Barcelona Test 1 lineup - Vettel skipping first day with illness

F1 Test, Barcelona, Circuit de Catalunya

Although Sebastian Vettel was due to kick off Ferrari’s pre-season testing by giving the Italians’ brand-new machine, the SF1000 its track debut, an illness forced him to sit out today.

Ferrari originally intended to work with Sebastian Vettel on Wednesday while Charles Leclerc would have taken over the driving duties tomorrow. However, the Maranello-based outfit had to make a late change to the plans after their German driver did not feel so well this morning. Charles Leclerc will therefore drive the SF1000 today with his quadruple champion teammate exptected to roll out on to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya tomorrow. On Friday, the pair is expected to share the driving duties with the change happening in the lunch break.

As a result of the congested pre-season testing, several teams have changed their approch for the preparation for the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship. Of the ten outfits, five teams are going to work with two drivers today including Mercedes, Williams, Racing Point Renault and Alfa Romeo.

Mercedes will run with both their drivers on all three days, trying to get out the best of this congested schedule. Ferrari will only split the driving duties on Friday between Leclerc and Vettel with the same applying to the Aston Martin Red Bull outfit.

The only team to run with a test driver will be Alfa Romeo. The team’s newly recruited reserve driver Robert Kubica will drive this morning while Giovinazzi will take the new C39 to the track in the afternoon.

Standing out with their unique schedule, McLaren will not split its testing days in the first week of testing after it has opted to run with Sainz on Wednesday and Norris on the second and third day.