Summary

  • Penultimate day of the final pre-season test

  • Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes posts fastest time

  • Hamilton's team-mate Nico Rosberg set fastest overall time of Barcelona tests yesterday

  • First race is the Australian Grand Prix on 15 March

Live Reporting

Jamie Strickland

  1. Bottas surprised by 'very quick' Mercedes

    Andrew Benson
    Chief F1 writer

    "You didn't have to be a psychologist to realise from the tone in Williams driver Valtteri Bottas's voice that seeing Nico Rosberg's pace had been a dispiriting experience. 'It's pretty quick,' the Finn said. 'I think everyone was a little bit surprised. Everyone knew they were quick. But they are very quick. But that's how it is.'

    "So much was revealed in those few words. Regardless of the fuel load Rosberg was on, we now know Bottas must have been pretty low on fuel - otherwise he would not have been so concerned about the Mercedes' pace.

    "So now there is more or less a benchmark for a Williams performance, and from that much more can be extrapolated. But the key thing seems clear. Mercedes are, again, miles ahead."

    Valtteri BottasGetty Images

  2. First time on the board

    It's been a predictably steady start to the day with temperatures so low.

    The Williams of Felipe Massa sets the early benchmark, a 1:27.271 on the soft compound.

  3. Today's drivers

    In no particular order, we have Romain Grosjean (Lotus), Marcus Ericsson (Sauber), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull), Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), Felipe Massa (Williams), Nico Hulkenberg (Force India), Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso), Kevin Magnussen (McLaren).

  4. Mercedes 'looks nailed to the track'

    Ben Edwards
    BBC F1 commentator

    "I was watching the cars out on track for a time on Friday. The Mercedes looks nailed to the track, with brilliant turn-in to the corners. It's no surprise they have been looking so fast.

    "Of the rest, I'd say the Williams probably looks second best, while the Ferrari also looks reasonably good. The drivers can get on the power reasonably early, which is a good sign for the Italian team as traction has been one of their problems in recent years, but the turn-in is still not as sharp or decisive as they might want.

    "The McLaren looks OK, too - although we know they were running down on power. Unfortunately, the Red Bull did not do many laps while I was out there."

    Nico RosbergGetty Images

  5. Chilly morning in Barcelona

    There was a frost on the ground around the Circuit de Catalunya today, and F1 journalist Dan Knutson in Barcelona informs us it is indeed a bracing morning.

    "Clear blue skies with an air temperature of 3.4 degrees Centigrade and a temperature of 13.9 degrees Centigrade. There is a zero percent chance of rain today," he says.

    General view of circuitMercedes

  6. Green flag

    Let's go testing.

  7. Mercedes set to dominate again

    Andrew Benson
    Chief F1 writer

    "If there were any doubts about who was leading the way ahead of the new Formula 1 season - and among the teams and drivers there were not really - they were finally expunged on Friday.

    "Nico Rosberg set a new fastest time of the winter, on the first outing for Mercedes on the soft tyre. He was quickest by 1.2 seconds on the day, from Williams's Valtteri Bottas, and by 0.7secs over the previous fastest time, set by Williams's Felipe Massa. That compares with the 0.8secs advantage Lewis Hamilton had on a race simulation run at the last test over the Red Bull and Williams.

    "One leading team boss told BBC Sport he thought Mercedes had a one-second margin over the rest earlier this week.

    "Everyone ready for Hamilton v Rosberg part II?"

  8. Good morning

    Welcome to the penultimate day of pre-season F1 testing for 2015.

    Nico Rosberg rather let the cat out of the bag yesterday as Mercedes' searing pace was shown up with a quite brilliant lap on the soft Pirelli tyre.

    Can the other teams respond? Well, we should find out over the next few hours.