Mercedes AMG Formula 1 team finally hit the front in 2015 pre-season testing on Friday, as Nico Rosberg set an commanding new benchmark on day two in Barcelona.
Despite being the early favourites given their dominance in 2014, Mercedes AMG had not troubled the top of the timesheets over the opening nine days of testing. That changed, however, as the German team put on Pirelli's soft compound for the first time this year on the W06, allowing Rosberg to clock a scorching 1m22.792 on his first run, more than 2.5s faster than Lewis Hamilton's 2014 pole time at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
Williams-Mercedes secured second place with Valtteri Bottas, with Sauber-Ferrari's Felipe Nasr fractions of a second down the road in third. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was fourth, although 2.5s off Rosberg's pace, while Button earned McLaren-Honda fifth place, a welcome boost to add to their lap tally. Lotus' Pastor Maldonado shaded Toro Rosso's Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing's Daniil Kvyat for eighth, with Nico Hulkenberg rounding out the day's runners in ninth for Force India in the new VJM08.
Testing will continue this weekend. Third winter test session, Day 2 times*, Barcelona: 1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1m22.792, 106 laps 2. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1m23.995, 90 3. Felipe Nasr, Sauber, 1m24.071, 141 4. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1m25.339, 143 5. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1m25.590, 101 6. Pastor Maldonado, Lotus, 1m26.705, 140 7. Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso, 1m26.766, 139 8. Daniil Kvyat, Red Bull, 1m26.965, 84 9. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, 1m28.412, 77 *Unofficial timing
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