Lewis Hamilton mentioned Ferrari “undoubtedly have some work to do to enhance” as his former Mercedes team-mate George Russell set the tempo on the ultimate day of pre-season testing.
Russell pipped Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.021 seconds with a lap simply 5 minutes earlier than the tip of the day’s working.
Hamilton ended the day sixth quickest in his Ferrari, 0.8 seconds off Russell.
Williams driver Alex Albon was third quickest, forward of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Hamilton mentioned: “It is arduous to know what gasoline hundreds everyone seems to be working so you need to take the whole lot with a pinch of salt.
“(McLaren) gained the constructors’ (title) final yr. We anticipate them to be one of many quickest if not the quickest. As with Pink Bull, they dominated for a few years. We have undoubtedly received some work to do to enhance.”
Hamilton, talking earlier than he drove within the afternoon session, was optimistic about his first pre-season check along with his new workforce.
“I really feel like we have constructed a extremely good basis however these guys on the market look actually aggressive, it appears very shut,” he mentioned.
“That is essentially the most constructive feeling I’ve had for a very long time.”
However his day ended early when Ferrari curtailed his working prematurely, earlier than he was capable of full a deliberate race distance.
Hamilton was practically 0.5secs faster than team-mate Charles Leclerc however was working a tyre compound one step softer. He additionally drove within the afternoon session whereas Leclerc went within the morning.
Pre-season testing is a notoriously unreliable indication of true competitiveness as there are such a lot of elements that may distort the image.
Groups don’t reveal the specification through which they have been working their vehicles, and gasoline hundreds and engine modes have a serious influence on efficiency.
As well as, the climate circumstances on Friday have been very completely different from the day earlier than – Friday was sunny and significantly hotter, with a stronger wind, that means the monitor was slower than it had been on Thursday.
Regardless of Verstappen’s tempo, the Pink Bull regarded troublesome to drive, and the workforce have been attempting out completely different set-ups and configurations on the automobile, together with swapping between two completely different entrance wing specs.
The four-time world champion had a spin late within the day at Flip One.
Day 3 times
1. George Russell (Mercedes) 1:29.545
2. Max Verstappen (Pink Bull) +0.021
3. Alex Albon (Williams) +0.105*
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.395
5. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +0.495
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.800*
7. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) +0.952
8. Esteban Ocon (Haas) +1.183
9. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +1.266
10. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +1.343
11. Lando Norris (McLaren) +1.398
12. Jack Doohan (Alpine) +1.694
13. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +2.154
14. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) +2.181
15. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +2.216
16. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +2.539
17. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) +2.602
18. Oliver Bearman (Haas) +2.816
* = time set on C4 tyres, all others on C3, which is tougher and slower
