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Spain post-race test: Who are the runners and riders in Barcelona?
The first in-season test of 2018 will see the Spanish Grand Prix’s top-four finishers – Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel – all take part, and they’ll be joined by the next crop of racing drivers looking to showcase their talents in Barcelona...
Ten stars from the current Formula 1 grid will drive in this week's two-day post-race session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with nine teams also devoting time to test drivers – Mercedes are the exception, having decided to use their 2018 race line-up.
Fresh from his triumph on Sunday, Hamilton will split Mercedes’ time with a familiar face, testing the Silver Arrow on the opening day on Tuesday before team mate Bottas takes over the W09 for the second segment of running.
Vettel will kick off proceedings in the Ferrari SF71H just two days after finishing fourth in Spain. Antonio Giovinazzi has a busy schedule, beginning the testing session in the Sauber on day one before replacing Vettel in the Prancing Horse on day two.
Verstappen will be at the wheel of Red Bull’s RB14 for the opening part of the session before handing over to British driver Jake Dennis, who will get his first taste of on-track F1 power when he takes the seat on Wednesday.
McLaren have opted for 2018 driver Stoffel Vandoorne to begin their testing session, before Formula 2 championship leader Lando Norris gets his third taste of the team's F1 car - he tested for the Woking squad in both Hungary and Abu Dhabi last season.
That pair will also be in action as part of Pirelli's 2018 tyre development programme, with 18-year-old prospect Norris sharing day-one duties with fellow Brit Oliver Turvey before Vandoorne takes charge of the second MCL33.
Force India's Nicholas Latifi, who finished fifth in last year’s F2 championship and sits ninth in the 2018 standings, will get his first chance to shine in the VJM11 on day one. Nikita Mazepin, the team’s development driver, will then take over testing duties as F1 teams hone their set-ups.
Pirelli's tyre testing also gives highly-rated Mercedes junior George Russell a run out on the track for Force India. The Brit will commence proceedings on the Tuesday before Latifi takes his seat a day later.
Renault, meanwhile, will use current F1 star Carlos Sainz on the opening day, and 24 hours later British-Korean Jack Aitken, racing in F2 with ART Grand Prix this year, will get his first taste of contemporary F1 machinery.
At Toro Rosso, F2 driver Sean Gelael will get behind the wheel of an F1 challenger again before Pierre Gasly – who suffered an unfortunate lap-one collision in Sunday’s Barcelona race – takes his seat.
Williams will first use junior driver Oliver Rowland, previously Renault's 2017 development driver, who will get his first experience in the FW41, and then Robert Kubica will take part in testing fresh from his appearance in FP1 last Friday.
Giovinazzi will be joined in the Sauber C37 by Charles Leclerc, while Haas' Romain Grosjean will be the first out for the American team before Kevin Magnussen takes over on the final day.
Look out for a full report and images from Tuesday's action in Spain at the end of the day, or for minute-by-minute timesheet updates from Barcelona download the Official F1® App and go to Results > Testing. For more information, click here.
The full Spain test line-up (subject to change)
TEAM | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY |
---|---|---|
Mercedes | Lewis Hamilton | Valtteri Bottas |
Ferrari | Sebastian Vettel | Antonio Giovinazzi |
Red Bull | Max Verstappen | Jake Dennis |
Renault | Carlos Sainz | Jack Aitken |
McLaren | Stoffel Vandoorne | Lando Norris |
McLaren Pirelli tyre test | Lando Norris/Oliver Turvey | Stoffel Vandoorne |
Haas | Romain Grosjean | Kevin Magnussen |
Force India | Nicholas Latifi | Nikita Mazepin |
Force India Pirelli tyre test | George Russell | Nicholas Latifi |
Toro Rosso | Sean Gelael | Pierre Gasly |
Sauber | Antonio Giovinazzi | Charles Leclerc |
Williams | Oliver Rowland | Robert Kubica |
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