Mercedes is not running in Jerez on Friday, having used its 2011 car for the first three days of the test in order to gain a more accurate comparison of the modified Pirelli tyres. Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg, with the use of an exhaust-blown diffuser which is banned for all 2012 chassis, topped the timesheets on Day 2 and 3.
Racking up 1,541 kilometres (957 miles) across the three days, Mercedes was able to enjoy a better understanding of the tyres on a selection of different fuel loads. By using last year’s car, this allowed for better comparisons between the respective Pirelli selections of 2011 and 2012.
“I'm happy with the testing that we have achieved here in Jerez and we learned a lot about the Pirelli tyres and a few other things for the new car,” Rosberg said on Thursday evening. “It seems that the tyres are closer performance-wise this year, with the rear tyres also looking a bit stronger.
“Pirelli have done a good job so far. You can't really compare the times with other teams, but it was interesting to learn a lot with our 2011 car. I'm really looking forward to the two Barcelona tests with our new silver arrow.”
The first of the two Barcelona tests begins on Tuesday 21 February.
Series
Formula 1
Personalities
Nico Rosberg
Teams
Mercedes Grand Prix
Other
Get your official Formula 1 tickets at Sportstadium.com
| Pos. | Driver | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  N. Rosberg | 01:17.613 | 118 |
| 2. | R. Grosjean | 01:18.419 | 117 |
| 3. | S. Vettel | 01:19.297 | 96 |
| 4. | L. Hamilton | 01:19.464 | 80 |
| 5. | J. Vergne | 01:19.734 | 79 |
| 6. | S. Perez | 01:19.770 | 48 |
| 7. | F. Alonso | 01:20.412 | 65 |
| 8. | B. Senna | 01:21.293 | 125 |
| 9. | G. van der Garde | 01:23.324 | 74 |
| 10. | J. Bianchi | 00:00.000 | 2 |
| Full results | |||
| Nico Rosberg | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
| More Nico Rosberg photos | |||
English
Nederlands
Español
Italiano
