Valtteri Bottas set the pace for Mercedes as Formula 1 pre-season testing came to a conclusion in Spain on Friday. Bottas used Pirelli’s C5 tyres to post a lap time of 1:16.196s in the afternoon session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as several teams trialled the softest compound. It was still four-tenths slower than the best lap time he achieved during last week’s first test in similar weather at the same venue. The time nonetheless enabled Bottas to finish 0.073s clear of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, though the Dutchman used the C4 compound for his quickest effort. Morning pacesetter Daniel Ricciardo was shuffled down to third while Charles Leclerc was just 0.164s behind...
Full Story »