Formula One News

Rosberg not concerned about new Mercedes missing first F1 tests

Jan 2, 2012, 15:14 GMT

Berlin - Nico Rosberg is not concerned that his Mercedes Formula One car for the 2012 season will miss the first round of pre-season testing.

Rosberg told the autosport.com website Monday that he is 'happy' with the choice the German team has made.

'It is the compromise between testing early enough and having enough time to develop. And they need to find a middle way - and they have decided that that is the best way to do it,' he said.

The new silver arrow for Rosberg and record world champion Michael Schumacher will be available for the February 21-24 tests in Barcelona, but not for the opening round February 7-10 in Jerez de la Frontera. The third and final tests for the season starting on March 18 in Australia are March 1-4 in Barcelona.

World champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull is among those who will have the new model ready for the first round of tests, but Rosberg said he was confident because the team has imporved.

'(In 2011) we would not have managed to do the first race if we had run the car that late, but with the way the factory is now optimised, I am confident that we can quite happily make it happen and the car can race very soon after the first test - with just a few bits and pieces that need to be sorted out. That shows already that the team is a big improvement,' he said.

Mercedes will be in their third season in 2012 and are yet to win a race. The team was fourth in the 2011 constructors' list while Rosberg was seventh and Schumacher eighth in the drivers' standings.

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