Final F1 Test at Barcelona: DAY 1+2 - Jenson and Checo continue the development of the MP4-28

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DAY 1 Report

Overnight heavy rain and constant drizzle throughout the morning meant it was a slow start to the final pre-season test of 2013. Today was Sergio Perez’s penultimate day in the MP4-28 before Melbourne, and the wet weather prompted the team to undertake a more conservative run programme.

Checo conducted some aero mapping in the morning before the team chose to focus on developing a stable set-up on the Intermediate tyre and putting some solid mileage on our 2013 package. With 100 laps under his belt, it was a positive first day.

Location: Circuit de Catalunya
Driver: Sergio Perez
Track length: 4.655km
Laps: 100
Km covered: 466
Best laptime: 1m 26.538s
Test dates: Four days (February 28 - March 3)

What’s next?

With more wet weather predicted for tomorrow, Jenson’s programme is expected to be a continuation of today’s. Drier conditions are forecast for Saturday and Sunday – a benefit to the team as it brings together all the elements that constitute the aerodynamic package that it runs in Australia next month.

DAY 1 Standings

Pos / Driver / Constructor / Time / Laps

1 / Mark Webber / Red Bull Racing / 1m 22.693s / 90

2 / Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes AMG / 1m 24.348s / 113

3 / Jean-Eric Vergne / Scuderia Toro Rosso / 1m 25.017s / 59

4 / Valtteri Bottas / Williams / 1m 26.458s / 85

5 / Sergio Perez / Vodafone McLaren Mercedes / 1m 26.538s / 100

6 / Esteban Gutierrez / Sauber / 1m 26.574s / 92

7 / Paul di Resta / Force India / 1m 27.107s / 57

8 / Felipe Massa / Ferrari / 1m 27.541s / 112

9 / Max Chilton / Marussia / 1m 28.166s / 78

10 / Charles Pic / Caterham / 1m 28.644s / 83

11 / Romain Grosjean / Lotus / 1m 34.928s / 52

DAY 2 Report

The anticipated heavy showers largely held off and the majority of the day’s running was conducted on a dry track. A still-damp morning meant Jenson’s early running was limited to aero mapping and a couple of mechanical evaluations.

As the circuit dried out, Jenson switched to Pirelli’s Medium compound and ran through a number of different mechanical set-up iterations to find a good balance for MP4-28. The programme was efficient and productive, with Jenson going quicker on each subsequent run.

By mid-afternoon, the team was able to evaluate a number of upgrades over a series of longer runs. While these were interrupted by a late-afternoon red-flag stoppage, Jenson was still able to log some considerable mileage and even incorporate a series of live pitstop simulations into the mix.

Location: Circuit de Catalunya
Driver: Jenson Button
Track length: 4.655km
Laps: 72
Km covered: 335
Best laptime: 1m 23.181s
Test dates: Four days (February 28- March 3)

What’s next?

Saturday is Checo’s final day in the car before Melbourne. With clearer weather forecast, the aim will be to quickly run through further mechanical and aerodynamic evaluations before continuing more set-up work.

DAY 2 Standings

Pos / Driver / Constructor / Time / Laps

1 / Romain Grosjean / Lotus / 1m 22.716s / 88

2 / Jenson Button / Vodafone McLaren Mercedes / 1m 23.181s / 72

3 / Pastor Maldonado / Williams / 1m 23.628s / 75

4 / Sebastian Vettel / Red Bull Racing / 1m 23.743s / 65

5 / Nico Hulkenberg / Sauber / 1m 23.744s / 79

6 / Adrian Sutil / Force India / 1m 24.215s / 62

7 / Daniel Ricciardo / Scuderia Toro Rosso / 1m 25.483s / 61

8 / Max Chilton / Marussia / 1m 25.598s / 75

9 / Giedo van der Garde / Caterham / 1m 26.316s / 48

10 / Nico Rosberg / Mercedes AMG / 1m 26.655s / 120

11 / Fernando Alonso / Ferrari / 1m 27.878s / 102

~ Official photos and reports courtesy of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes ~

Copyright © 2013, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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Barcelona F1 Test 2013: Complete Report from MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS

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DAY 1 Report

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS began the second pre-season test today with the track action having moved from Jerez to the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Nico Rosberg was at the wheel of the F1 W04.

- Nico had completed 14 laps this morning when a gearbox issue required some work in the garage

- Nico was back out for the afternoon session, with the team focusing on car balance and tyre management

- By the end of today’s running, Nico had completed a total of 54 laps and set the fastest lap of the day

Lewis Hamilton will take over the programme for the second day of the test tomorrow.

Nico Rosberg
"We had a mixed day today with some laps lost this morning. However we were able to work through a good programme this afternoon and, of course, it’s always nice to be quickest at the end of the day. In general, I feel happy and comfortable in the car and it feels better than the last time we were here at this track. There is still some work to be done on tyre degradation and our programme this afternoon was helpful in understanding that."

DAY 1 Times

DAY 2 Report

Lewis Hamilton completed 121 laps today, the equivalent of 563 kms, on the second day of the Barcelona test.

- The morning focused on comparisons between exhaust configurations, running primarily on the hard tyres

- During the afternoon, Lewis concentrated on set-up work with longer runs on the medium compound

- Lewis’ fastest lap of 1:22.726 was set at the start of a ten-lap run on the hard tyre just before lunchtime

Nico Rosberg will be back in the car for the third day of the test tomorrow.

Lewis Hamilton
"We had a good day today and it was nice to get so many laps in. We’re making continual steps forward in terms of our understanding of the set-up and the tyres. The hard compound work in particular was pretty good today, although all of tyres are showing degradation so looking after them isn’t easy. The guys are working really hard both here and at the factory, and it’s encouraging to see the amount of work that’s being put in. We’re focusing on our own programme and just getting on with it."

DAY 2 Times

DAY 3 Report

Nico Rosberg completed his fourth day of pre-season testing this afternoon at Barcelona´s Circuit de Catalunya, running a total of 108 laps in cold but dry conditions. His pre-season mileage now stands at 1471 km.

- The morning programme focused on data gathering and set-up adjustments

- This afternoon, Nico concentrated on longer runs with the hard and medium tyres

- Nico ran soft, medium and hard compound tyres during the day´s programme

- His fastest lap of 1:22.611 was completed on the medium tyre on lap one of a seven-lap run

Lewis Hamilton will complete the fourth and final day of this week´s test programme tomorrow.

Nico Rosberg
"We didn´t have a perfect morning and it was tough out there with the low temperatures. They were causing a lot of tyre graining, which made it difficult to do much useful testing. It was a few degrees warmer after the break and that gave a completely different picture. In general, I´m pleased with what we´ve achieved this week - I did a lot of mileage and the team has done a good job over the winter. I feel more comfortable in the car and the balance is quite good, but we still need to work in a number of areas. That´s why I´m looking forward to testing next week and to see what progress we can make."

DAY 3 Times

DAY 4 Report

Lewis Hamilton completed his fourth day of pre-season testing today at the Circuit de Catalunya in cold and wet conditions. His mileage today of 242 km takes his total to 1513 km with the new F1 W04.

- The morning programme focused on making the most of opportunities for dry running before the rain began in earnest

- Lewis was able to complete an 18-lap run (16 timed laps) on the medium tyre just before midday

- In the wet conditions in the afternoon, the team focused on systems checks and tyre evaluations

Testing will resume at the Circuit de Catalunya on Thursday 28 February for the final pre-season test of 2013.

Lewis Hamilton
"The conditions today meant that we didn’t complete as many laps we would have done in the dry but we have gone through the test items that we wanted to achieve this week. We have been working on our consistency over long runs and we managed one run this morning on dry tyres; the car felt okay but the conditions were also very cool, so we cannot draw too many conclusions. Like I said in Jerez, I can feel that we have a good foundation with this car but there is still a lot to learn and we know that the name of the game is to improve our downforce. From a personal point of view, my relationship with the team is growing all the time and it’s going really well. I’m happy working with the guys, we are working in the right direction together and I’m pushing to extract the most from the team, just like they are with me."

Ross Brawn
"Overall, we’ve had a good week in Barcelona and achieved the programme that we set ourselves for this second test. The rain today was a little unfortunate; however we made the best of the conditions and were still able to take some useful data out of the day. Nico and Lewis are becoming more familiar with the car and its behaviour as each day progresses, and Lewis is settling into the team very well. Both drivers are providing excellent feedback which is pushing the development of the car both here and at the factory, and it is very rewarding to see their enthusiasm and commitment. We now have just four days of testing left until the first race in Australia, and a lot of work will be done before we return to Barcelona next week."

DAY 4 Times

~ Official photos and reports courtesy of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS ~

Copyright © 2013, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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