Raikkonen, Kvyat set eye-popping pace as Williams finally get going

Williams finally made it onto the Circuit de Catalunya asphalt on a third day of pre-season testing that suggested Alfa Romeo and Toro Rosso have made strong progress for 2019. Kimi Raikkonen and Daniil Kvyat turned heads with a pair of mighty lap times in Barcelona.

Raikkonen became the first driver to dip below the 1min18secs barrier in Barcelona, with a headline lap time of one minute 17.762 seconds quicker than anything the team managed last year in its Sauber iteration.

Kvyat left it late to become the second, clocking 1:17.704 to take P1 from the Finn, ending the day with a mighty 137 laps under his belt to boot.

While lap times are not to be too closely monitored at this stage of pre-season, Alfa's clear progression in particular may hint at a new midfield, and potentially podium, force in 2019, while Kvyat's lap will have put a smile on faces in the Red Bull garage.

Toto Wolff said later in the day that Alfa and Ferrari's approach to the 2019 regulations differs to the rest of the field and had put the Scuderia ahead of the Silver Arrows at this point.

Ferrari and Mercedes once again piled up the mileage, the champions particularly putting Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton to work as they completed 182 laps between them.

George Russell completed 23 laps for Williams after their running finally began after lunch, with average lap time almost 10 seconds down on the quickest pace.

After a struggle to build the FW42, aerodynamic tests will only begin tomorrow for last season's bottom team.

DAY TWO HEADLINES

Raikkonen hot lap proves Alfa Romeo progress
Hamilton bans talk of sixth F1 title
Williams' pre-season finally under way
Hamilton: Title expectations on Leclerc 'unfair'
Williams tight-lipped on Lowe exit after FW42 delay
Ferrari quicker than Mercedes, Wolff admits

FROM THE TRACK

Some confidence flowing out from @ToroRosso hospitality as @QueenWillRock’s WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS is currently being played. Great coffee and now great music. What’s not to love about this team? #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/lsc1JLk8Uy — Rob Watts (@robwattsf1) February 20, 2019

There's a Williams on track, I repeat, there's a Williams on track! There's actually a small ripple of applause in the media centre too. #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/QndnuT3LTr — Rob Watts (@robwattsf1) February 20, 2019

A little look inside the Alfa Romeo @SauberF1Team motorhome from earlier this afternoon. Thanks for the espresso btw ???? Interview with @Anto_Giovinazzi on its way... #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/NSYi4wrtxj — Rob Watts (@robwattsf1) February 20, 2019