After Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel ran Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton close for both Formula 1 world championships last year, hopes of a repeat scenario were played down based on 2018 pre-season testing despite Vettel setting the fastest lap of the fortnight.

But the interference of peculiar weather conditions at Barcelona, plus the introduction of an expanded range of tyres from Pirelli, made it more difficult than ever to make any conclusive readings into times, and there is still hope that this year could provide the close three-way fight at the front - with Red Bull included - that we anticipated in 2017.

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