With Alonso watching, McLaren's Norris fastest in F1 testing

With Fernando Alonso watching from the pits, British rookie driver Lando Norris set the fastest time in his McLaren on Tuesday to start the final week of preseason testing in Formula One.

Norris' good run came on a relatively slow day for Mercedes and Ferrari, as both teams faced reliability issues.

Norris is part of the new McLaren lineup that also includes Spaniard Carlos Sainz. They are replacing Stoffel Vandoorne and two-time world champion Alonso, who left F1 after four seasons with the English team.

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain jumps from his car on the side of the track during a Formula One pre-season testing session at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, outside Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)

It has been a promising start for McLaren in 2019, with the team producing its best preseason performance in several years. It was able to run more laps in last week's sessions than in both weeks a year ago.

It wasn't a trouble-free day for Norris, though, as he twice faced mechanical problems at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit.

His time of 1 minute, 17.709 seconds, which came on the faster tire compound, was three tenths of a second slower than Nico Hulkenberg's lap with Renault last week, the fastest so far this season. Pierre Gasly was second fastest with Red Bull on Tuesday, ahead of Lance Stroll of Racing Point.

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen of Denmark steers his car during a Formula One pre-season testing session at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, outside Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)

Sebastian Vettel was fourth with Ferrari, with teammate Charles Leclerc seventh after being kept in the garage for a long time as the team investigated a cooling problem with his car.

Ferrari had enjoyed a smooth first four days of testing last week, showing good pace and reliability.

Valtteri Bottas was only 11th fastest with Mercedes on Tuesday, just ahead of teammate and defending world champion Lewis Hamilton. Bottas was stuck in the garage for most of the afternoon as the team had to change a power unit because of an oil pressure problem.

Motor racing fans watch as a Ferrari takes a curve during a Formula One pre-season testing session at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, outside Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)

Mercedes tested new aerodynamic parts to try to gain some speed compared to last week's sessions.

Williams, which started testing later than the other teams because a delay with its 2019 car, managed to run 119 laps with rookie George Russell.

Testing will continue through Friday at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit, home to the Spanish Grand Prix in May.

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany steers his car during a Formula One pre-season testing session at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, outside Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)

The season-opening Australian Grand Prix is on March 17.

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Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany drives in the pit lane during a Formula One pre-season testing session at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, outside Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)

Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo of Australia drives in the pit lane during a Formula One pre-season testing session at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, outside Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during a Formula One pre-season testing session at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, outside Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A race car veered off the track during a competition in Sri Lanka on Sunday and rammed into a crowd of spectators and race officials, killing seven people and injuring 20 others, officials said.

Thousands of spectators looked on as the mishap took place during a race in the town of Diyatalawa in the tea-growing central hills, about 180 kilometers (110 miles) east of the capital Colombo.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the mishap.

Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said one of the cars veered off the track and crashed into spectators and officials of the event. Seven people, including four officials, were killed and another 20 were being treated at a hospital, said Thalduwa. He said three of the injured were in critical condition.

Thalduwa said police have launched an investigation into the accident, which was the 17th out of 24 events scheduled. The race was suspended after the accident.

About 45,000 spectators had gathered at the race circuit at a Sri Lankan military academy. The event was organized by the Sri Lankan army and Sri Lanka Automobile Sports.

People attend to the injured after a racing car crashed into the spectators during the Fox Hill Supercross, a motor racing event organized by the Sri Lanka's army, in Diyatalawa, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/STR)

People gather around a car that had crashed into the spectators during the Fox Hill Supercross, a motor racing event organized by the Sri Lanka's army, in Diyatalawa, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/STR)