A difficult day for Ferrari
Kimi Räikkönen and Sebastian Vettel didn't have the easiest of Fridays, in addition to the windy conditions at the Barcelona circuit, leaving them in 3rd and 4th positions in the two practice sessions, one second behind the Mercedes in the morning and just over three tenths behind in the afternoon.
The Scuderia Ferrari, like its competitors, had introduced a series of upgrades to its car, but a few setbacks affected their sessions. A gearbox problem for Sebastian Vettel in the morning, resolved relatively quickly, and an engine alert for Kimi Räikkönen in the afternoon. All of this, combined with challenging weather conditions with gusts of wind sweeping the circuit and a slippery track, did not allow for an ideal day for the Maranello team.
Kimi Räikkönen FP1 => 3rd (1:22.456) / FP2 => 3rd (1:21.112)
The Finn, who found his way back to the podium in Sochi (3rd), outpaced his teammate during both sessions of the day, despite windy and slippery conditions with higher temperatures than those experienced during the tests in February. He reflects on this day: « It was a relatively windy and slippery day today. I think it was the same for everyone (…). Today’s test times don’t say much. We were able to follow our program and try different things. Compared to the winter tests, it’s normal to find different conditions, as temperatures are higher and the track undergoes a change of state. »
« As every Friday, there is work to be done, so we will see what we manage to do tomorrow. » he concluded.
Sebastian Vettel FP1 => 4th (1:22.600) / FP2 => 4th (1:21.220)
For his part, the four-time World Champion was not fully satisfied with the day but remains certain that his car can do better. He recounts his tests: « Today the conditions seemed very difficult, but we can improve. I wasn’t completely happy because I think there’s a lot left on the track and I didn’t find it in the end. At the same time, I feel that the car is fast so I just need to do everything correctly. »
The German concludes his remarks on the developments made by everyone: « I think everyone fought hard today. I don’t know who brought the most developments, but I believe what really matters is who brings the ones that work best. »
