[Jody Barton]

So unsurprisingly the first two teams out on track doing laps are Ferrari and Mercedes. Bottas doing speed runs with massive aero rakes behind the front wheels.

Ferrari a number of install laps, already testing the clutch.

They're clearly both ready to go... ding ding... fight.

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Wow, Williams are out doing the same sort of aero tests Mercedes were doing. They're on track though, and it's not exploded, that's progress. Although the engine sounds horrid running set speeds, unlike the Mercedes. Weird given it's the same engine.

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Red Bull straight out doing laps, ditto McLaren, who are clearly turning the engine up a bit. Honda sounds better this year in that Red Bull.

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Yeah Sainz has the engine turned up. Leclerc is pushing as well, locking up breaks. Everyone approaching their work sheet very differently. Only Haas and Renault who haven't been on track so far.

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Renault and Ocon finally on track, and looks like just getting used to the car. Not really pushing.

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Aero rake off the Merc, looks like they're getting ready to send Bottas out to do some other work. Nobody having and hiccups so far... apart from Crofty who has not got less irritating over the winter break.

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Leclerc really pushing now on the softer tyres, car looks really twitchy, which is normally a good sign at this stage as you can dial it out, but it's very hard to dial in if it's not a fundamental characteristic.

[Jody Barton]

Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari really banging in the mileage already. All heading for well over 150 laps today.

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Verstappen still pounding in the laps, and the RBR and Mercedes look just as twitchy as the Ferrari, they all look like they're on a knife edge... as does the McLaren. Realistically though nothing doing really. Zero red flags so far well done.

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So far the Williams looks good, not brilliant, but it's looking solid. The McLaren though looks nice. Twitchy on turn in, it wants to change direction quickly, and it looks planted accelerating out of corners. I hope they've made a step forward, still not on the top 3 pace, but hopefully they've made a good step forward.

[Jody Barton]

The old flow viz on the McLaren front suspension seems to be flowing exactly where they want it too. hitting the barge boards then flowing round the lower part of the sidepod and to the back of the floor.

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Alpha Tauri looks crap, and they're having issues and gremlins. The other Alfa doesn't look great either. Neither seem to want to turn.

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Too much white on the grid.

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Mercedes not using their DRS system at all, so on the hardest compound Bottas goes quickest when everyone else is on the C3, C2 and some the C4, and without using DRS and during a 10 lap stint. Obviously meaningless at this point, but it's not looking bad is it. Have to say the RBR looks great.

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RBR get the race distance up first.

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Gremlins down at Ferrari. Engine was hunting then he's been sat in the car quite some time.

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Ferrari finally out again. Mercedes doing set up work.

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Mercedes still not using their DRS system. Interesting.

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Ferrari seemingly not using DRS anymore as well.

[Jody Barton]

OK, Bottas on his last run started 5 seconds behind Kubica in the Alfa... and well, within 2 laps he was on his gearbox. Kubica was pushing with his DRS open and Bottas just calmly reeled him in no dramas.

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Great lap count from the RBR so far. very impressive, and the Mercedes second in the count 10 laps back from RBR's 91. Everyone has a pretty decent lap count.

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OK, so far we know absolutely stuff all. The top 3 cars look twitchy yet compliant, and I'd say McLaren don't seem a million miles off in that regard. Williams have had a far better start to winter testing, and so far look like they'll be closer to the tail end of the grid this year, not entire seconds off... but... I still expect them to be rank last. The car "looks" better, but doesn't seem like a major departure from last years car. Might have done well in 2017, but in 2020 it'll be bringing up the rear. The Racing Point looks... well... like a Mercedes. It really, really does. Were I Merc I'd be suing them for IP theft, the nose is exactly the bloody same!!! Unsurprisingly the car seems to be going well. Other than that it's been a pretty uneventful start to testing, and I'd say that's a damn good thing. Interesting to see what the afternoon programs are like, because Mercedes and McLaren got through a hefty chunk of aero work this morning, and I'd expect them both to move more to long runs in the afternoon.

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At this point I'd say maybe the two Alphas or Alfas look like they'll be off the pace too, I expect them to be keeping Williams company at the rear of the grid. Then I think it'll be a 3 way fight for 4th between McLaren, Renault and Racing Point. I have no idea what to expect from the Haas thlough. At times it look pretty good out there, and at others it looked like a pig... which is what we said about last years Haas in testing... so who knows.

[forzaferrari]

 The Racing Point looks... well... like a Mercedes. It really, really does. Were I Merc I'd be suing them for IP theft, the nose is exactly the bloody same!!! Unsurprisingly the car seems to be going well. 

Because it pretty much is....RP Tech manager... Andy Green defends his approach: “We have been working in the Mercedes wind tunnel since May last year. It makes more sense to follow their concept than to build a Red Bull. All the tools and test procedures in the Mercedes channel are tailored to this concept. "
The collaboration between Mercedes and its customer team has become closer over the winter. In addition to the engine, transmission and hydraulics, the brackets now come from Brackley. Green admits: "Front and rear suspension and the transmission come one to one from the 2019 Mercedes."
Since a complete fresh start awaits everyone in 2021, it made sense for a midfielder team like Racing Point to flatter the world champion for the last year according to the old regulations. The thin nose with the duck bill, the front wing and the chassis, which widens at the height of the front axle all come from the spare parts store of Mercedes. 

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Tobi Gruner: When you talk to other teams they are not impressed by Racing Point running an "exact copy" of last years Mercedes. Unfortunately I'm not alllowed to tell you which teams are complaining.

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Lots of talk about the huge vertical fin hidden underneath the Red Bull bulkhead.

   

[Jody Barton]

Lewis doing a very ominous looking race run.... As is Sainz. You know what, McLaren look decent. 4 tenths off of the Merc laps, but quicker than both RBR and Ferrari. Obviously engine mode, fuel levels and normal caveats apply... but McLaren look good. Renault having a crap afternoon.

On the Racing Point Mercedes thing... yeah, it's a bit naughty if you ask me. It is literally last year's Merc. Looking at them side by side it's bloody shocking.

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Hamilton's race start stint ends with him going fastest.

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34 laps on one set of C3's for Lewis Hamilton with laps being in the 1:17's to low 1:19's... that is impressive. He is impressive.

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So we essentially have three Mercedes's at the top of the timings all within a tenth of a second of each other. I expect Ferrari and RBR not to be too arsed, but we're I Renault or McLaren I'd be pissed off.

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Bit of racing going on, Carlos nipped passed Max, and Max is trying to get past him.

[forzaferrari]

pic: @AlbertFabrega

Ferrari deflector connecting floor slots and vertical vane ahead of the rear tyre.

   

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@GaryAndersonF1: 'The more of the Ferrari I am seeing the less impressed I am with it. It might be speaking up too early but don't see the big step that's going to allow them to compete with Red Bull and Mercedes, and I have put those two teams in that order for a reason...'

[Jody Barton]

Lewis starting his second afternoon stint on the C4's and he goes 3 tenths quicker than everyone else and it's clearly the start of a long run. No DRS no pushing and we have a 1:16.9. Mercedes look in really good form right now.

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Ah yes, the same Gary Anderson who predicted last season Ferrari would trash Mercedes and Red Bull might nick second off of them as well. There's no question RBR look good, they really, really do, but we literally have three Mercedes at the top of the charts, and they're banging in the miles too. I don't think Mercedes will be too worried, and I think Ferrari will be quietly pleased too.

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Scratch Ferrari being happy, they're working frantically round the cooling and battery area. They've had the most disrupted running of the big boys.

[Jody Barton]

Day 1 Summary

Headlines really have to be amazing reliability from pretty much everyone, and the cars already looking quite a bit quicker than last year's cars. 

Mercedes

Amazing lap count as always, and have got through a hell of a lot of work already. So many air rake tests and set speed runs, again metronomic in what they do, they're just a machine... and seemingly a quick machine. Lewis Hamilton just planting down rapid lap after rapid lap. Obviously we don't know fuel levels, but the reigning world champions are looking damn good.

Red Bull Racing

Despite his spins and hairy moments Max has really put a shift in, and ignoring the times, as we should that RBR looks amazing. Seemingly not doing as much aero work as Mercedes, but whatever their program was they've done it. Impressive.

McLaren

Yeah, they're third on my list, because that's where they are for me today, looks good, stupid amounts of mileage and well, it looks nice on the track.

Ferrari

Not the best of days for the big boys, but they've put a lot of mile's in and they'll be happy they've found some early gremlins. They clearly haven't been doing any push laps, and I think they've got through their program.

Pink Mercedes

That's what the Racing Point is, it's last year's Mercedes, it's thoroughly shocking, looking at them side by side it's hard to spot any major differences. Having said that it looks amazing on track and has been very impressive this session, no question last year's Mercedes with this year's Mercedes PU looks like a damn fine car 

Williams

Yeah, it's still a pants car, but they've had a very good day. The car looks so much better, they did a lot of laps today and did a lot of work. I expect them to be at the back of the grid too, but I think they'll at least look like they're in F1.

Alpha Tauri

Mixed. They've had a lot of gremlins today, had the engine cover off more than most. Car looks unresponsive then Kvyat put some fast tyres on and took some fuel out and he went fifth fastest. However, behind that headline time it does not look good.

Alfa Romeo

It looks crap. Quick on the straights but does not want to turn. However, it's day 1. Maybe it'll get better. It needs to otherwise they'll be fighting for the wooden spoon with Williams.

Haas

I'm not sure. Has not looked quick at all today. It looks a handful, but they've quietly got through their day 1 program. I'll pay more attention to them tomorrow, because I think they could be in for another struggle this year.

Conclusions

Mercedes and Red Bull will be pretty happy, and look the best on track, however I don't think Ferrari will be too displeased and McLaren will be very happy, their car looks super responsive, their problem will be their engine. In the closing stages watching Lewis reel Max in as he chases him down, I hope we see more of that this season. I think most people will be very happy today.

[Jody Barton]

I didn't do a summary for Renault, primarily because I made absolutely no notes about them other than it took them way too long to set the car up for Ricciardo in the afternoon, and Ocon doesn't fit in the car, other than that they totally sailed under the radar. I have no idea whether or not they had a good day.

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So Max is very happy:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/artic...XOsOf.html