Hamilton still mixing fun with work!

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Mercedes completed 149 laps on Wednesday with Lewis Hamilton following Valtteri Bottas behind the wheel of the Silver Arrows W08.

Hamilton's afternoon session focused on car set-up and data collection on Pirelli's new tyres, with the Brit completing a consistent run of 20 laps on the Soft compound, a clear attempt to gauge the team's W08 in upcoming race conditions.

"It's been a pretty good day, nice and smooth with no issues," Hamilton said.

"There is still a lot of work to be done but on the whole, it's been another productive day for the team."

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Hamilton reiterated the enthusiasm and keenness he expressed last week when getting the W08 up to speed for the first time, admitting mixing fun with work.

"F1 is always fun. The cars are always amazing. But this car... it's faster and it's more of a challenge to extract everything from it. I love that I get to do this.

"It was really great to see the fans with their banners in the grandstand this afternoon, so a big shout-out to everyone who came out to support us today."

Hamilton will resume his driving duties tomorrow morning with Bottas taking over in the afternoon.

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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.