F1 3rd test times

1. Grosjean Lotus 1m23.252s 73
2. Button McLaren 1m23.510s +0.258 64
3. Perez Sauber 1m23.820s +0.568 118
4. Webber Red Bull 1m23.830s +0.578 102
5. Rosberg Mercedes 1m23.992s +0.740 128
6. Vergne Toro Rosso 1m24.216s +0.964 113
7. Di Resta Force India 1m24.305s +1.053 98
8. Massa Ferrari 1m24.318s +1.066 105
9. Petrov Caterham 1m24.876s +1.624 123
10. Maldonado Williams 1m25.587s +2.335 58

Day 1

Source: autosport

Day 2

1. Grosjean Lotus 1m22.614s 123
2. Vergne Toro Rosso 1m23.126s +0.512 31
3. Vettel Red Bull 1m23.361s +0.747 85
4. Alonso Ferrari 1m23.447s +0.833 124
5. Kovalainen Caterham 1m23.828s +1.214 104
6. Kobayashi Sauber 1m23.836s +1.222 77
7. Hulkenberg Force India 1m23.893s +1.279 33
8. Schumacher Mercedes 1m23.978s +1.364 79
9. Hamilton McLaren 1m24.111s +1.497 65
10. Senna Williams 1m24.925s +2.311 48
11. Maldonado Williams 1m25.801s +3.187 20

Going to be an interesting last few days of testing and already Red Bull are showcasing their new modified RB8.

Technical Analyst Gary Anderson told BBC Sport, “The chassis is the same, I'm sure, but there's a new front wing and a completely redesigned underfloor and coke-bottle area at the back. The exhaust exits are fairly far forward but there is a down-feeding duct behind them and an inlet on the top of the floor. It seems they're trying to get the exhaust flow down into that inlet to feed the diffuser. The first impressions are that the Red Bull is a really nicely detailed car - there are ducts and bits and pieces everywhere. It's a very complicated bodywork set-up and it will take some more looking at to understand what's going on''.

This could be worrying for the season if successful.

Why can't the just have a complete overhaul like in 2005 or 2009, especially in 2009 you had literally every team up the front at some stage. Really sick of the same top 6 or 8 with the rest just battling for the last dregs of points.

I don't think there's anything to suggest the status quo will have changed from last year, though i hope i'm wrong.

It seems a massive overhaul on this new RB8, I'm thinking and it wouldnt suprise me that this apparent new design could easily have been the 'actual design' for the intended RB8 at Australia but Red Bull just didnt want 'rival eyes' looking over it at the launch. Even more dramatic is Ferrari, who have cancelled all media for their drivers right upto Australia.

Andrew Benson latest comments - ''Ferrari have called off the drivers' media calls all the talk before Melbourne (where they will have to speak to the media!) will be about just how bad it's going to be. Are we looking at another 2009 or 2011, where they're off the pace but manage to win a race? Or is it going to be as bad as 1986, when they were mid-grid? Or even 1980, when even the great Gilles Villeneuve sometimes struggled to get the car into the top 18? Fernando Alonso - an all-time great driver himself - has effectively committed his career to Ferrari; what must he be thinking? Or is it all an elaborate bluff?"

Interesting

technical correspondent Gary Anderson believes the updated Red Bull Racing RB8 is a big philosophical change from the version tested already - especially with the revised exhaust layout.

"It is March 2 today and that is a whole new package from Red Bull, which is impressive this early in the season," he said. "They had a good advantage last year with the exhaust pipes - and they know how that area of the car operates so they are continuing to push forward in that area."

Anderson believes that the location of the exhausts is aimed at getting the gases attached to the airflow around the rear Coke-bottle area of the car.

"The exhaust pipes are further forward on the outer part of the sidepod," he explained. "They are not blowing anywhere in particular, but there appears to be some idea of getting the exhaust gases attached to the bodywork and being channelled somewhere they don't want to go.

"That is why they have detailed that Coke bottle area much more – plus there appears to be a large duct on the underfloor, feeding the flow between the double-skinned floor, to the diffuser."

The revised front wing on the RB8 features a straighter mid-section, which differs from the curved design the team has run up until now.

final day of testing times

1. Raikkonen Lotus 1m22.030s 121
2. Alonso Ferrari 1m22.250s +0.220 115
3. Senna Williams 1m22.296s +0.266 53
4. Hulkenberg Force India 1m22.312s +0.282 101
5. Kobayashi Sauber 1m22.386s +0.356 72
6. Hamilton McLaren 1m22.430s +0.400 115
7. Petrov Caterham 1m22.795s +0.765 101
8. Schumacher Mercedes 1m22.939s +0.909 100
9. Maldonado Williams 1m23.347s +1.317 48
10. Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1m23.393s +1.363 100
11. Vettel Red Bull 1m23.608s +1.578 23