Russell Achieves Fastest Lap in Barcelona F1 Test
George Russell, the Mercedes driver, has struck a significant milestone by recording the fastest time in the ongoing F1 testing session held in Barcelona. His impressive lap time of 1 minute 17.580 seconds surpassed the previous record set by Isack Hadjar from Red Bull, with a margin of 0.6 seconds.
Day 3 Testing Overview
The testing day saw Russell demonstrating exceptional performance, achieving close to 100 laps before lunchtime. This follows a productive Monday where he had also logged nearly 100 laps, replacing teammate Kimi Antonelli.
Russell’s lap time outperformed Franco Colapinto, who drove the Mercedes-powered Alpine and recorded a time of 1 minute 19.150 seconds. Lando Norris and McLaren also showcased their potential with their new MCL40, managing more than 30 laps shortly after the day commenced.
Notable Lap Times
- 1: George Russell (Mercedes) – 1m17.580s
- 2: Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 1m19.150s
- 3: Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1m19.672s
- 4: Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – 1m20.714s
- 5: Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 1m20.840s
- 6: Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) – No time recorded
Challenges on Track
However, not all teams had a smooth day. Audi faced considerable setbacks, with Nico Hulkenberg unable to set any lap times due to early issues. Similarly, Ollie Bearman and Haas experienced interruptions after managing only around 20 laps.
As the testing sessions continue, Antonelli is expected to return to the W17 for the latter half of the day, adding to the ongoing competitive atmosphere at the circuit.
