Barcelona fourth pre-season test Test day four

Only di Resta and Kobayashi are sharing the track with the Spaniard

Four consecutive laps in the 1m29s for Alonso at the start of his run

Hispania F111

We are getting more pictures from the Hispania F111, which is not expected to run today

Now it does look like Alonso has started his race simulation, completing his first timed lap of the afternoon: a 1m29.322s

A big thank you to Norbert Haug for having joined us today, and for having insisted on typing the answers himself!

Thanks also for your questions.

The final question is from Andy Hallbery: Who is the best driver who has driven for him and Mercedes in DTM, sportscars or CART that should have made it in F1?

NH: Most of them, really.

AUTOSPORT's Matt Beer says: "Greg Moore"

Kovalainen is now out on track and Lotus is planning long runs on high fuel for the afternoon

Alonso returned to the pits, so so much for the start of the race simulation..

The penultimate question is from Clive Rose, who asks: Rumour has it, when Prof Sid rode shotgun in the medical car, it was fitted with a non-standard humidor for his cigars. A) Is this true? and B) Does the current medical car have any "interesting" non-standard features?

NH: Secrets are secrets, but the Formula 1 Medical Car is a car that you can buy for street use, a fantastic Mercedes C-class AMG C63, arguably the sportiest and best station wagon in the world.

As Schumacher posts a 1m24.112s

Alonso heads back out for what is probably the start of his race simulation

Martynas Venskus from Lithuania asks: Personally, I support Mercedes GP and wish you best of luck in 2011. However, after the previous season and news like "Mercedes GP team now a second off the top pace" this year, I would like to a ask you: isn't the Mercedes GP destiny going to be similar to the Toyota F1 one? Could you assure us, Mercedes GP fans, that your future will not be the same? Thank you for the answer and best of luck once more.

NH: We do not have the biggest budget in Formula 1 and Daimler is spending today 65% less per year in Formula 1 than five years ago. In terms of delivering: Out of the last 243 grands prix we won 73 races with our partners McLaren and Brawn GP since our first win with McLaren Mercedes and David Coulthard in Melbourne 1997.

Statistically that means one victory in less than every fourth race in the last 14 seasons. Four drivers' world championships and two constructors' championships in that period of 14 years is a very respectable score in my view in that period of time.

@WilliamsF1Team: We had an oil leak so the team are changing as a precaution it's a high mileage engine

Schumacher completes a lap of 1m28.916s

Three more questions left

Gerhard Rautenbach asks: Mr Haug, I see that the new front wing on the Mercedes is still a two element wing with a slot in the bottom of plane. Why aren't Mercedes looking at the three element front wing as the front runners do because as from what one could pick up last year, the two element produced more understeer through faster corners than the 3 element.

I mean, the frontrunners like RB and Ferrari use it, why not try and follow that path as it clearly works for those top teams. Did Mercedes look into this or do you really want to make the 2 element work. As far as I know, Michael likes a responsive front end, and understeer is not his game.

NH: We are not dissatisfied with our front wing philosophy. Quite the opposite is the case, frankly. But of course some competitors have other ideas which is the name of the game in Formula 1.

As we posted that, Schumacher joined the track

Michael Schumacher

Uchit Parekh asks: What's Michael's state of motivation currently as you may know from working with him. After accomplishing so much in the sport and suddenly seeing such a down season, is he as motivated and confident? Does he look really hungry for his 8th title or is he here purely to race and care less for the championship?

NH: Michael definitely is. He is a great asset to Mercedes GP Petronas and we are happy and prod to work with him. Michael's presence is not only good for us but for Formula 1 in general.

As the track is left empty

Williams is also changing the engine of Maldonado's car

Alonso is scheduled to do a race simulation this afternoon, according to Ferrari

Dino Baraba asks: Will Mercedes be going for qualy run today?

NH: Some kind of.

Only di Resta is out on track, and he is also the only driver to have completed a timed lap in the afternoon so far

Carol Treurnicht asks: Please ask him when he's going to start tweeting.....

NH: Never, that's a promise.

Di Resta's first time of the day is a 1m27.717s, followed by a 1m27.015s

Second question: And as it's been a hotly discussed topic on Autosport Live, can we have your opinion on the canteen food at the teams Brackley HQ?

NH: It's excellent and very healthy.

AUTOSPORT adds: We encourage Mercedes employees to continue to keep us informed about this subject

Kevin Miller also sent two questions: Do you think it's realistic to expect you to be challenging for race wins this year or is this a year of consolidation and development establishing the team as a regular podium contender before pushing for wins next year?

NH: One step after the other. It would be a surprise to jump over the winter from four to one. But of course this is our target over the next couple of seasons and hopefully we will get grand prix wins rather sooner than later.

Paul di Resta is now at the wheel of the Force India for his first lap of the day

Kobayashi is back out, joining Alonso

Norbert Haug

Varun Madhuranat asks: With Daimler/Aabar now having finished acquiring the remaining stake in the Mercedes GP F1 team, is there more pressure from Dr. Zetsche and the board to start winning races this season?

NH: No, our board is fully committed and Dieter wants the same results as we do. Together, as one team located in Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart we will achieve that, but this will - as with all the other teams - take some time.

Steve asks: Have the new updates delivered much more than you expected, and what do you say to us Mercedes GP fans who have got excited about Michael Schumacher's pace-setting time from the test this morning?

NH: We have a good step and Michael drove a good lap. I don't think this will be the fastest time we see during this last Barcelona test before the season opener in Melbourne and we certainly do not get excited now.

Alonso delights his home fans by heading out of the pits

The second question from Zoltan is: I know that you love Aerosmith, would you take the opportunity to sit behind the drums again?

NH: I am afraid it would sound awful - and the band would throw me out.

Kobayashi returns to the pits

Zoltan Szollosi has asked two questions.

The first one is: We have seen that for various reasons Mercedes has been quite late in producing the final specification of the W02, and the news is the wind tunnel data correlates with actual track data which must be a relief. hat can Mercedes fans expect in terms of in-season development? Is there more to come?

NH: Yes, definitely more will come. But for now I would like to thank everybody inside Mercedes Grand Prix and Mercedes High Performance Engines for all the hard work that they put in. It will pay off, I'm sure.

As Kobayashi is still the only driver on track

Norbert Haug will now be answering your questions

Kobayashi is the first driver to head out of the pits in the Sauber

The green flag is out and the session gets underway

Norbert Haug will be answering your questions from the start of the afternoon session