Eight Drivers Avoid Penalty After DRS Activation

Eight drivers including the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel have avoided a penalty after allegedly activating the DRS device during a yellow flag zone shortly after the incident between Esteban Gutierrez and Adrian Sutil. Due to ongoing technical glitches with the marshaling system, race control could not govern the activation of the device.

Usually throughout a Grand Prix weekend race control has complete jurisdiction over the usage of the DRS overtaking device, preventing drivers accidentally activating the device whilst not within a second of the car in front or not within the activation zone. However, throughout the opening three races of the season technical glitches have continued to plague the electronic marshaling system. This therefore prevents the lights corresponding to the red, yellow and blue flags from working within the cockpit, as well as the safety car mode being automatically engaged should it be deployed.

Probably the most troublesome issue with the ongoing technical glitch is the inability for race control to remain in command of the activation of the DRS device. Due to this issue, the DRS device can theoretically be activated at any stage of the race by the drivers. After the collision between Esteban Gutierrez and Adrian Sutil at Turn 14, the DRS activation zone down the back straight was disabled as the marshals cleared away the stricken Sauber. Unfortunately, race control were unable to fully disable the device and therefore Jenson Button, Romain Grosjean, Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Kimi Raikkonen, Valtteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Chilton were all put under investigation for allegedly activating the device throughout the yellow flag zone.

However, after being called up to the race stewards after the race, it was eventually decided that no penalty was to be issued to any of the drivers in question. This decision came about due to three facts regarding the activation, namely that the display of yellow flags failed to appear on the official messaging system until a minute after the incident, the DRS disable function was not fully operational and that the DRS usage was on the main straight where a green light was displayed.

If the race stewards had decided to impose timed penalties to the drivers in question, the official classification of the race could well have looked much different with Lewis Hamilton likely to have finished ahead of Kimi Raikkonen. Luckily, however, the classification was not altered and the drivers were able to retain their finishing positions.

Picture Copyright © Getty Images

Jenson Button Would Be Surprised To Qualify Within The Top Ten

Jenson Button has explained how he would be both surprised and happy to qualify within the top ten for the Australian Grand Prix, after the 2009 World Champion suffered a lackluster opening day to the weekend. The Briton ended both sessions 9th and 11th respectively, with new team-mate Sergio Perez doing no better.

After a tough winter period for the Woking-based outfit, which has seen the team loose several high quality members of the team including Lewis Hamilton and Paddy Lowe, many predicted that McLaren may well struggle during the early stages of the new season. However, whilst Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes impressed greatly during the opening session, the McLaren duo of Jenson Button and Sergio Perez struggled in the midfield.

With many perplexed as to the cause of McLaren’s lack of pace, Martin Whitmarsh confirmed that the outfit should be worried about their pace. The new MP4-28 is apparently lacking in grip, therefore causing many worried faces within the McLaren camp. The team ended 2012 with a stunning victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, however such successes seem an long way away after their showing in the opening two practice sessions.

“I think we should be worried about the pace,” explained Martin Whitmarsh to Sky Sports F1. “It is a tough day in the office for everyone at the moment, we are lacking grip and there is a lot of head scratching at the moment, but certainly we are lacking pace. I think we are still learning and there is a lot we still need to learn about this car. But we have struggled frankly to quite understand how it is performing – understanding the tyres and the car. As of today we are still undoubtedly struggling and that is something we need to gather good information on and work through it this weekend.”

Jenson Button feels that progressing through to the top ten shootout on Saturday could prove rather difficult for the Woking-based outfit, and has therefore disclosed that he will be both surprised and happy should he managed to do so. However, with the tyres looking more consistent that during testing, the Briton is expecting a two-pit stop strategy during the race, instead of the feared four-stops predicted during testing.

“There is still quite a lot of work to do for us. It felt a bit like last year, just a lot slower.” Said Jenson Button, after the first two sessions. “It seems that from the balance point of view we have the same problem as we had last year. Generally I would be both surprised and happy if we were in the top ten in qualifying tomorrow. For sure it is not the place from which we would want to start a season, but all is not lost yet. The positive thing that we are taking out of the two practice sessions is that the tyres are a lot more consistent than we thought they would be. So I assume that it will not be a four-pit stop race, but rather a two-stop race.”

Last season saw McLaren and Jenson Button storm to victory during the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, however it looks very much like the new season will not start in the same fashion this weekend for the Woking-based outfit. The team is visibly struggling to understand their car, and the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari and Lotus look much more confident and quicker around the circuit. As was predicted by the team prior to the weekend, McLaren will likely be satisfied with a points finish during the race.

Picture Copyright © McLaren F1 Team

2013 Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix Preview

After several months of rest of recuperation for the majority of the Formula fraternity, the new season is now upon us with the traditional Australian Grand Prix set to get the 2013 season underway this weekend. Expectations are high after a thoroughly thrilling season last year, with many out to thwart reigning Champion Sebastian Vettel.

Although it seems like only yesterday when the 2012 campaign was brought to an utterly jaw-dropping conclusion which saw Sebastian Vettel clinch the Championship ahead of Fernando Alonso despite a first lap incident, the Formula 1 paddock has now reconvened once again for the start of what is expected be yet another awe-inspiring season of Formula 1 action. With several driver changes up and down the order, including Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes and the return of German driver Adrian Sutil at Force India, many believe the unpredictability and competitiveness will continue throughout 2013.

During winter testing, the true pecking was hard to predict as a combination of inclement weather conditions and troublesome Pirelli tyres plagued the teams’ and drivers’ preparations ahead of the new season. Sergio Perez dubbed the degradation of the new Pirelli compounds as “extreme”, as he got to grips with life as a McLaren driver. Controversy ensued further down the order at Marussia, as Timo Glock abruptly left the Banbury-based outfit for DTM.

Jules Bianchi is one of five rookies on the grid for the Australian Grand Prix.

Eventually it was confirmed that GP2 runner-up Luiz Razia would replace the German driver, however his lack of track action during the second winter test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya sparked rumors that all was not resolved at the Anglo-Russian outfit. During the third and final winter test, it was suddenly revealed that due to contractual issues, Luiz Razia would be replaced by former Ferrari and Force India reserve driver Jules Bianchi.

With the driver market eventually settled, many began looking ahead to the new season. Since 1996, the Formula 1 year has traditionally begun around Melbourne’s Albert Park street circuit and has witnessed some of the most enthralling races in the sport’s recent history. Action-packed races such as 1999 and 2003 have made the Australian Grand Prix one of the most entertaining races of the year, with the sense of the unknown after months of winter testing.

Australia first held an official Formula 1 event back in 1985 around the iconic Adelaide street circuit, a race which was eventually won by the Williams of Keke Rosberg. Probably one of the most memorable races around Adelaide occurred the following year, when the World Championship was decided in explosive fashion when Nigel Mansell suffered a puncture at top speed, showering the car behind in sparks and forcing the Briton into retirement. Alain Prost took the race victory and the World Championship for McLaren, despite entering the season finale six points adrift of Nigel Mansell.

The weather for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix is ever-changing, with rain remaining a threat especially during Saturday and the all-important qualifying hour. Rain has affected several races held at Albert Park, most recently in 2010 which was a race eventually won by Jenson Button for McLaren. With the amount of rain witnessed during winter testing, the drivers should already be used to such inclement weather conditions. The most successful driver at the Australian Grand Prix has remained Michael Schumacher, who has won the event four times (’00, ’01, ’02 and ’04).

This year’s Australian Grand Prix will once again feature two DRS Zones, with the first zone located between Turns 16 and 1, with the second zone set to be located between Turns 2 and 3. The two zones will share the same detection zone, which will be located at Turn 14. The Driver Representative Steward for this weekend’s season-opener will be former F1 driver and Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Sullivan, a role he last served during last season’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

With many expecting last season’s unpredictability and competitiveness to continue this season, the Australian Grand Prix could well be the first race of another enthralling season of Formula 1 action. The tight confines of the Albert Park street circuit usually makes for an entertaining race, and 2013 promises to be no different. Any one of the top drivers could win this weekend, from reigning Champion Sebastian Vettel to the dark horses of Sergio Perez and Nico Rosberg. Only time will uncover the true pecking order of 2013…

Picture(s) Copyright © Lotus F1 Team & Marussia F1 Team

Nico Rosberg Fastest As Winter Testing Is Brought To A Conclusion

Nico Rosberg has ended the final day of winter testing fastest overall for Mercedes, continuing the German marque’s impressive form during the final test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. The German was followed by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, with Jenson Button a distant 3rd for McLaren.

The final day of testing for the new season dawned in glorious weather conditions at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, therefore allowing the teams and drivers one further day of perfect conditions to bring their preparations to a conclusion. After being sidelined yesterday due to food poisoning, Kimi Raikkonen was able to return behind the wheel of the Lotus E21 for the final day, as the Finn became one of the first drivers to take to the track along with Nico Rosberg and Jules Bianchi.

As per usual the drivers up and down the paddock completed installation laps throughout the early minutes of the day, before the Force India of Paul di Resta set the first timed lap of the day with a 01:28.643. This time was almost instantly thwarted by the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg, who went a whole second faster with a 01:27.651. Mercedes continued their impressive pace at the front as the morning session continued, as Nico Rosberg shot to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:22.825, which the German managed to improve upon several times, working his way down to a 01:21.277.

Whilst the majority of the order continued to rack up the miles ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen remained stuck in the confines of the pit-lane after his E21 machine suffered a gearbox issue. This forced the team to change the component, however their tweets indicated a positive atmosphere within the team. As the morning session continued the benchmark at the top was swapped several times between both Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg, before the latter fully asserted himself at the top with a 01:20.130, the fastest time of the week so far.

With only four minutes of the session remaining, Kimi Raikkonen finally returned to the Circuit de Catalunya after his earlier gearbox issue. The Finn only managed several laps in the dying minutes of the session, and set a 01:25.228 to remain last. Nico Rosberg, however, ended the morning session fastest overall ahead of Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari and Jenson Button in the McLaren.

Nico Rosberg became the first driver to return to the circuit once the track action was resumed in the afternoon, which was expected to see the majority of the order complete further race simulations. Several driver changes were carried out over the lunch interval, as Williams once again swapped over their drivers with Valtteri Bottas replacing Pastor Maldonado. Jules Bianchi’s time behind the wheel of the Marussia MR-02 was also ended, with Max Chilton assuming driving duties for the final afternoon of winter testing.

As was expected the majority of the drivers completed race simulations throughout the afternoon period, which therefore saw the timing screens remain relatively unchanged as winter testing neared its conclusion. After a gearbox issue earlier in the morning period, Kimi Raikkonen was one of the only drivers to improve upon his time in the afternoon session, with the Finn setting a 01:21.866.

With the many drivers carrying out race simulations in the afternoon session, Nico Rosberg ended the final day of winter testing fastest overall for Mercedes. The German’s time from the morning session, which was the fastest seen throughout the whole week, remained unchallenged at the front as Fernando Alonso came home 2nd ahead of Jenson Button in a distant 3rd. With winter testing now completed, all the teams and drivers will now head to Australia for the season-opening race in what promises to be another sensational year of Formula 1 action.

TODAY'S TIMES

Pos  Driver            Team         Time       Gap       Laps
 1.  Nico Rosberg      Mercedes     1m20.130s            131
 2.  Fernando Alonso   Ferrari      1m20.494s  + 0.364s  120
 3.  Jenson Button     McLaren      1m21.444s  + 1.314s  122
 4.  Nico Hulkenberg   Sauber       1m21.541s  + 1.411s  118
 5.  Kimi Raikkonen    Lotus        1m21.658s  + 1.528s  50
 6.  Paul di Resta     Force India  1m21.664s  + 1.534s  112
 7.  Pastor Maldonado  Williams     1m22.415s  + 2.285s  42
 8.  Sebastian Vettel  Red Bull     1m22.514s  + 2.384s  100
 9.  Valtteri Bottas   Williams     1m22.524s  + 2.394s  31
10.  Charles Pic       Caterham     1m23.115s  + 2.985s  116
11.  Jules Bianchi     Marussia     1m23.167s  + 3.037s  62
12.  Daniel Ricciardo  Toro Rosso   1m23.628s  + 3.498s  91
13.  Max Chilton       Marussia     1m24.103s  + 3.973s  49

Picture Copyright © Mercedes AMG Petronas

Romain Grosjean Fastest On Day Two Of Final Test

Romain Grosjean has ended the second day of the final pre-season test fastest overall for Lotus, in a frenetic day which both began and ended in inclement weather conditions. The Frenchman was followed at the top by the McLaren of Jenson Button, with Pastor Maldonado a distant 3rd for Williams.

The second day of the test dawned in foul weather conditions at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, with wet and windy conditions meeting the drivers as the session got underway. Romain Grosjean and Nico Rosberg became the first drivers’ to brave the elements, as others followed soon after. Naturally only installation laps were completed early on, with no-one keen on setting the first timed lap of the session during the first 20 minutes of the day.

Jenson Button eventually came around to complete the first timed lap of the day for McLaren, with the 2009 World Champion setting a 01:48.748. The benchmark was gradually lowered as the session wore on, as both Daniel Ricciardo and then Nico Rosberg rose to the top for Toro Rosso and Mercedes respectively. The German driver improved at the top with a 01:43.298, before the first red flag delay of the day was caused when the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo stopped on the track at Turn 9.

Once the session was resumed, reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel asserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:42.760. The German ace continue to improve at the front, as the track conditions marginally began to improve. Nico Rosberg returned to the top for Mercedes, with the German driver setting a 01:40.940 to thwart the reigning World Champion. Rosberg was able to improve at the front as the track continued to dry out, before the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo stormed to the top with a 01:39.615.

As the morning session wore on the times at the top quickly began to improve as the drivers switched from the intermediate tyres to the dry tyres, as local hero Fernando Alonso set the fastest time with a 01:38.190. Romain Grosjean momentarily rose to the top for Lotus, before the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg continued to lower the benchmark with a scintillating 01:35.894. Adrian Sutil briefly rose to the top for Force India, before Pastor Maldonado switched to the super-soft tyres and instantly reaped the rewards with several impressive lap times which eventually saw the Venezuelan driver set a 01:31.341.

Nico Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso both momentarily shared the top spot as the morning session neared its conclusion, before Nico Rosberg returned to the top with a 01:27.672 as he continued to gather valuable track time for Mercedes. In the final minutes of the session, Jenson Button stormed to the top for McLaren with a 01:25.936 and remained at the top as the session was brought to a premature conclusion after the Lotus of Romain Grosjean caused the second red flag delay of the day after stopping at Turn 9.

After the damp start to the morning session, the afternoon period began in dry weather conditions as Nico Rosberg became the first driver to return to the track after the one hour lunch break. Eventually more cars took to the Barcelona circuit, as Jenson Button improved at the top with a 01:25.225. The Briton’s reign was short-lived, however, as the Force India of Adrian Sutil shot to the top with a 01:24.286 on his first day of track action after being confirmed as the second Force India driver. Sutil marginally improved upon his time at the top as the afternoon session wore on, before Jenson Button returned his McLaren to the top.

Despite causing a red flag delay earlier in the day, Romain Grosjean stormed to the top of the timing sheets as the session drew to a conclusion with a 01:22.716. This time from the Frenchman remained unchallenged as the rain returned over the Circuit de Catalunya. This forced the drivers to return to the circuit on the intermediate tyres, therefore preventing any driver from setting a faster lap time that Grosjean. Two final red flag delays were caused within the final few minutes of the afternoon session, as Giedo van der Garde suffered a mechanical issue on his CT03 and Pastor Maldonado came to a halt between Turns 3 and 4.

This saw the second day of the final pre-season test end under red flag conditions, with the Lotus of Romain Grosjean fastest ahead of Jenson Button and the Williams of Pastor Maldonado. The test will continue tomorrow morning around the Circuit de Catalunya, as the teams and drivers hope to carry out some running uninterrupted by rain.

TODAY'S TIMES

Pos Driver                Team         Time       Gap       Laps  Tyres
 1. Romain Grosjean       Lotus        1m22.716s             88   Soft
 2. Jenson Button         McLaren      1m23.181s  + 0.465s   72   Medium
 3. Pastor Maldonado      Williams     1m23.628s  + 0.912s   75   Soft
 4. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull     1m23.743s  + 1.027s   65   Medium
 5. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber       1m23.744s  + 1.028s   79   Medium
 6. Adrian Sutil          Force India  1m24.215s  + 1.499s   62   Medium
 7. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso   1m25.483s  + 2.767s   61   Soft
 8. Max Chilton           Marussia     1m25.598s  + 2.882s   75   Soft
 9. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham     1m26.316s  + 3.600s   48   Medium
10. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes     1m26.655s  + 3.939s   120  Medium
11. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari      1m27.878s  + 5.162s   102  Medium

Picture Copyright © Lotus F1 Team

Lewis Hamilton Fastest On Final Day Of Second Test In Rain-Struck Session

Lewis Hamilton has ended the second test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya fastest overall, in a day plagued by inclement weather conditions. The day started in chilly and overcast conditions, and despite a dry end to the morning period ended with further rainfall. The Briton was followed by Jenson Button and Jean-Eric Vergne.

Unlike the previous days at the Circuit de Catalunya, the fourth and final day dawned with rain in the air and overcast conditions. Despite the inclement weather conditions, many drivers immediately elected to take to the track once the green flag signaled the start of the morning session. Both Felipe Massa and Jules Bianchi were making their first appearances for their respective teams, however Massa almost instantly brought proceedings to a halt after spinning at Turn 4.

The Brazilian driver, who had carried out the majority of Ferrari’s running at Jerez, became the first of many drivers to be caught out by the tricky track conditions. Luckily Massa did not make contact with the tyre barrier, and was quickly cleared to allow the session to resume. Whilst Massa’s car was being recovered, light rain had begun to fall upon the circuit, forcing numerous teams to elect for Pirelli’s Cinturato intermediate and wet weather tyres for the first time this year.

Lewis Hamilton managed to set the pace early on for Mercedes, with the Briton eventually working his way down to a 01:43.074. The 2008 World Champion’s former team-mate, Jenson Button, then rose to the top with a 01:41.409, which he too was able to improve upon. However, Romain Grosjean went fastest with a 01:40.068 before the second red flag delay of the day was caused when the Caterham of Giedo van der Garde spun at the final corner. During this relatively short delay, the rain subsided somewhat, before the session was resumed.

The Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton became the first driver to return to the Barcelona circuit once the session returned to green, with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa wasting no time in also returning to the track after his minor excursion early on. Lewis Hamilton managed to return to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:38.206 before yet another spin brought proceedings to a halt. This time it was the Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez who had spun at Turn 5, however Mark Webber’s Red Bull had also ground to a halt between Turns 9 and 10. The session was only momentarily returned to green flag conditions, before the Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne spun at Turn 5 also, bringing yet another delay to the session.

Once the session was resumed, Felipe Massa redeemed himself after his earlier spin by flying to the top with a 01:36.568. However, Lewis Hamilton disposed of the Brazilian driver by setting a 01:34.201 on the medium tyres, with the track beginning to quickly dry out after the earlier rainfall. The Briton was able to improve by just under three seconds, before the Ferrari of Felipe Massa returned to the top with a 01:31.298. Whilst Esteban Gutierrez made a slight error through Turn 1, Felipe Massa continued setting blisteringly quick times at the top, eventually working his way down to a 01:27.351.

Lewis Hamilton ended Felipe Massa’s reign at the top with a 01:25.929 as the morning session continued, with the track now relatively dry after the earlier sprinkling of rain. Jules Bianchi and then Jenson Button momentarily rose to the top respectively, before Lewis Hamilton continued to assert his authority over proceedings with a 01:23.282. As the morning session drew to a close, rain began to once again fall over the Circuit de Catalunya. A fifth red flag delay was caused when Giedo van der Garde stopped on the track, therefore allowing the times to remain unchanged heading into the lunch interval with Lewis Hamilton fastest overall.

During the lunch hour, the rain continued to pound the Barcelona circuit, therefore making track conditions treacherous when the day was resumed. Jean-Eric Vergne decided to venture out in his Toro Rosso early on, and was quickly followed by others who opted to brave the elements with Pirelli’s Cinturato intermediate and wet weather tyres. Proceedings were once again brought to a halt in the trying conditions, as Esteban Gutierrez once again spun, this time into the gravel at Turn 4.

Lewis Hamilton elected to immediately return to the circuit once the session was resumed, despite informing the media trackside that he would most likely not return in the afternoon due to the pointlessness of running in the wet. A further red flag delay was caused as the day drew to a soggy close, this time featuring non-other than the 2008 World Champion who stopped between Turns 6 and 7. Jean-Eric Vergne returned to the track once the session returned to green flag conditions, only for Jules Bianchi to come to a halt at the end of the pit-lane, causing the eighth delay of the day and subsequently ending the fourth and final day under red flag conditions.

Lewis Hamilton topped the timing sheets with his time from the morning period, and was followed home by his former team-mate of Jenson Button. Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne came home a strong 3rd, with Bianchi, Gutierrez, van der Garde, Massa, Webber, Chilton and Grosjean rounding out the top ten. The third and final test session will take place next week, with day one scheduled for Thursday around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.

TODAY'S TIMES

Pos  Driver                Team            Time       Gap      Laps
 1.  Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes        1m23.282s            52
 2.  Jenson Button         McLaren         1m23.633s  +0.351    70
 3.  Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso      1m24.071s  +0.789    80
 4.  Jules Bianchi         Force India     1m25.732s  +2.450    96
 5.  Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber          1m26.239s  +1.957    61
 6.  Giedo van der Garde   Caterham        1m27.429s  +4.147    50
 7.  Felipe Massa          Ferrari         1m27.563s  +4.281    80
 8.  Mark Webber           Red Bull        1m27.616s  +4.334    64
 9.  Max Chilton           Marussia        1m29.902s  +6.620    51
10.  Romain Grosjean       Lotus           1m34.800s  +11.518   41
11.  Valtteri Bottas       Williams        no time              23
12.  Pastor Maldonado      Williams        no time              13

Picture Copyright © Mercedes AMG Petronas

Felipe Massa Fastest After Day Three At Jerez

Felipe Massa has ended the third day fastest for Ferrari, after another productive day for the Scuderia. The Brazilian driver was followed home by the busy Mercedes of Nico Rosberg, with the reigning World Champion of Sebastian Vettel 3rd for Red Bull on his first day behind the wheel of the RB9.

The day once again dawned in sunny but chilly weather conditions, with the Ferrari of Felipe Massa becoming the first driver to take to the track. The Brazilian driver was quickly followed out by Max Chilton, Jean-Eric Vergne and Kimi Raikkonen, with latter two making their first appearances of the week. Once the traditional installation laps had been completed, Valtteri Bottas completed the first timed lap of the day with a 01:29.697 on his opening day with the team.

However, the Finn’s time was quickly thwarted by the Marussia of Max Chilton who wasted no time in completing several quick lap times which eventually saw the Briton work his way down from a 01:27.581 to an impressive 01:23.938. Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez, who was also making his first appearance of the week, then shot to the top with a 01:23.232 before Nico Rosberg lowered the benchmark with a 01:19.687. The German driver was hoping for a much more productive day with the team, after the previous two days were plagued by mechanical issues.

As the morning progressed Felipe Massa rose to the top on his final day testing with the team, as the Brazilian driver set a 01:19.005, which was later bettered by Nico Rosberg who once again managed to surpass the Ferrari by only +0.001 seconds. The first red flag of the day was caused by the Caterham of Charles Pic, who took over from team-mate Giedo van der Garde for the final two days. The Frenchman came to a halt around Turn 2, with a suspected technical glitch striking his car.

Shortly after the resumption of track action, Felipe Massa completely obliterated the timing screens with a 01:17.879, becoming the first driver to set a sub-01:18s lap. Nico Rosberg managed to improve upon his time as the day progressed, with the German carrying out many laps to make up for the lost time from the previous two days. Paul di Resta took over driving duties from fellow countryman James Rossiter for the afternoon period, with the Briton carrying out his last period of work of the week before Jules Bianchi takes over the reigns for the final day.

However, the Silverstone-based outfit’s day was brought to a premature end, after their VJM06 suffered an exhaust failure after only seven laps for Paul di Resta. Marussia also suffered from technical gremlins throughout the afternoon period, with Max Chilton’s progression plagued with onboard electrical issues with the MR-02. Jean-Eric Vergne caused a momentary red flag delay in the afternoon, with the Frenchman’s STR8 coming to a halt at the end of the pit-lane.

The session was quickly resumed however, with many drivers once again returning to the Jerez circuit in the final hour of the day. Nico Rosberg surpassed a stunning 140 laps as the day drew to a close, more than anyone achieved during testing last year. The German eventually finished the day with 148 laps completed. The day was once again brought to a premature end under red flag conditions, with the McLaren of Jenson Button stopping out on track between Turns 7 and 8.

This saw Felipe Massa end the day fastest overall, ahead of the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and the Red Bull of reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel. The fourth and final day will see the likes of Sergio Perez, Lewis Hamilton, Pedro de la Rosa and Jules Bianchi take to the track, as the Jerez test draws to a conclusion.

Today’s times:

Pos  Driver              Team            Time                Laps
 1.  Felipe Massa        Ferrari         1m17.879s           85
 2.  Nico Rosberg        Mercedes        1m18.766s  +0.887   148
 3.  Sebastian Vettel    Red Bull        1m19.052s  +1.173   102
 4.  Kimi Raikkonen      Lotus           1m19.200s  +1.321   40
 5.  Jean-Eric Vergne    Toro Rosso      1m19.247s  +1.368   85
 6.  James Rossiter      Force India     1m19.303s  +1.424   42
 7.  Jenson Button       McLaren         1m19.603s  +1.724   83
 8.  Esteban Gutierrez   Sauber          1m19.934s  +2.055   110
 9.  Max Chilton         Marussia        1m21.269s  +3.390   78
10.  Valtteri  Bottas    Williams        1m21.575s  +3.696   86
11.  Charles Pic         Caterham        1m22.352s  +4.473   57
12.  Paul di Resta       Force India     1m23.729s  +5.850   7

Picture Copyright © Getty Images

Jenson Button Ends Day One Fastest At Jerez

Jenson Button has ended the opening day of the first pre-season test fastest overall, just under a second ahead of the Red Bull of Mark Webber. Romain Grosjean ended the day 3rd overall with Lotus, after an initially slow start to the day. The day was plagued with three red flag periods, including an electrical issue for Nico Rosberg.

The day began with an early double car launch featuring Marussia and Caterham, before the sun fully rose and the first cars of 2013 left the confines of the pits and ventured out on track. The first two drivers to take to the track was the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg and the Red Bull of Mark Webber, with Felipe Massa also quick to take to the track with his Ferrari F138 sporting intermediate tyres in the rather cool track conditions. The Brazilian driver eventually set the first timed lap of the day with a 01:35.607, however the 2012-spec Williams of Pastor Maldonado was quick to storm to the top with a 01:22.568.

Only 30 minutes into the day saw the first red flag delay caused when the McLaren of Jenson Button came to a sudden halt at Turn Four with a fuel pick-up issue plaguing his MP4-28. The Briton’s car was eventually cleared, allowing the session to resume as Mark Webber wasted no time in returning to the circuit. Nico Rosberg then quickly asserted his authority over proceedings with two quick times in close succession, with the German driver working his way down to a 01:20.846 in the new W04.

Nico Rosberg enjoyed a fiery start to testing at Jerez.

However, the German marque’s impressive performance at the front was brought to an abrupt end when Nico Rosberg was seen coasting to a halt with smoke wafting ominously from the rear of the W04. The Brackley-based outfit later confirmed that their car had suffered an electrical issue, centralized around the wiring loom. This issue on the car remained unresolved as the day progressed, with the team eventually calling a halt to proceedings in favor of modifying the part in question for tomorrow.

Daniel Ricciardo set the pace once the session resumed for Toro Rosso, impressing many throughout the paddock after the team’s high expectations for the season ahead. The Australian driver set a 01:20.547, and eventually improved at the top with a 01:20.343. Despite no official lunch break unlike last year, many of the teams did stop for a short period in the early afternoon. After a slow start to the day, Romain Grosjean propelled his E21 to the top of the timing sheets throughout the afternoon period, with the Frenchman setting a 01:19.796.

Many hours after his fuel pump issue earlier in the morning, Jenson Button finally returned to the track as the afternoon progressed. The 2009 World Champion set several installation laps before the session was once again brought to a halt after the Marussia of Max Chilton spun at the end of the back straight with suspected suspension failure. Felipe Massa returned to the track first once the session was resumed, however the Red Bull of Mark Webber showed promise by storming to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:19.709.

Despite a troublesome morning period for McLaren, Jenson Button’s day greatly improved throughout the closing stages as the Briton set the pace with a 01:18.861. This time was not beaten as the opening day drew to a conclusion, with several impressive performances up and down the grid including Paul di Resta in the Force India and Daniel Ricciardo in the Toro Rosso.

The cars will return to the Jerez circuit tomorrow morning for the second day of the opening test, which will feature Lewis Hamilton for the first time in Mercedes colors. The Briton will be hoping for a much more productive day, with the mechanical gremlins of today not recurring.

TODAY'S TIMES:

Pos  Driver               Team         Time                 Laps
 1.  Jenson Button        McLaren      1m18.861s            37
 2.  Mark Webber          Red Bull     1m19.709s  + 0.848s  73
 3.  Romain Grosjean      Lotus        1m19.796s  + 0.935s  54
 4.  Paul di Resta        Force India  1m20.343s  + 1.482s  89
 5.  Daniel Ricciardo     Toro Rosso   1m20.401s  + 1.540s  70
 6.  Felipe Massa         Ferrari      1m20.536s  + 1.675s  64
 7.  Nico Hulkenberg      Sauber       1m20.699s  + 1.838s  79
 8.  Nico Rosberg         Mercedes     1m20.846s  + 1.985s  14
 9.  Pastor Maldonado     Williams     1m20.864s  + 2.003s  84
10.  Giedo van der Garde  Caterham     1m21.915s  + 3.054s  64
11.  Max Chilton          Marussia     1m24.176s  + 5.315s  29

Picture(s) Copyright © Getty Images

McLaren Unveil MP4-28 Challenger In Spectacular Fashion

McLaren have become the second team to unveil their 2013 challenger ahead of the new season, during a spectacular ceremony at the team’s Woking factory which included a parade of race and Championship winning cars from the outfits colorful history. The covers were taken off of the new car by drivers Jenson Button and Sergio Perez.

The Woking-based outfit ended the 2012 season in fine form with victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix at the hands of Jenson Button, and aim to begin the new season in similar fashion with the 2009 World Champion now partnered by Mexican sensation Sergio Perez. The duo arrived in spectacular fashion to unveil the new car, with Button and Perez arriving via the outfit’s development model of the new McLaren P1 sportscar and 12C Spider respectively.

Just like last season’s MP4-27, this year’s machine features no ugly step-nose design. Instead the car includes a majestically sweeping nose design, however slight modifications have been carried out towards the front of the car, including new front pullrod suspension configuration, sidepod profiles and rear bodywork. The livery also remains the same, maintaining a combination of silver and rocket red.

It has also been confirmed that Jenson Button will become the first driver to get behind the wheel of the new MP4-28 once pre-season testing gets underway at Jerez next week, as the Briton prepares to begin his fourth season with McLaren. Jenson Button took three victories last season for the outfit, including a sensational win at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The 33-year-old is already eager to begin testing ahead of the new season, and is confident that both he and Sergio Perez can excel at the top.

“I’m going into my fourth season as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver and, more than ever, I know and understand the strengths and abilities of this team.” Explained Jenson Button, “This year is really about continuity and consolidation. Obviously, the biggest change for 2013 is my new team-mate, Checo [Sergio Perez]. It’s always interesting and inspiring to begin working with a new face, and it already feels like a very positive working relationship.

“This year’s car is the best we’ve ever made – I know the engineers have left absolutely no stone unturned in wringing every ounce of performance from every available area. I cannot wait to get behind the wheel and attempt to carry forward the incredible legacy that lives beneath the skin of every single man and woman who works at McLaren.”

Sergio Perez is also eagerly anticipating his debut year with McLaren, after making the switch to the Woking-based outfit from Sauber. The 23-year-old understands that there will be high amounts of pressure on his shoulders to perform at the team, but is confident he can prove his doubters wrong and begin his career at the team with the fierce competitiveness witnessed last season with Sauber.

“For me, this is a great day.” Enthused Sergio Perez, “In fact, every day this year has been great: I’ve been working hard with my new team to get everything ready for the start of the 2013 season – and it’s been an incredible journey to get to know this incredible organisation. I’m incredibly proud to be a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver.

“Of course, I am fully aware of the steep slope ahead of me: it has already been an intense couple of weeks, getting to grips with a new team, meeting my engineers and mechanics, learning new ways of working and, of course, learning all about a brand new car – something I’ll need to do with just six days of on-track testing. It’s a big challenge.

“But I’m more prepared than I’ve ever been for the start of a new season. I feel extremely fit, focused and refreshed – there’s still a lot to do, but my aims are to feel confident, comfortable and ready to race by the time I land in Australia in just a few weeks’ time.”

Although many were quick to question McLaren’s decision to replace Lewis Hamilton with Sergio Perez, the young Mexican driver is keen to open his winning account with the Woking-based outfit in 2013. McLaren both started and ended last season with victories at Australia and Brazil, and will be keen to emulate such success once the new season gets underway at the Australian Grand Prix in several weeks time.

Picture(s) Copyright © McLaren F1 Team

Sergio Perez Prepared For Added Pressure With McLaren In 2013

Sergio Perez has explained how he is prepared for the added pressure at McLaren in 2013, as the Mexican star prepares for his third season in Formula 1 and his first with the Woking-based outfit alongside 2009 World Champion Jenson Button. Sergio Perez will be replacing Lewis Hamilton, who has moved to Mercedes to partner Nico Rosberg.

Despite widespread skepticism within the world of Formula 1 towards McLaren’s decision to replace Lewis Hamilton with Sergio Perez, the 23-year-old is confident he can excel in the new season. In only his second season last year, Perez successfully finished on the podium three times for Sauber which so nearly included a race victory at the wet/dry Malaysian Grand Prix. Should Sergio Perez replicate such competitiveness in 2013, it is expected he should become a regular on the rostrum.

Sergio Perez understands that the pressure on his shoulders will increase throughout the 2013 season, due largely to McLaren’s expectations of regular race victories from both himself and Jenson Button. However, the Mexican driver is confident he can rise to the challenge of winning races straight away with the Woking-based outfit, and is unfazed by the pressure of moving to one of the most accomplished outfits on the grid.

“Pressure will definitely raise a notch or two.” Explained Sergio Perez, “Here I will be given a car that can win, so winning is what I am supposed to do. To be frank, if you are not able to deal with pressure in Formula One, then this is the wrong place for you. Go and look for something else.”

Last season the Pirelli tyres greatly assisted in creating one of the most entertaining and competitive seasons in the history of the sport, with many drivers unable to get to grips with the controversial P-Zero and Cinturato range. However, Sergio Perez was one of the very few drivers on the grid who mastered the tyres, along with his new team-mate Jenson Button. Sergio Perez is understandably hopeful that he will be able to continue mastering the Pirelli tyres in 2013, and is also optimistic that together both he and Jenson Button can combine their knowledge of the tyre range to propel the team forwards.

“Hopefully.” Continued Sergio Perez, when asked whether both he and Jenson Button’s ability to work with the Pirelli tyres will be a good thing for McLaren. “But that is all speculation right now – nothing is certain when you haven’t been in the car and done a good deal of mileage. My guess is that it would, of course, help the team to have two drivers with quite similar driving styles. But how similar are we? We’ll find out in the next couple of weeks when we sit in the same car. Anything else would be comparing apples with oranges.”

Sergio Perez will get his first taste of the new Mercedes-powered McLaren MP4-28 several days after the new car’s unveiling, when pre-season testing gets underway at Jerez in Spain. The Mexican driver has only one goal for the new season, which is to begin winning races for the Woking-based outfit alongside team-mate Jenson Button. McLaren ended last season with victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, and will unquestionably be eager to begin the season in similar fashion with victory at the Australian Grand Prix.

Picture Copyright © McLaren F1 Team