Pirelli: Pace will pick up before Aus

Hailing the "phenomenal rate" at which the F1 teams have developed their turbocharged V6 engines, Pirelli had a trouble-free first test at Jerez.

Last Sunday the Formula 1 teams got down to business putting their new 2015 cars – powered by upgraded V6 engines – through their paces.

Using 155 sets of tyres over the four days to cover a total of 2294 laps, the fastest time for the test went to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

The Finn posted a 1:20.841, which was more than two seconds quicker than the best time set at Jerez during the 2014 pre-season.

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said: "The four days at Jerez were quite a straightforward test, with all the teams present getting in a lot more running than they did at this time last year: which just goes to show the phenomenal rate at which this hybrid technology has developed.

"We experienced varied weather conditions on a very abrasive track at Jerez and encountered no issues, with generally positive comments from the drivers.

"From a tyre perspective, the two tests in Barcelona later this month will be more representative, as long as the weather remains favourable.

"The provision of our ‘winter hard’ prototype compound – a specially created testing compound, with a fast warm-up – was clearly appreciated, as the drivers used it extensively.

"It’s clear that the new cars have already evolved a lot since 2014, and we anticipate further improvements before we reach Melbourne in March."