F1: The 2015 season has begun.

[Ferry_vO]

First day of testing at Jerez, time for the teams to roll out their new cars. Lotus skipped the first day, Force India will skip this day all together as their new car isn't ready yet. Most visible rule change for this year: More sensible nose designs. No more twin tusks or ant eater designs!

Reigning champions Mercedes started the day with Rosberg behind the wheel of the W06, and he was quick, consistent and reliable (157 laps!) all day.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/F1/W06_01_zpsrgsur9aa.jpg~original (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Ferror/media/F1/W06_01_zpsrgsur9aa.jpg.html)

Williams will start the season with the FW37, a car quite similar to last year's design.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/F1/FW37_zpsn4ycyrxc.jpg~original (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Ferror/media/F1/FW37_zpsn4ycyrxc.jpg.html)

Red Bull surprised everyone with this 'dazzle paint' camo livery on the new RB11, which they will replace with the usual one for the first race.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/F1/RB11_01_zps65apkarv.jpg~original (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Ferror/media/F1/RB11_01_zps65apkarv.jpg.html)

Vettel started his first official session for Ferrari in the SF-15T:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/F1/SF15T_01_zps61yyiw6h.jpg~original (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Ferror/media/F1/SF15T_01_zps61yyiw6h.jpg.html)

[Ferry_vO]

Alonso is back at McLaren, as is Honda. Not a great start though, with only a handful of laps so far. The livery will change at a later date, obviously Honda isn't too keen on the Teutonic Silver Arrow look!

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/F1/MP430_03_zps4lmsqyml.jpg~original (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Ferror/media/F1/MP430_03_zps4lmsqyml.jpg.html)

The new Toro Rosso STR 10, with Carlos Sainz behind the wheel. Tommorrow is Max' turn!

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/F1/STR10_zpskilzku7o.jpg~original (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Ferror/media/F1/STR10_zpskilzku7o.jpg.html)

And finally, the Sauber C34 with swede Marcus Ericsson at the wheel. The car colours match his helmet nicely, but they come from Felipe Nasr's sponsors.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/F1/C34_01_zpsebntsx1i.jpg~original (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Ferror/media/F1/C34_01_zpsebntsx1i.jpg.html)

[Ferry_vO]

Editted the first two posts and added smaller photos..

Results for today:

1 Vettel (Ferrari), 1m22.620s
2 Ericsson (Sauber), 1m22.777s
3 Rosberg (Mercedes), 1m23.106s
4 Ricciardo (Red Bull), 1m23.338s
5 Bottas (Williams), 1m23.906s
6 Sainz (Toro Rosso), 1m25.327s
7 Alonso (McLaren), 1m40.738s

Rosberg - 157 laps
Ericsson - 73 laps
Bottas - 73 laps
Vettel - 60 laps
Sainz - 46 laps
Ricciardo - 35 laps
Alonso - 6 laps

[Ferry_vO]

Day 2, and the first day for the new Lotus E23 Mercedes:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/F1/E23_01_zpsiaidgxx9.jpg~original (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Ferror/media/F1/E23_01_zpsiaidgxx9.jpg.html)

Bad day for Red Bull, as Kvyat broke the only new wing in the morning and could only do a few single laps the rest of the day:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/F1/RB11_05_zpsu8ypisjk.jpg~original (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Ferror/media/F1/RB11_05_zpsu8ypisjk.jpg.html)

An this is just a great photo:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/F1/RB11_04_zpsmwx5g6ea.jpg~original (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Ferror/media/F1/RB11_04_zpsmwx5g6ea.jpg.html)

Today's results:

<tbody>
1
Sebastian Vettel
Ferrari
1:20.984
-
88



2
Luiz Felipe Nasr
Sauber/Ferrari
1:21.867
0.883
89



3
Valtteri Bottas
Williams/Mercedes
1:22.319
1.335
61



4
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
1:22.490
1.506
91



5
Max Verstappen
Toro Rosso/Renault
1:24.167
3.183
73



6
Pastor Maldonado
Lotus/Mercedes
1:25.802
4.818
41



7
Jenson Button
McLaren/Honda
1:54.655
33.671
6



8
Daniil Kvyat
Red Bull/Renault
no time set
-
18

</tbody>

[Ferry_vO]

So the first week of testing is over, and here are the combined lap times:

1. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1m 20.841s, 200 laps
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1m 20.984s, 149 laps
3. Felipe Nasr, Sauber, 1m 21.545s, 197 laps
4. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1m 21.982s, 308 laps
5. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber, 1m 22.019s, 185 laps
6. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1m 22.172s, 208 laps
7. Felipe Massa, Williams, 1m 22.276s, 144 laps
8. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1m 22.319s, 134 laps
9. Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso, 1m 22.553s, 170 laps
10. Pastor Maldonado, Lotus, 1m 22.713s, 137 laps
11. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso, 1m 23.187s, 183 laps
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, 1m 23.338s, 84 laps
13. Romain Grosjean, Lotus, 1m 23.802s, 53 laps
14. Daniil Kvyat, Red Bull, 1m 23.975s, 82 laps
15. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1m 27.660s, 41 laps
16. Fernando Alonso, McLaren, 1m 35.553s, 38 laps

Total distance run - by team (power unit, where different):
1. Mercedes, 516 laps - 2,284km
2. Sauber (Ferrari), 382 laps - 1,691km
3. Toro Rosso (Renault), 353 laps - 1,563km
4. Ferrari, 349 laps - 1,545km
5. Williams (Mercedes), 278 laps - 1,230km
6. Lotus (Mercedes), 190 laps - 841km
7. Red Bull (Renault), 166 laps - 735km
8. McLaren (Honda), 79 laps - 349km

Total distance run - by power unit:
1. Mercedes, 984 laps - 4,357km (3 teams)
2. Ferrari, 731 laps - 3,236km (2 teams)
3. Renault, 519 laps - 2,298km (2 teams)
4. Honda, 79 laps - 349km (1 team)


Conclusions? Mercedes seem to be holding back, Ferrari has done a decent job improving both chassis and engine, Renault has a few minor issues to solve, Honda has a lot to do still.
Force India will start next test with the old car, and will test the new car in the third and final test week, if they even make it there. Seems there are substantial financial problems.
Marussia on the other hand have payed the 2015 entry fee and are looking to make it to the grid in Australia, but likely under a different name, but it's curtains for Caterham as the first auction to sell their equipment starts two days for the first race.