Ricciardo’s morning session-topping time, which was posted in the final 15 minutes of the session after a Sergio Perez-instigated red flag – the first stoppage of the test – was cleared, posting a 1m20.355s to deny Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz bragging rights.
The Australian’s time stood strong through the first half of the afternoon’s running, remaining on top during the day’s second stoppage as Nikita Mazepin stopped at Turn 9.
The Haas driver had suffered from a fuel pump issue just before the half-way point of the afternoon’s running, bringing out the red flag as he was left stranded at Campsa.
But with an hour and 15 minutes to go, Leclerc then mounted the first real assault on Ricciardo’s time, punching in a 1m19.804s on the C3 tyre before retreating to the pits.
With half an hour left in the session, he almost faced a response from the C4-shod Pierre Gasly, but the AlphaTauri driver lost time in the final sector following Sergio Perez’s Red Bull and was just…
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