MotorMouth – Formula One is back! Cars return to the track after 89 days away for first testing session ahead of the 2021 season… but it’s a far-from-ideal start for champions Mercedes as Valtteri Bottas suffers instant gearbox issue

12.03.21

Formula One is back! Cars return to the track after 89 days away for first testing session ahead of the 2021 season… but it’s a far-from-ideal start for champions Mercedes as Valtteri Bottas suffers instant gearbox issue

Formula One fans finally saw a glimpse of what is to come in 2021 as teams got to take their new cars out on track for testing for the first time on Friday. Championship-winning Mercedes ran Valtteri Bottas in the morning session and he suffered an instant gearbox issue, making it a far from smooth start for the pre-season favourites. There was better news for McLaren with Daniel Ricciardo leading the way in an intense morning session on track. Despite the conditions there was just one red flag in the morning session. Mick Schumacher, preparing for his debut season in F1, ran ninth of the 10 drivers active in the morning session.

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