Barcelona Winter Testing – Day 3: A Day Ruined by Snow
Driven by climatic conditions, this third session of winter testing in Barcelona was only able to start at noon. Indeed, the snow deprived the drivers and their teams of a morning practice session. Nevertheless, despite a lull at the beginning of the afternoon, the cold and rain did not allow the drivers to set a time, except for Fernando Alonso.
Snow made an appearance on this third day of winter testing, so the start was delayed by the authorities as the medical helicopter could not take off in such conditions.
The snow has also inspired teams and drivers, as evidenced by this tweet from Force India:
Oh the weather outside is frightful
but the garage is so delightful
and since we’ve got no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!#F1Testing pic.twitter.com/CB99C9vvU8— Sahara Force India (@ForceIndiaF1) 28 février 2018
The drivers theoretically participating in the day’s session were: Fernando Alonso (McLaren), Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull), Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari), Nico Hülkenberg (Renault), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso), Lance Stroll (Williams), Romain Grosjean (Haas), Sergio Perez (Force India), Marcus Ericsson (Sauber).
At 12 p.m., the green flag was finally raised to start a non-stop testing session until 6 p.m., yet half an hour later, there was still no Formula 1 car on the track.
Like Brendon Hartley, the drivers have thus extended the Winter Olympics in Barcelona while waiting.
❄️ @F1 BREAKING NEWS ❄️@BrendonHartley is finally on track 👍 #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/ns5EUoLlw9— Toro Rosso (@ToroRosso) 28 février 2018
At Mercedes, a new mascot has shown the tip of its carrot.
You’ve heard of the #Iceman, but what about the #Snowman… ☃️#DrivenByEachOther @F1 #SnowDay pic.twitter.com/hXt3txl0bq— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) 28 février 2018
Around 1 p.m., the snow gave way to rain, allowing the drivers to take to the track. Fernando Alonso was the first to set off on it.
Three and a half hours before the end of this test day, on a track still soaked, only Alonso, Ricciardo, and Ericsson left the pits. It was thus with rain tires that this short test session took place. And it was ultimately Robert Kubica who completed a few laps for Williams.
In the end, few drivers took to the track, and only Fernando Alonso with 11 laps under his belt managed to set a time of 2:18:545. Unsurprisingly, this is far from the times recorded in previous sessions.
🏁🏁🏁 Thanks Fernando for this final laps!!! 1⃣1⃣ laps and the only time: 2:18.545 #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/sbbLuiTFaQ— Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (@Circuitcat_eng) 28 février 2018
Despite the fact that this day is a lost day of testing, there will likely be no makeup session since Williams and Ferrari have already refused to reschedule this session.
