Pictures of the daypublished at 15:24 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesRed Bull's Daniel Ricciardo chats with an engineer from the cockpit of the 'camo' RB11.
Summary
Bottas fastest, Rosberg sixth
McLaren's Jenson Button completes just two laps before lunch
ERS problem hits Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo after 10 laps
Nico Rosberg has set fastest time of winter so far and is back in Mercedes today
Pastor Maldonado crashes after lunch, bringing out red flag
First race is the Australian Grand Prix a fortnight today
Pictures of the daypublished at 15:24 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesPictures of the daypublished at 15:18 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesLovely shot here of Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari SF15-T in close quarters with the Williams FW37 of Valtteri Bottas.
Get involved - #bbcf1published at 15:14 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Anthony Wyatt: "If that Fangio statue was near my old home the wheels would be gone."
McLaren's day getting betterpublished at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
McLaren tweet:, external "Good to be out getting some more laps on the board."
Jenson Button has done 21 laps since lunchtime, having managed just two this morning.
Image source, McLarenF1 journalist Dan Knutson in Barcelonapublished at 15:05 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
"This statue of five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio and his 1955 Mercedes W196 is located just outside the entrance to the paddock here at the Circuit de Catalunya."
Image source, knutsonEngine problem caused Verstappen stoppagepublished at 14:52 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Toro Rosso tweet:, external "We've had to stop due to engine problem. Max will have to wait before hopefully going out again. Nice view meanwhile."
Image source, Toro RossoTimes and laps updatepublished at 14:49 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Laps times are largely unchanged since the lunch break as longer runs and race simulations take precedence, although Jenson Button's McLaren is at least on the board now and Daniel Riccardo's Red Bull has improved after an earlier ERS problem.
Here's where were at:
1. Valtteri Bottas (Williams) 1:23.063 (76 laps)
2. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1:23.469 (66)
3. Felipe Nasr (Sauber) 1:24.023 (113)
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) 1:24.638 (22)
5. Sergio Perez (Force India) 1:25.113 (86)
6. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1:25.186 (94)
7. Jenson Button (McLaren) 1:25.994 (23)
8. Max Verstappen (Toro Rosso) 1:26.267 (68)
9. Pastor Maldonado (Lotus) 1:28.272 (35)
Button goes beyond 20 lapspublished at 14:44 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Jenson Button's McLaren is getting closer to the times he managed on Friday. A 1:25.994 on the soft compound sees him into seventh, and 23 laps are now on the board.
Rosberg closes on centurypublished at 14:39 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Mercedes tweet:, external "Box, box, box is the call for @nico_rosberg! 93 laps on the board with 2hrs30mins to go... he's racking up the miles."
Image source, Getty ImagesSauber first to 100 laps againpublished at 14:26 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Not for the first time this week it is Sauber who break the tape on a century of laps.
Felipe Nasr brings up his ton during a run on the hard Pirelli tyre. He has a best time of 1:24.023, good for third in the standings with around two and a half hours to go.
Image source, Getty ImagesLunchtime quiz #3 Answerpublished at 14:22 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
I asked you what Ronnie Peterson, Jody Scheckter, James Hunt and Gerhard Berger all have in common.
The answer is they are all 10-time grand prix winners, indeed they are the only men currently on that tally. David Harrison was quickest with the right answer.
Thanks again for playing.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Berger won his 10th grand prix at Hockenheim in 1997
Green flagpublished at 14:12 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
We're off again.
Maldonado targets top 10 in Melbournepublished at 14:11 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer"Pastor Maldonado held a media briefing at lunchtime, shortly before his unfortunate accident at Turn Four - after which he is fine, incidentally.
" Maldonado said that Lotus remained encouraged about their new car: 'For sure not as top as Mercedes but not that bad. It is a good step forward. The feeling is not too bad.'
"Asked why he and team-mate Romain Grosjean were faster in the second test than this one he said: 'We are now focused on testing different things. More focus on the race pace. Last week we were pushing a bit more than this week. If we want to go forward in qualifying we can do it.'
"As for the team's aims for Melbourne, he said: 'Let's start the season targeting the top 10 and then we'll see after that.'"
Image source, Getty ImagesGet involved - #bbcf1published at 14:09 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Courtland Adams: "Will Lotus ever realise that they'd most likely have more success without Crashtor Maldonado? Even without the PDVSA investment..."
Chris Brassett: "I really hope McLaren can sort out all their problems in time for the season open in Melbourne!"
Matthew Cheshire: "Think I could hear JEV and I'm 10k from the Adelaide circuit. Joys of a Ferrari V8!" [see 09:07]
Phil: "McLaren were in a similar situation in 2011 but went on to qualify & finish 2nd in The 1st race. Fingers crossed for a repeat."
Red flagpublished at 14:00 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Max Verstappen's Toro Rosso has stopped out on track.
Meanwhile, 300 miles away in Monaco...published at 13:59 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Lewis Hamilton tweets: , external"At the beach with Roscoe. I'm wishing you an amazing Sunday. #Monaco #bestdog #blessed"
Hamilton completed his pre-season commitments for Mercedes yesterday.
Image source, Lewis Hamilton/TwitterLotus with decision to make after Maldonado crashpublished at 13:52 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Lotus tweet:, external "A bit of work in the garage after an off this afternoon. Currently assessing whether we'll return to the track."
Red Bull and Ricciardo back on trackpublished at 13:48 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer"When Daniel Ricciardo said on Saturday evening that he 'couldn't wait for testing to be over', it's a fair bet he wasn't wishing for a final day like this.
"Ricciardo managed 10 laps this morning before an ERS problem - something of a recurring theme with Renault engines - consigned him to the garage.
"But after a four-hour delay he has finally gone out again. Only McLaren, with their new Honda engine, and Force India, whose new car did not appear until Friday, have done less mileage than Red Bull this winter."
Lunchtime quiz #2 Answerpublished at 13:46 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
I asked you who came next in this sequence of drivers: Olivier Panis, Eric Bernard, Johnny Herbert...
The answer is Franck Lagorce, and the reason, as many, many of you told me, was that he was the fourth and final man after Panis, Bernard and Herbert (below) to drive for the Ligier team in 1994.
Panis was ever-present for Ligier in 1994, his debut season, while Bernard contested 13 races and Herbert one before he was scooped up by Benetton. Lagorce was drafted in for the final two races of the year in Japan and Australia.
Image source, Getty ImagesButton and McLaren up and runningpublished at 13:37 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015
Finally we have some better news out of McLaren.
The MP4-30 has set a time in Jenson Button's hands - a 1:28.391 - and has done eight laps.
They're back in the pits again now mind you.
Image source, McLaren