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Red Bull’s Mark Webber posted the fastest lap on the first day of four days of testing ahead of the Formula One season in just over two weeks. |
Hamilton in a Mercedes had been fastest on a wet track at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya and continued to post fast times on a drying surface in the afternoon. But Australian Webber twice clocked best times at the end of the session, with a top mark of 1 minute 22.693 seconds, 1.655 seconds clear of Hamilton. Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Vergne was third, ahead of Valtteri Bottas (Williams) and Sergio Perez (McLaren).
All the teams were taking part in the tests as the countdown begins to the new season which begins with the Australian Grand Prix from March 15-17. However, world champion Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso were among the drivers absent. The tests in Barcelona follow two previous test session in Spain, in Jerez and Barcelona.
Force India meanwhile confirmed that Germany’s Adrian Sutil will rejoin the team for the new season starting in just over two weeks.