Kimi Antonelli topped the timing sheets, leading a Mercedes one-two finish during the latest testing session as Lewis Hamilton encountered a technical issue late in the afternoon, forcing him to retire and walk back to the pits. George Russell finished second fastest with a 1:33.918 after completing 78 laps, while Hamilton secured third place with a 1:34.209 time across 150 laps before his unexpected stoppage.
Behind the Mercedes duo, Oscar Piastri impressed with the fourth fastest lap and logged the highest mileage of any driver by completing 161 laps. Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar of Red Bull followed closely, both accumulating over 50 laps. Esteban Ocon led the midfield runners in seventh, just ahead of Franco Colapinto who managed 144 laps during the session.
Rounding out the top ten were Oliver Bearman and Nico Hulkenberg, with Alex Albon and Liam Lawson sitting just outside in 11th and 12th positions respectively. Aston Martin and Lance Stroll struggled significantly: Stroll finished 16th, nearly five seconds adrift of the pacesetter Antonelli, as the team battled ongoing technical troubles.
Russell Sets Morning Benchmark Despite Bottas Delay
The morning session began with Lewis Hamilton taking the lead as cars hit the track first, while Lance Stroll was the last to leave the pits for Aston Martin. For roughly an hour, the session ran smoothly until Valtteri Bottas was forced to stop on track due to a cooling problem, bringing out a red flag.
After the track reopened, drivers pushed hard to compensate for lost time, with Liam Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto encountering minor slides at the final corner during their fast laps. Quick work by Cadillac’s mechanics allowed Bottas to return to the circuit with just over an hour remaining, but the earlier delay meant he ended the session 11th and last, over four seconds slower than the leaders.
George Russell dominated the morning timing, breaking into the 1:33 range with his 1:33.918 lap, more than two-tenths faster than Hamilton’s second-best time. Verstappen secured the third fastest time with 61 laps completed, over a second slower than Russell. Oliver Bearman, Oscar Piastri, Franco Colapinto, Carlos Sainz, Liam Lawson, and Gabriel Bortoleto filled out the top nine, while Lance Stroll and Bottas finished just outside in 10th and 11th respectively.
Continued Struggles Hamper Aston Martin’s Progress
Aston Martin’s difficulties persisted throughout the day as Lance Stroll managed 58 laps during the morning but spent the majority of the afternoon sidelined due to power unit issues. Rumours circulated that the Honda engine powering Aston Martin cannot exceed 11,000 RPM in eighth gear without risking failure, a limitation that has severely impacted their running time.
Stroll’s limited running meant the team was the only one unable to complete 100 laps in a single testing day, leaving Aston Martin trailing behind competitors as the final test approaches. The Silverstone-based team will face an uphill battle to resolve these issues ahead of the season opener.
Franco Colapinto’s Start Simulation Incident Adds to Alpine Concerns
As practice for race starts commenced towards the end of testing, drivers rehearsed formation laps and standing starts to identify necessary adjustments before the Australian Grand Prix on March 8. During his simulated grid slot approach, Colapinto lost control and nearly collided with the barrier but managed to recover the car.
When the starting lights went out, Colapinto, along with Piastri and Ocon, initially remained stationary before finally moving off. Shortly after, Colapinto’s Alpine suffered an anti-stall issue, forcing him to coast to a halt at Turn 1, underscoring reliability concerns for Alpine in the midfield battle.
Mercedes Appears to Conceal Full Potential Ahead of Final Test
Testing sessions inherently come with uncertainties due to varied team strategies, differing fuel loads, and run plans, making it difficult to identify the outright fastest team. However, Mercedes’ performance dispels doubts about their competitiveness, as the team appears to still hold untapped pace, suggesting they will intensify their efforts during the upcoming final test session starting Wednesday.
Behind Mercedes, the fight remains tight with Red Bull and Ferrari closely matched, while McLaren has shown notable improvement from its initial shakedown. Midfield teams like Haas have impressed with both speed and reliability, and Racing Bulls, Alpine, and Audi continue to demonstrate solid performances as well.
Aston Martin’s ongoing struggles with the Honda power unit threaten to undermine their preparation, placing pressure on the team to find solutions quickly. Meanwhile, Cadillac faces early developmental challenges, and Williams seems to be closing the gap after missing initial running due to a delayed start.
“Testing always comes with caveats. While it’s a great chance for the teams to see where they stack up, it’s impossible to determine who has the fastest car because of the teams’ different run and fuel plans.” ?Jiri Krenek, Mercedes Benz Media
“But it’s obvious they still have more pace in the locker, Mercedes should up the ante when the final test gets underway on Wednesday.” ?Jiri Krenek, Mercedes Benz Media
