F1 Testing: Charles Leclerc enjoys strong start to Ferrari debut
Written by News on 28/11/2018
Charles Leclerc completed his first laps as an official Ferrari driver on Wednesday as post-season testing resumed in Abu Dhabi.
Leclerc will become the Scuderia’s second-youngest driver in history when he makes his race debut for the team next season, and he enjoyed a strong morning on the final day of track action in F1 2018.
The Monegasque driver, who had a superb rookie year at Sauber, set the lunchtime pace with a 1:36.559, with teams and drivers testing Pirelli tyre compounds for 2019.
Leclerc isn’t the only driver debuting in team colours; he leads Pierre Gasly on the timesheets as the Frenchman made his bow for Red Bull ahead of his move from Toro Rosso.
Gasly is replacing Daniel Ricciardo next year.
Having been dropped by Gasly’s former team just over a year ago, Daniil Kvyat is making what is technically his third debut for Toro Rosso on Day Two as he prepares for his full-time return to F1.
Carlos Sainz, replacing Fernando Alonso at McLaren, is also in action for his new team, driving the MCL33 at the Yas Marina circuit.
Lance Stroll (Force India), Antonio Giovinazzi (Sauber) and Robert Kubica (Williams) are the other drivers offering a glimpse of F1 2019.
But there are also some unfamiliar names in action, with Louis Deletraz making his testing debut for Haas while Artem Markelov is running in the Haas – both are F2 proteges.
Valtteri Bottas, meanwhile, is rounding off his diffcult season with another day in the Mercedes.
Abu Dhabi test, Day Two line-up
Mercedes: Valtteri Bottas
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc
Red Bull: Pierre Gasly
Force India: Lance Stroll
Williams: Robert Kubica (AM), George Russell (PM)
Renault: Artem Markelov
Toro Rosso: Daniil Kvyat
Haas: Louis Deletraz
McLaren: Carlos Sainz
Sauber: Antonio Giovinazzi
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(c) Sky News 2018: F1 Testing: Charles Leclerc enjoys strong start to Ferrari debut
