Day 1 of 2nd and final pre-season test in Barcelona
Felipe Massa finishes the day fastest
Engine change for McLaren in the morning
Wehrlein drives Sauber for first time
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Image source, Getty ImagesChris Marsh: Ferrari's pace is like a vegetable pie. Promises to be as good, if not better, than all other pies, yet fails to deliver.
Fascinating food-based analogy here.
Anyone fancy having a go at comparing another edible item with a team? Chris has set the standard here.
And now Daniel Ricciardo goes even quicker with a 1:20.964. A ripper of a lap, as Ricciardo might say.
Both times were done on the softs.
No time yet from Red Bull... wait a second, Daniel Ricciardo is out on track now and is flying.
Purple through all three sectors and he storms in P1 with a 1:21.233, six tenths quicker than Sebastian Vettel.
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Reece Young: Don't believe the Ferrari pace is genuine. I think @MercedesAMGF1, external are yet to turn their engine up. Expect them to be 0.5 second ahead.
Carl Slocombe: Don't forget the only reason #Ferrari, external didn't win at least 2 races last year was because of terrible pit wall decisions.
And Sebastian Vettel improves again. Here's how it looks on the timesheet:
1) Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari): 1:21.912
2) Felipe Massa (Williams): 1:22.927
3) Esteban Ocon (Force India): 1:23.772
4) Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren): 1:24.126
5) Jolyon Palmer (Renault): 1:24.790
6) Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes): 1:28.202
7) Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso): 1:28.615
Image source, Getty ImagesOne hour in and Ferrari are setting the early pace. Sebastian Vettel is racking up the laps and has just improved his benchmark time with 1:22.235.
We've been here before, remember. Ferrari topped five of the eight days of testing last season, hinting at a possible challenge with Mercedes for the title. Then they failed to win a single race all season.
Could it be different this time?
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Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
French engine expert Gilles Simon has left his role as a consultant to Honda's struggling Formula 1 programme.
Simon, who previously worked for Renault, Ferrari and governing body the FIA, had been with Honda since they announced their return to F1 in 2013.
Simon is on gardening leave from his position and a Honda spokesman confirmed the 58-year-old's contract would end "some time this year".
He refused to comment on reports Simon left as his ideas were being ignored.
Spanners Ready: McLaren complete installation lap. McLaren fans declare that things are really looking up.
Back to today and Sebastian Vettel has taken over at the top of the timesheet with 1:22.422 in the Ferrari with soft tyres on.
There's even more good news for McLaren. Stoffel Vandoorne has encountered no problems so far and has a got a timed lap under his belt - a 1:24.1.26.
That takes the total number of drivers having completed a timed lap to four, with Jolyon Palmer third (1:25.466) and Lewis Hamilton fourth (1:28.202).
Missed the first test? A basic summary is that Mercedes looked on it, Ferrari were promising and McLaren disappointing.
If you fancy a more in-depth review, then our chief F1 writer Andrew Benson does an excellent job in his article here.
Image source, Getty ImagesF1 journalist Dan Knutson in Barcelona: "Lance Stroll garnered plenty of media attention at the first test, and not all of it for the best of reasons as he twice damaged the car and limited the amount of running the Williams team could do. There is a TV crew from Canada for this test, so he will be in the spotlight back home as well.
"Veteran drivers Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa have both said the 18-year-old Stroll will need time to settle in. 'I feel for him in the sense that it's the toughest year to come into Formula 1, being in the fastest cars and the most physical cars,' Hamilton said. 'You can't just jump in and drive from no experience at all to being consistent and not spin. That's to be expected. It's actually good for him to go through this now, rather than at the first race.'"
It's not just a big week for McLaren. Lance Stroll will be eager to put behind him a less-than-ideal first test after a couple of crashes in his Williams last week.
He's got the day off today, with Felipe Massa behind the wheel.
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
Image source, Getty ImagesFor no-one is this test more critical than McLaren and, in particular, their engine supplier Honda.
The first test, frankly, dismal for them, with reliability problems compromising running and raising the spectre of a fundamental problem with the redesigned Honda 2016 engine.
Honda’s F1 boss Yusuke Hasegawa admitted to being “worried” by the engine failure. Honda did not know what caused it at the time, and have only said since that investigations are ongoing.
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier was not much more encouraging. “Can we get back on track with what we’ve expected? I don’t know. We have to investigate what is wrong.”
Greg Kingston: Huge day for @McLarenF1, external - they really need a solid 100+ laps at a decent pace or season will be over before it begins.
Hannah Marie Hassell: hope the McLarens are better this week, otherwise we could be in for another season from hell like 2015.
Lewis Hamilton is out on the track and isn't messing about. He's got eight laps under his belt and has also got an early time on the board with 1:28.202.
All 10 cars have been out for at least an installation lap. Yes, McLaren fans, that includes the MCL32. Stoffel Vandoorne has taken it out for a lap and is back in the pits now.
Morning Stuie, always good to have you along.
It's not just the cars and drivers doing a bit of fine tuning and warming up for the season ahead today. This is also my first time back in the text commentary hot seat after spending last week by the sea. Nowhere exotic - Filey over on the east coast of England. Nice enough though.
What have you lot been up to since the end of last season? How have you filled the F1 void? Feel free to let me know via #bbcf1, external
Stuie Neale: Morning Gary the times were quick last week maybe same again!
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
The first pre-season test offered a hint of what the season has to offer, but the second is the one where a clearer picture will emerge.
It still won’t be easy to draw definitive conclusions but the realities of what the teams have to achieve over these next four days help those of us trying to work out what’s going on. Race simulations.
Qualifying runs. New bodywork - in some cases Melbourne-spec. All help remove some of the variables of the first test, which is focused largely on reliability and learning the cars.