Vettel had managed what was then a field-high 40 laps by the time he stopped at Turn 12 just after two hours and a half of running, bringing out the second red flag of the test.

The session remained suspended for 20 minutes as the stricken SF1000 was covered in multiple blankets and transported back to pitlane, from which it wouldn't emerge until the chequered flag.

Ferrari has confirmed it will fit a replacement engine on Vettel's car for the afternoon, while the power unit that started the day will go to Maranello for analysis.

As the red flag flew, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen had sat in first lap with a C2 lap of 1m17.636s, but Bottas then improved to a 1m16.863s - the fastest lap of testing so far - shortly after green-flag running resumed.

He whittled it down to a 1m16.417s on

See Full Page