An eventful first day of testing kicks off the Formula 1 season with a host of developments, as top teams struggle with gearboxes and spins. Max Verstappen overcooked his car coming out of a turn too early in the session, but managed to avoid any damage. Valtteri Bottas ran into gearbox issues and sat out much of the session, but managed to complete a few laps. Vettel was found stopped at the end of the pit lane ahead of the afternoon segment in his brand new Aston Martin.
Mercedes Reveals New W12 Floor
Formula 1 photographers were able to uncover some secrets held close to Mercedes' chest regarding its new floor for the W12. The floor is the most affected part of the car from the aerodynamics regulations changes, and the Mercedes team has taken full advantage of what's available to it.
Charles Leclerc Breaks Down In Morning Session
What started as a solid test day for Ferrari unfortunately unraveled for Charles Leclerc in the form of a possible power unit failure, topping off the morning session. He was back later to finish the day 11th in the standings. Carlos Sainz Jr. finished in fifth.
Verstappen continued the day to complete two full race distances and nab the top of the standings, as Yuki Tsunoda quietly finished the day a half second behind Pierre Gasly without any issues or upsets.