Esteban Gutierrez says Ferrari has been exploiting more from its aero package during the in-season test in Barcelona.

Ferrari brought an upgrade to the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend but struggled to get the most out of it, to such an extent that Kimi Raikkonen reverted to the old package in order to compare the two in the race. After his first day in the Ferrari, Gutierrez says the new parts are an improvement and his role has been to understand how to get them to work more effectively.

"The new package is better," Gutierrez said. "You could see it from the race where Sebastian was in a better shape overall. Today we have improved that. There was a bit of a difficulty on a way to set-up the car for the package and this was one of things that was interesting to improve for this test."

Having also been working on driveability from the power unit, Gutierrez - who last drove an F1 car when racing for Sauber in Abu Dhabi last year - says he is surprised by how well the Ferrari performs.

"It is quite impressive actually. It is the first time I drive this year’s car and the feeling straight away very positive and different to what I am used to. I am really grateful because everyone was really looking forward to me to test the car. I have been a lot in Maranello and the simulator, so it is interesting to correlate that and keep up the work and development."

Click here for Wednesday's gallery from testing at the Circuit de Catalunya

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.

Recent Posts

Wolff eyes Mercedes engine supply cutback in the future

Mercedes may be powering a large chunk of the Formula 1 grid right now, but…

14 hours ago

Marko reflects on most ‘intense and intimate’ bond with Verstappen

Helmut Marko is closing the chapter on a remarkable 25-year career as Red Bull’s motorsport…

16 hours ago

Piastri plays it cool: Norris' title won't turn him into ‘superman’

As the dust settles on a thrilling 2025 F1 season, McLaren's Oscar Piastri is keeping…

17 hours ago

Quiet mentorship wins Verstappen new title: 'Dad of all rookies'

In an F1 paddock often defined by fierce rivalries and ruthless competition, an unexpected storyline…

18 hours ago

Michael Schumacher in a Ligier? It happened...

In December 1994, Michael Schumacher, fresh off securing his first Formula 1 World Championship, took…

19 hours ago

Honda’s 2026 power unit roars into life – and fans are loving it!

As Formula 1 closes the books on 2025 edges closer to its biggest technical reset…

20 hours ago