As if it wasn't enough being back on the F1 grid, Esteban admits to being further blown away by the levels of grip he is experiencing in the R.S.20.

Fifth quickest this morning, when he completed 62 laps, the Frenchman was clearly impressed by the sheer pace, especially through the corners.

"If you take into account the fastest lap time, we are already faster than the fastest last year from the first day," said the Renault driver.

"The car is evolving year-by-year," he continued, "and it is hard to compare... the amount of grip I feel now I never felt before. I don't know if it is the track.

"I drove on Monday on the filming day, and these new cars are impressive. I have never gone that fast in some corners before.

"So, it feels good. It is definitely exciting because we are going to go faster and faster. We're probably going to break all the records this year of lap times."

Asked his first impressions of the car with which Renault is aiming to claim the best of the rest tag, an achievement that could ensure his team remaining in the sport, he said: "It's a good baseline...

"Sometimes when you step in cars you think there is an issue that you are trying to solve the whole winter," he added. "There isn't any kind of that at the moment. It feels pretty healthy, but is only the first morning and we have to see how things evolve during the test."

Check out our Wednesday gallery from Barcelona, here.