Alpine driver Fernando Alonso forced to abandon car after it goes up in smoke during F1 testing

FERNANDO ALONSO’S Alpine car went up in smoke on the final morning of F1 testing in Barcelona.

The 40-year-old Spaniard was forced to pull up in the final sector as marshals raced onto the scene.

Alpine confirmed that Alonso had stopped the car ‘due to a loss of pressure’. 

It came after the star had taken a trip through the gravel in his new F1 challenger.

Alpine mechanics now face a race against the clock to repair the car and get it back out in the dry before this afternoon when the track will be artificially dampened.

The incident marks the third red flag this week after Red Bull’s Sergio Perez’s gearbox failed and Haas driver Nikita Mazepin’s fuel pump suffered a problem on Thursday.

It has been an action-packed week in Barcelona after cheeky Lewis Hamilton went on a spy mission peering into Red Bull's garage on the first day of pre-season testing.

The seven-time British world champion was spotted in the pit-lane examining Red Bull's car for the 2022 season.

Hamilton was eager to scope out the competition and get a glimpse of the RB18 at the first opportunity at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

He also took a look at most of the other teams during his stroll following the biggest overhaul of F1 regulations in a generation.

After contemplating retiring from the sport, Hamilton is back with his eyes set on eclipsing Michael Schumacher's record by winning his eighth world title.

But when asked if he fears Mercedes may not provide him with a car worthy of challenging for another title, Hamilton responded: “Why would I ever feel that way?

"My team don’t make mistakes.

“Of course that is a risk (with the new regulations) but I trust the team. Whether it is good or bad we will work through it.”

The Brit is hungry to for success again after cruelly having the title snatched from him on the last lap in Abu Dhabi last season.

The FIA controversially cleared the cars between Hamilton and Verstappen under a safety car, allowing the Dutchman to have a clear run on Hamilton with fresh tyres to clinch his first championship.

This dramatic Grand Prix led to a social media blackout from Hamilton for over two months, which led to questions regarding whether or not he would walk away from the sport.

But Hamilton ended silence with the message: "I’ve Been Gone. Now I’m Back!"