F1 2013 Testing

[TheFamousEccles]

Hooray! At last something real to look at/discuss/pore over ad-infinitum, much better than the off season - I hate that stuff.

[drive]

On the plus side, it looks like the Mercedes Coanda exhaust is blowing in the right direction:

wonder: is it THAT cold overthere and they preheat wheel nuts for mechanics... or is it new tyre heating system for merc?

[Tazio]

Eledtrical issue that ignighted bodywork is what was first reported on Autosport live,

10:02 Glenn Freeman has the latest on Mercedes's earlier stoppage - it was caused by an electrical failure, and the smoke was caused by the bodywork getting warm when the car stopped
http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/549

which doesn't explain it being engulfed in flames :

[Tazio]

"14:16 With nothing on track, now seems a good time to remind everyone of the big story this afternoon: Mercedes will not be back out today after an electrical problem forced Nico Rosberg to stop out on track earlier."

[AndyL]

End of day 1:

			Time	Gap	Laps
1	Button	McLaren	01:18.861		37
2	Webber	Red Bull	01:19.709	0.848	73
3	Grosjean	Lotus	01:19.796	0.935	54
4	di Resta	Force India	01:20.343	1.482	89
5	Ricciardo	Toro Rosso	01:20.401	1.540	70
6	Massa	Ferrari	01:20.536	1.675	64
7	Hulkenberg	Sauber	01:20.699	1.838	79
8	Rosberg	Mercedes	01:20.846	1.985	14
9	Maldonado	Williams	01:20.864	2.003	84
10	van der Garde	Caterham	01:21.915	3.054	64
11	Chilton	Marussia	01:24.176	5.315	29

So 3 top teams coming to the front (for what that's worth) after Force India and Torro Rosso made the early running.

Reliability problems for McLaren and Mercedes. It put an end to Mercedes' day, but McLaren managed to get back out and get a reasonable number of laps in.

And Chilton had his first F1 crash, going off into the gravel.

[SGWilko]

Chilton's off was, I think, suspension (failure) related.......

[gloomyDAY]

[gloomyDAY]

It is being reported that Buttons problem was a fuel pump issue.

Fuel pump, eh? I guess they're still hoarding parts from Lewis' old car.

[RS]

Agree. The Sauber is the nicest of this year's cars by far. Hope it's fast too, I think Hulkenburg may have done the right thing getting out of FI seeing that they are now sniffing around for pay drivers.

[wedge]

If it means anything according to James Allen, Button was the quickest averaged over a 8 lap run on medium tyres.