Ferrari quicker than Mercedes, Wolff admits

Toto Wolff says Ferrari appear to have delivered a quicker car than Mercedes in the early stages of pre-season testing, having opted for a different approach to tackling the new aerodynamic regulations for the 2019 season than the Silver Arrows.

Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets across the first two days of testing, although lap times at this stage of the year are largely immaterial due to the varying nature of team's running.

Interestingly, Kimi Raikkonen delivered an even quicker lap time than the Ferraris on the third day of action in Barcelona driving for Alfa Romeo.

Follow @GPFansGlobal on Instagram for behind-the-scenes access from across the testing fortnight.

Amid tightened relations between the Scuderia and the team formerly known as Sauber, both teams share a strikingly different front-wing design to much of their rivals, with Wolff suggesting that their approach has reaped rich rewards at this early stage of 2019.

Day 2 complete ?
Read the stats from @Charles_Leclerc's day in the #SF90 ???? #F1Testing #essereFerrari pic.twitter.com/fhmlDe1TJD — Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 19, 2019

"Of course we have not had a huge rule change from the previous year to this year, but you can see two different aerodynamic concepts at the moment," Wolff told RTL.

"At the moment it looks like Ferrari has found that sweet spot. The car is quick on one lap and the long-run too.

"Now it's important to analyse, where the advantages and disadvantages are of the respective concepts.

"But after only three days, they are very fast – faster than us – and we have to respond now."

Neither Lewis Hamilton or Valtteri Bottas have set eye-catching lap times thus far in the test, but last year's testing came without a headline time and the Silver Arrows won a fifth straight championship regardless.

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