After a leisurely winter holiday, Lewis Hamilton reported for duty Thursday morning at Paul Ricard where Mercedes conducted a two-day tyre test with Pirelli.
George Russel was the first to stretch his legs on Wednesday, with Hamilton taking over the workload set up by Pirelli on Thursday.
The testing is an extension of the tyre supplier's 2022 development programme which Pirelli was unable to complete last year.
Pirelli's crews will remain on site this weekend as AlphaTauri has been entrusted with wet weather testing on Friday and Saturday with Nyck de Vries and Yuki Tsunoda.
A third and final 2023 tyre test has been scheduled by Pirelli at Jerez in Spain where Mercedes and Aston Martin will be in action.
