Alonso fastest at Silverstone F1 test as seven teams run rookies
Fernando Alonso was fastest for McLaren on the opening day of the Silverstone test after rain spoiled most of the afternoon running.
It was really a day for rookies with only three teams running their regular race drivers and seven using test or development drivers. The conditions and the fact that everyone was running different programs made the actual times pretty much irrelevant.
Two teenagers had their first ever outings in an F1 car, namely American GP3 racer Santino Ferrucci at Haas, and Russian F3 driver Nikita Mazepin at Force India.
Renault third driver Esteban Ocon, who is contracted to Mercedes, drove the W07 usually handled by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and was second fastest. Russian GP2 man Sergey Sirotkin was in the Renault.
Ferrari protege Charles Leclerc was given a chance to drive for the Scuderia having done FP1 in the Ferrari-powered Haas last Friday, while also running today were GP2 man Alex Lynn at Williams, and Pierre Gasly at Red Bull. Gasly did not do much running in the dry due to electronics issues and did not set a representative time, but he did at least try the Halo.
Along with Alonso the only regulars in action were Carlos Sainz at STR, and Rio Haryanto at Manor. Sauber is not taking part in the test.
Manor's Pascal Wehrlein was seconded to Mercedes for the day, driving a 2014 car as part of Pirelli's development program for next season.
The test continues into Wednesday.
