Jerez Testing – Day 1: Vettel and Ferrari in Front while Mercedes Piles Up the Laps

The first day of private tests for the 2015 season did not really reassure Mercedes’ opponents. Beyond the lap times, which are hard to interpret as the teams communicate little or not at all about their programs, it was the series of laps by Nico Rosberg and his W06 Hybrid that stood out this Sunday. The German completed 157 laps during the eight hours of testing, equivalent to three Grand Prix distances without experiencing any major issues.

A total that leaves the competition far behind, starting with McLaren Honda, which could only complete six laps due to various electronic issues, with Fernando Alonso unable to do better than a time of 1:40 at the end of the morning.

In terms of the standings, it is Sebastian Vettel who, for his first quasi-official day as a Ferrari driver, places the SF15-T at the top of the timesheets, with a total of 60 laps completed. He is ahead of another Ferrari engine, with Marcus Ericsson’s Sauber C34 by just over a tenth, and Rosberg’s Mercedes by half a second.

Next are Daniel Ricciardo and his camouflaged Red Bull RB11, which had an issue in the morning but was able to return to the track in the afternoon, Valtteri Bottas and his Williams FW37, also completing 73 laps after a sluggish start to the day, Carlos Sainz and his Toro Rosso STR10, responsible for a red flag with no major consequences in the second part of the session, and finally Alonso in the McLaren MP4-30.

Jerez Test Rankings 2015 – Day 1: