F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Ferrari pins Giovinazzi against Leclerc in Barcelona

Pirelli's 2018 tyre development progamme had Ferrari testing for the Italian manufacturer at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona at the end of this week.

Initially, Scuderia reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi  was to handle driving duties on his own, but a technical problem with the team's SF70H severely limited running on Thursday.

Ferrari subsequently decided to extend its running on Friday and undertake a whopping 1,200km programme, adding  Charles Leclerc to its driving force in order to give Giovinazzi a bit of respite.

Needless to say, Ferrari engineers will have been very interested in comparing the performance and technical feedback of the two young chargers relative to each other and in similar running conditions.

Extending Kimi Raikkonen's contract for 2018 appears to be a mere formality for the Scuderia, but the Italian outfit will need to decide which of its juniors - Giovinazzi or Leclerc - will likely join Sauber next season, Ferrari's de facto junior team.

Was yesterday's test a shootout between the two hopefuls? In hindsight it may well have been...

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1

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

 

 

Pierre Van Vliet

Pierre Van Vliet is a respected and authoritative figure in F1 news circles and brings a wealth of information to F1i.com

Recent Posts

Perez commits to Cadillac until 2029 in major F1 boost

Sergio Perez is going nowhere. Cadillac has secured the services of its experienced Mexican driver…

11 hours ago

'If Cows Could Fly': Bottas laughs off Cadillac contract rumors

If there is one thing Valtteri Bottas knows after more than a decade in Formula…

12 hours ago

Audi appoints former Mercedes man CEO of F1 engine F1 division

Audi is reshaping the leadership structure behind its Formula 1 power unit, bringing in an…

14 hours ago

Helmut Marko backs AI startup for messages from beyond

The F1 paddock is obviously well-versed in cutting-edge technology, but former Red Bull motorsport boss…

15 hours ago

Bernie Ecclestone - still a racer at heart

Bernard Charles Ecclestone turns 96 on this day, and the former F1 supremo still looks…

16 hours ago

Aston Martin linked with surprise Red Bull engine deal

Is Aston Martin contemplating an unexpected escape route from its troubled Honda partnership? Paddock whispers…

17 hours ago