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Vettel's Jerez test ends early

JEREZ, Spain - Technical problems brought Sebastian Vettel's involvement in Formula 1's first pre-season test to an early close on January 29 2014 with the quadruple champion's lap tally barely into double figures.

Red Bull said it had halted running of the new RB10 car on Day 2 of the test to fix a problem with the Renault energy store.

Vettel, scheduled for only the first two days, stayed for a technical debriefing then headed home to Switzerland.

'ONLY 11 LAPS'

He left with only 11 laps done, eight of them on Day 2. New Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo was due to drive for the remaining two days of the test.

Vettel was sidelined for most of (Jan 28 2014) after a set-up problem emerged before the new car was shown to the news media.

F1 has replaced the V8 engines with a new turbo V6 unit for 2014 with the complicated energy recovery systems and their batteries proving a challenge for teams. Renault is providing four of the 11 teams with engines but the first two days suggested Mercedes and Ferrari-powered teams were having an easier time.

With an hour remaining of Day 2 McLaren's Jenson Button had done 40 laps in his car, Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 63, Esteban Gutierrez (Ferrari-powered Sauber) 44 and Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 28.

The only two Renault-powered cars on track managed only 19 between them; Caterham's Marcus Ericsson did 11.


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