Webber fastest on Day 1 in Barcelona

On a wet, windy and generally horrible day of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Barcelona Mark Webber set the fastest lap in his Red Bull RB9 with just minutes left on the clock.

Webber’s best time of 1:22.693 was set on soft compound tyres after conditions improved enough to allow the use of slick tyres. Highlighting the mixed nature of the day’s testing, Webber was 1.6 seconds quicker than Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes AMG, 1:24.348). Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso, 1:25.017) was third quickest.

Despite the late afternoon dry running, times were still well off the 1:21.848 benchmark set by Sergio Perez (McLaren) on Day 2 of the first round of pre-season testing in Barcelona a bit over a week ago.

Afterwards Mark lamented he wasn’t able to do more during the day. “We only got one hour at the end of the day in more stable conditions. We opted to put on a couple of sets of tyres at the end and see how it went and it was OK. We’ve still got more to come, but that was the most we could get done in a short limited programme in dry conditions at the end of the day.”

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

2013 F1 pre-season testing – Barcelona II (Day 1)

1. Mark Webber Red Bull – 1:22.693 (90 laps)
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes – 1:24.348 +1.655 (113 laps)
3. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso – 1:25.017 +2.324 (59 laps)
4. Valtteri Bottas Williams – 1:26.458 +3.765 (85 laps)
5. Sergio Perez McLaren – 1:26.538 +3.845 (100 laps)
6. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber – 1:26.574 +3.881 (92 laps)
7. Paul di Resta Force India – 1:27.107 +4.414 (57 laps)
8. Felipe Massa Ferrari – 1:27.541 +4.848 (112 laps)
9. Max Chilton Marussia – 1:28.166 +5.473 (78 laps)
10. Charles Pic Caterham – 1:28.644 +5.951 (83 laps)
11. Romain Grosjean Lotus – 1:34.928 +12.235 (52 laps)