22.305 S 45 2 R. Grosjean Haas 1.22.739 SS 49 3 S. Vandoorne McLaren 1.23.918 SS 35 4 M. Verstappen Red Bull 1.23.920 M 43 5 S. Pérez Force India 1.24.893 S 25 6 N. Hülkenberg Renault 1.24.974 S 51 7 A. Giovinazzi Sauber 1.25.037 S 37 8 V. Bottas Mercedes 1.36.512 S 9 9 D. Kvyat Toro Rosso 1
