Ferrari newcomer Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap time so far in Formula One preseason testing in northeastern Spain on Thursday.
His lap of 1 minute, 16.231 seconds was only 0.05 seconds short of the track record for the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit set by Lewis Hamilton in qualifying for last season's Spanish Grand Prix.
The 21-year-old Leclerc was 20 minutes away from completing a trouble-free session when his Ferrari came to a stop on a straightaway.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco takes a curve during a Formula One pre-season testing session at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, outside Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
His 138 laps were second to Williams rookie George Russell, who led the field with 140 laps on the day.
Defending champion Hamilton had another mundane session, clocking the 10th-fastest time while sharing the wheel with Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Testing concludes on Friday.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco drives past a banner in support of former Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher during a Formula One pre-season testing session at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, outside Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP PhotoJoan Monfort)
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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)
