Sebastian Vettel shows his skills as he finishes ahead of Mercedes and Red Bull ahead of the start at Barcelona.

Vettel finished first for the second time this winter with a 1:20.396 on the medium tyres. He left behind Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas – whose best lap came on softs – and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, also on the mediums.

“It was a good day’s work,” said Vettel. “We managed to get through our programme, even if the conditions weren’t always ideal.”

Lewis Hamilton, who drove during the afternoon came fourth with a time that was 0.412 seconds slower than that of Vettel.

“I think it will be all three of us against each other,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said ” We have a worst case and a best case. What we have seen is that even if it is best case we are not in front by a lot, and if it is a worst case we are not far behind.”