F1 Test: How drivers fared on Day 1 of post-season tyre test?
No sooner than the Formula 1 season ended with Lewis Hamilton's sensational win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that the post-season tyre testing with Pirelli got underway. It ensured that drivers got busy after sipping their champagne, exchanging pleasantries, thanking fans, and congratulating their outfits for the long line of work done this season.
This basically meant that while Sunday was about the glorious spectacle of the season-finale being held at the spectacular Yas Marina, the very next day, the bandwagon of speed and its keepers got busy in readying themselves for the post-season Pirelli tyre-testing.
Monday and Tuesday were all about the drivers trying to get different tyre compounds to work on their car set-ups.
While for the likes of Sebastian Vettel, it was like getting used to the existing car- the one used for the 2018 season- SF 70H, for most others, such as Kimi Raikkonen, it was about trying out the C37 Sauber, a first for the Iceman.
That said, let's immediately delve into which drivers took out their cars for a practice spin at the Yas Marina for the tyre-testing?
Sebastian Vettel - Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton might have been the ace of pace this year. But his close-rival; Ferrari driver, Sebastian Vettel continues to make headlines.
At Abu Dhabi, just a few hours ago, prior to getting into the act of doing the 'donuts' alongside Alonso and race-winner, Hamilton, Vettel collected a valiant second, once again second only to Lewis.
Then, he'd be off to concentrate on the next task at hand, i.e., the tyre-testing at the Yas Marina.
And boy, didn't Vettel do a fine job at that?
At going nearly the fastest over second-placed Valtteri Bottas, the Ferrari driver went at an impressive 1:36:812. This was impressive in the sense that it was much faster than what Hamilton managed during the Grand Prix: 1:41:357, bettered by none other than, the German himself: 1:40: 867.
Now, on the first day of practice as Vettel went way quicker at 1:36:812, it was clear who would be the man in charge. Despite causing a red flag at Turn 1 in the morning, Vettel's imperious pace would set the tone for an interesting, tedious day for the rest who had to play catch up to the charging German.