Huge crash for Sebastian Vettel
The four-time champion was unharmed in the incident but the damage sustained by the car brought an end to the test
Sebastian Vettel’s first day of testing Pirelli’s 2017 wet tyres at Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit was brought to an early end by a crash on Thursday.
The four-time F1 champion had been drafted in for the opening day of wet tyre testing, which was aimed at checking on the progress of Pirelli’s wider rain rubber with Ferrari’s mule car on the artificially soaked track.
Early in the afternoon – and during what was believed to be a warm-up lap – Vettel lost control of the modified SF15-T on the descent from the right-hander after the bridge crossing.
Images posted online showed the car flicked right as the circuit turned to the left, and Vettel plunged head-on into the barriers.
Although Vettel was unharmed in the crash, suffering no more than some minor bruising, the impact caused extensive damage to the Ferrari so running was abandoned for the day.
The car has been returned to the Maranello factory and a decision over whether it can be repaired for the second scheduled day of testing on Friday will be taken during the evening.
Pirelli’s desire to get a pre-season wet tyre test completed was largely prompted by this season’s move to standing starts following safety car periods.
Drivers criticised the warm-up characteristics of last year’s Pirelli wets, and that would become a greater worry with the potential for standing starts without the benefit of tyre blankets beforehand
With track temperature as low as five degrees centigrade on Thursday, Vettel had been trying to evaluate the different specification of wet tyres available.
Ferrari had originally intended its third driver Antonio Giovinazzi to take over for Friday, but his running could be limited to the afternoon if Vettel wishes to continue after his truncated Thursday.
