F12025 pre-season testing: Lewis Hamilton ‘really enjoying’ with new Ferrari
Sainz and Leclerc both spin while talking – Sainz is in the first turn and Leclerc is at the last corner – just like when they start flying.
Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli ranked fourth and fifth.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris ranked 13th and 14th.
Pre-season testing is a well-known indicator of actual competitive performance, as factors like fuel load and engine mode were not revealed by the team and had a significant impact on performance.
Despite Sainz’s fastest time, Williams team principal James Vowles stressed that his team wasn’t fast enough to compete in this year’s game.
“The top four are the top four,” Walls said. “McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes did a great job throughout the winter.
“The midfield will be very nervous, and if I do it right, 0.1 second will separate a lot of us.”
When teammate Liam Lawson was in the car all day, Red Bull world champion Max Verstappen did not drive and ended up in seventh place. Verstappen will drive on the last day of Friday.
“It’s just a test. Everyone hides their true performance, but it feels good. Nice surprise, but it’s too early to judge the performance.”
Norris said before driving in the second quarter at the press conference: “We’re just trying to make the car integrate faster. Increase the load. If we want to improve anything, that’s the rear, but the rest feels right and feels in the same ball park.
“I don’t think we’re expecting a big step ahead of everyone. We expect to be close to Red Bull and Ferrari. If we go from there, that’s the main thing.”
During Thursday’s run, McLaren drivers did not do any short-term performance.
