F1 News, Reports and Race Results

First week leaves Perez already bullish on Melbourne!

Force India's Sergio Perez put 82 more laps of mileage on the team's VJM10 on the fourth and last day of pre-season testing.

The wet-to-dry session concluded a week of discovery and development, and its overall result bodes well for the immediate future, according to the Mexican driver.

"We can be pleased with this last day of testing: we covered a lot of ground and we found some more performance. Hopefully next week we can be in even better shape.

"It was a positive week and I think we made a good step forward with understanding the VJM10 and finding the limit of the tyres.

"I feel more confident in the car; I have learnt a huge amount and I think my preparation is going to plan. There is still a lot of work to be done, but I’m optimistic for Melbourne already."

Raikkonen at the helm on final test day

Chief race engineer Tom Mccullough echoed his driver's assessment.

"We have been able to build up good mileage and iron out some of the inevitable teething problems that you get with a new car.

"We are confident we have made some important steps forward in understanding the VJM10 and the new Pirelli tyres, and we are looking forward to next week’s test, when we will focus more on performance and race simulations."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.