Two-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and his F1 Red Bull RB8 topped the timesheets at Tuesday’s testing at the Circuit de Catalunya at Barcelona Spain.
Vettel turned in a lap of 1:23.265, a tenth of a second faster than Nico Hulkenberg of Force India at 1:23.440. No surprise that Red Bull would be fastest, but something of a surprise that Force India would do so well.
Vettel completed 79 laps uneventfully; Hulkenberg went 97.
Lewis Hamilton came third in the new McLaren MP4-27 with a best lap of 1:23.590 out of 114 completed, and, in another surprising result, Daniel Ricciardo in the Toro Rosso turned in the fourth-best time. Ricciardo managed 78 laps before a technical problem brought him back to the paddock.
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso finished fifth, completing 75 laps. Seven-time champ Michael Schumacher turned in the sixth best time in the new Mercedes W03. An hydraulic issue cut his day short after only 51 laps.
HRT was unable to make the first of four days of testing at Barcelona.
