F1 Testing: Kimi Raikkonen, George Russell make 2019 team debuts
Written by News on 27/11/2018
F1 fans have been offered an early glimpse of 2019 at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi, which is headlined by Kimi Raikkonen’s return to Sauber after 17 years.
Two days after retiring from his 151st and final race for Ferrari, Raikkonen was behind the wheel of a Sauber for the first time since 2001 – his debut season in F1.
Raikkonen, who teams up with Antonio Giovinazzi in 2019, was running in an unbranded white, black and silver helmet as he got his first laps in their Ferrari-powered 2018 car as drivers tested Pirelli’s tyres for next season around the Yas Marina circuit.
There were test debuts elsewhere too ahead of a busy winter of driver transfers.
New F2 champion George Russell completed his first running for Williams ahead of his race debut in March, with the Briton in the car in the morning before handing over to 2019 team-mate Robert Kubica.
Although not yet officially confirmed as their 2019 race driver, Lance Stroll is testing for Force India in the afternoon session.
Fresh from landing the second Toro Rosso seat in place of Brendon Hartley, Russell’s F2 rival Alexander Albon was spotted in the paddock wearing the team’s uniform.
Britain’s Lando Norris has been a familiar sight in a McLaren this year during test and practice sessions and unofficially began his career as a race driver for the team on Tuesday.
In terms of absolute F1 debuts, Brazilian youngster Pietro Fittipaldi stepped up to the big time with Haas as he began his test career at the team. The 22-year-old is the grandson of double world champion Emerson Fittipaldi and represents the third generation of the wider Fittipaldi family to appear in F1.
But there were familiar faces in the cars from 2018’s top four teams as Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault used one of their current race drivers to conduct the penultimate day of running this year.
Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Nico Hulkenberg were all in their respective cars for the final time until February to get a first experience of next season’s tyres and compounds. Valtteri Bottas is completing both days of the test for world champions Mercedes.
Day One line-up
Mercedes: Valtteri Bottas
Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull: Max Verstappen
Renault: Nico Hulkenberg
Haas: Pietro Fittipaldi
McLaren: Lando Norris
Force India: Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll
Sauber: Kimi Raikkonen:
Toro Rosso: Sean Galael
Williams: George Russell and Robert Kubica
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(c) Sky News 2018: F1 Testing: Kimi Raikkonen, George Russell make 2019 team debuts
