Jerez first 2014 test Test day one
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Max Chilton, who was due to be driving today before Marussia's struggles, is on his way:
@maxchilton: "The yearly circus has begun! On my way to Stansted to catch a flight to Jerez! #TurboTime"
@maxchilton: "The yearly circus has begun! On my way to Stansted to catch a flight to Jerez! #TurboTime"
That situation comes to an end almost as soon as we typed however, as both men dive into the pits.
And into the 1m20s for Raikkonen, as his third lap of this run yields a 1m29.474s.
Gutierrez has just headed out to join him - only the second time today we've had more than one car on track.
Gutierrez has just headed out to join him - only the second time today we've had more than one car on track.
Raikkonen stays out and finds a good chunk of time next lap. He's down to a 1m30.674s, so he found two seconds alone on that last lap.
He's marginally quicker than his previous best - a 1m32.917s that time round, but still more than five seconds off Hamilton.
Kimi Raikkonen F1 Ferrari 2014
Raikkonen isn't exactly pushing, but he does at least come round for the start of - potentially - his second flyer.
Another short run for Gutierrez, who heads straight into the pits. The good news is we won't be quiet for long - Raikkonen is about to head out, if the rumble beneath us in the media centre is anything to go by.
Twitter
Caterham gets the annual lunch game going early (and also inform us they are close to launching):
@CaterhamF1: "Lunch is done (burgers, couple of salads, pasta or rather nice Asian salmon for you foodies out there) & we're nearing "fire up & go" time.."
@CaterhamF1: "Lunch is done (burgers, couple of salads, pasta or rather nice Asian salmon for you foodies out there) & we're nearing "fire up & go" time.."
Gutierrez, still with just two installation laps under his belt, heads out in the Sauber.
Raikkonen heads back in after completing that three-lap stint.
And he slots straight into second with a 1m33.131s.
We might just have our third timed lap on the board - Raikkonen has headed into his first flyer of the day.
We spoke too soon - Raikkonen is back out for Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton F1 Mercedes 2014
A lull on track now in the aftermath of Hamilton's accident.
No, he comes in and Ferrari hides the car away again.
Could he be the third driver to set a time?
Kimi is back on track in the Ferrari.
Twitter
Lotus, which is absent from the Jerez test, is sure its design is legal:
@Lotus_F1Team: "We are confident our design complies with the FIA legal requirements - Nick Chester sets the record straight here"
@Lotus_F1Team: "We are confident our design complies with the FIA legal requirements - Nick Chester sets the record straight here"
So, after four hours of the first test of 2014, the only cars to have set flying lap times are: Hamilton's Mercedes on 1m27.820 and Vergne's Toro Rosso on 1m36.530s.
We've also seen Ferrari (Raikkonen), Sauber (Gutierrez) and Force India (Perez) on track for installation laps.
Mercedes had looked the most impressive so far, until that front wing failure put Hamilton in the wall.
We've also seen Ferrari (Raikkonen), Sauber (Gutierrez) and Force India (Perez) on track for installation laps.
Mercedes had looked the most impressive so far, until that front wing failure put Hamilton in the wall.
Lewis Hamilton F1 Mercedes 2014
AUTOSPORT's spotters on the ground confirm that it was a front wing failure Mercedes are referring to.
It shattered well before Turn 1 and left Hamilton a helpless passenger, in much the same way as Fernando Alonso's wing broke in Malaysia last year.
Hamilton was able to climb out the car and appeared unhurt.
Twitter
Confirmation that a failure caused Hamilton's crash:
@MercedesAMGF1: "A car failure for Lewis put him off at Turn One. Cause to be investigated when car returns to the garage."
@MercedesAMGF1: "A car failure for Lewis put him off at Turn One. Cause to be investigated when car returns to the garage."
Green flag
The debris has been cleared, and we're back to green.
We'll bring you the latest on that crash as it emerges.
We'll bring you the latest on that crash as it emerges.
Lewis Hamilton F1 Mercedes 2014
The car is back on the low loader and being ferried rapidly back to the Mercedes garage.
Twitter
AUTOSPORT technical expert Craig Scarborough offers his view of that crash, and suggests it may have been caused by a failure:
@ScarbsF1: "Hamilton has just gone off track at T1, there was a lot of debris left on track as black rubber marks started, suggesting something's failed."
@ScarbsF1: "Hamilton has just gone off track at T1, there was a lot of debris left on track as black rubber marks started, suggesting something's failed."
Looks like a fair bit of damage on the W05. The course car and marshals are cleaning the circuit well before Turn 1 too.
Crash
Scratch that - it seems Hamilton is in the Turn 1 barriers. Marshals are picking up bodywork on the main straight.
His Mercedes crew don't have far to travel at least. They're into the course car and on their way to the W05, which appears to have stopped between Curva Expo and Curva Michelin.
Red flag
...but no sooner does he cross the finish line than he pulls to a halt in the first sector. Our third red of the day.
Stopwatch
Hamilton comes round in a 1m27.820s, around two seconds faster than his previous best...
The cap doesn't lie - Hamilton heads out and comes round for the start of another flyer.
Sauber F1 2014
Hamilton hasn't moved, but we do have track action as Gutierrez heads out, and then returns immediately.
Twitter
Aha. Maybe we spoke too soon - Mercedes is readying for another run. Apparently Hamilton removing his cap is the giveaway (maybe we should start a cap watch):
@MercedesAMGF1: "Lewis' off-track head gear takes a break from duties; he's saddled up for another run... #KeepFightingMichael #Jerez"
@MercedesAMGF1: "Lewis' off-track head gear takes a break from duties; he's saddled up for another run... #KeepFightingMichael #Jerez"
After three and a half hours, we're still yet to see Red Bull, McLaren, Williams, Caterham or Marussia (the latter of course only shipped its car today, so isn't expected to run before Thursday).
There is no official lunch break here at Jerez, but judging by an emptying pitlane - in terms of media and pit crews - we may be entering a slight lull (that's our bid to tempt more teams out).
Quote
He's not worried about the current lack of running (see 0917), but AUTOSPORT technical guru GARY ANDERSON has been taken aback by the sheer number of problems teams have encountered on this first day:
"I was expecting people to have problems but I am a bit surprised there are quite so many!
"We still haven't seen Red Bull, McLaren, Williams, Caterham or Marussia - which we already knew was delayed - and Ferrari has only done one lap.
"It's the complications under the engine cover that is the issue and every time they open the garage doors they find a problem. But at approaching lunchtime on the first day you would expect at least to be doing installation laps. The pressure is building."
"I was expecting people to have problems but I am a bit surprised there are quite so many!
"We still haven't seen Red Bull, McLaren, Williams, Caterham or Marussia - which we already knew was delayed - and Ferrari has only done one lap.
"It's the complications under the engine cover that is the issue and every time they open the garage doors they find a problem. But at approaching lunchtime on the first day you would expect at least to be doing installation laps. The pressure is building."
Another three-lap stint complete, Hamilton returns to the pits.
Lewis Hamilton F1 Mercedes 2014
Hamilton hits 270km/h again down the main straight, and he's beginning to more visibly lean on the W05.
He's purple in S1, but his lap tails off in the middle split and he doesn't improve.
Hamilton heads back out for Mercedes.
Suddenly the Jerez skyline is looking slightly ominous, with a few threatening clouds rolling in. Temperatures are still low - a modest 12 degrees C, with the track four degrees higher at 16.
Which is as good a time as any for a brief recap of the order:
1 Hamilton, Mercedes: 1m29.662s, 10 laps
2 Vergne, Toro Rosso: 1m36.530s, 11 laps
3 Raikkonen, Ferrari: no time, 2 laps
4 Perez, Force India: no time, 1 lap
5 Gutierrez, Sauber: no time, 1 lap
1 Hamilton, Mercedes: 1m29.662s, 10 laps
2 Vergne, Toro Rosso: 1m36.530s, 11 laps
3 Raikkonen, Ferrari: no time, 2 laps
4 Perez, Force India: no time, 1 lap
5 Gutierrez, Sauber: no time, 1 lap
By: Sam Tremayne, Glenn Freeman, Matt Beer, Kevin Turner
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