George Russell Tops Final Day of Testing
In an exhilarating finish to the final day of Formula 1 testing, George Russell pipped his Red Bull rival Max Verstappen to secure the fastest time of the day. This achievement marks a strong statement from Mercedes as they look to set the pace heading into the new season.
Bizarre Interruptions and Strategic Runs
Friday’s final session was punctuated by two unusual red flags. The first incident involved a shattered pane of glass that fell from a gantry onto the main straight, while the second brought an unexpected interruption as a circuit bus entered a run-off area. Despite these disruptions, Russell showcased his skills by clocking a remarkable best time of 1:29.545, the third quickest during the entire testing period.
Red Bull’s Focus on Setup
Max Verstappen, on the other hand, was just 0.021 seconds behind Russell with his fastest effort, highlighting the close competition between the two drivers. Throughout the day, Verstappen completed 81 laps, concentrating on various setup experiments for Red Bull’s new RB21. Although there was a new nosecone design introduced, Verstappen faced a minor setback with a late spin at turn one.
The testing revealed uncertainties surrounding Red Bull’s performance, raising questions as they approached the season-opening Australian Grand Prix scheduled for March 14-16. As Sky Sports F1’s Karun Chandhok noted, “Red Bull is absolutely the question mark.” With the season fast approaching, the battle between these top teams promises to be thrilling.
