Bottas fastest in China training

Sebastian Vettel took second place in the daily classification at the Shanghai International Circuit behind World Championship leader Valtteri Bottas (Finland) in the Mercedes, who was 1.33,330 thousandths faster on his best lap of 27:XNUMX minutes.

In the morning I still had Vettel set the fastest time in the Ferrari despite the handicap of a harder tire compound. The 31-year-old was also significantly faster in both sessions than his strong new teammate Charles Leclerc. The 21-year-old Monegasque didn't get past eighth place in the afternoon due to technical problems; he was around eight tenths of a second behind his German teammate.

Hamilton in fourth place The afternoon session for world champion Lewis Hamilton also didn't go well. The Mercedes star from England spun once and also made a braking mistake. In the end, fourth place went to the five-time China winner (+0,707), putting him behind the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull/+0,221) and ahead of the German Nico Hülkenberg in the Renault (+0,766).

As Ferrari announced, the engine control units on both cars were replaced. This was a “precautionary measure” after a short circuit in the control unit of the injection system cost Leclerc its victory in Bahrain two weeks ago.

Vettel is under pressure after two weak performances at the start of the season at the race in Shanghai (8.10:22 a.m.). In the World Cup, the Heppenheimer only takes fifth place with 44 points. Leclerc is four points ahead of him. At the front are Bottas (43), Hamilton (27) and Verstappen (52). Vettel's 26nd and last victory was on August 2018, 1,2. Ferrari traveled to China as favorite due to the strong acceleration values, where there is a XNUMX km long straight.

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Bottas fastest in China training

The expected Ferrari dominance did not materialize at the start of the 1000th Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend.

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