The car launches are well underway and today in sunny Valencia, the first day of pre-season testing got underway with seven teams in action and Felipe Massa setting the pace in the new Ferrari F10.
Massa also completed the highest number of laps today, 102, in what was his first proper test of modern F1 machinery since his life-threatening qualifying accident in Hungary last year and is clearly showing no ill-effects following his enforced absence.
The Brazilian recorded a best lap of 1:12.574s on his 100th lap of the day and this compares favourably to Heikki Kovalainen’s best time of 1:11.000s - set back in January 2008 - in the high downforce McLaren Mercedes MP4-23.
Today was the chance for the teams to get to grips and shakedown the new cars, but as ever in testing, we do not know who is testing with fresh tyres and relatively low fuel loads and who is opting for longer endurance runs with heavy fuel loads.
While Massa takes the headlines, it was also an encouraging start for Sauber Ferrari as Pedro de la Rosa recorded the second fastest time, just two-tenths off the ultimate pace in the new C29 challenger.
Mercedes ran Nico Rosberg for much of the day before Michael Schumacher took over the new MGP W01 later in the afternoon.
Schumacher was unsurprisingly right on the pace from the outset and while he only completed a limited number of laps, the seven-time champion recorded the third fastest time of the day, half a second quicker than team-mate Rosberg.
Gary Paffett was took the honour of running the new McLaren Mercedes MP4-25 for the first time and the British driver, the only test driver in action today, recorded the fifth fastest time – just over a second off the ultimate pace.
Rubens Barrichello was charged with giving the new Cosworth-powered FW32 its maiden run but the new Williams driver was forced to a halt a few minutes ahead of the end of the session with an engine problem. The Brazilian veteran still managed 75 laps and set the sixth fastest time.
Sebastien Buemi ran a limited number of laps in the new Toro Rosso Ferrari courtesy of a gearbox problem and was seventh fastest ahead of Robert Kubica who brought up the rear in the new Renault R30.
Testing continues at the Spanish circuit on Tuesday. Images available by clicking here.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01. | Massa | Ferrari F10 | 1:12.574 | +0.000 | 102 |
| 02. | De la Rosa | Sauber C29 | 1:12.784 | +0.210 | 74 |
| 03. | Schumacher | Mercedes GP W01 | 1:12.947 | +0.373 | 40 |
| 04. | Rosberg | Mercedes GP W01 | 1:13.543 | +0.969 | 39 |
| 05. | Paffett | McLaren MP4-25 | 1:13.846 | +1.272 | 86 |
| 06. | Barrichello | Williams FW32 | 1:14.449 | +1.875 | 75 |
| 07. | Buemi | Toro Rosso STR5 | 1:14.762 | +2.188 | 18 |
| 08. | Kubica | Renault R30 | 1:15.000 | +2.426 | 69 |