11 Formula One teams power up their 2012 challengers in Jerez

Wish I could have posted this on the VIVA blog sooner, but I only found about it today when I was browsing Spanish daily El Mundo while tucking into my lunchtime sandwich.

Better late than never though, because from Tuesday 7 February until Friday 10 February, eleven of the grid’s twelve F1 teams are putting their all-new, lean, mean, racing machines through their paces at the pre-season testing ground in Jerez, ahead of the first fixture on the calendar which takes place in Australia on 18 March. And as most of Europe seems to be blanketed in ice and snow, they couldn’t have chosen a better place…

Since you can drive from Marbella to Jerez in just 2 hours – and that’s without even having to stand on the gas pedal – it’s a fantastic opportunity to see the elite of Formula One clocking up as many miles as possible on the Andalusian racetrack as they get to grips with their brand new powerhouses. Not only that, but the tickets – on sale from the Circuito de Jerez onsite box office at each of the daily sessions – will set you back no more than a miserly €10, or if you want to go VIP, just €20 apiece!

Day 1 saw McLaren’s MP4-27 hitting the track for the first time, with Jenson Button at the controls. Teammate Lewis Hamilton is also heading to Jerez this week. Mark Webber is at the wheel of Red Bull’s RB8 on Tuesday and Wednesday, before handing over to reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel on Thursday and Friday. Felipe Massa kicked off the week for Ferrari, while 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen and his new Lotus E20 set the fastest time this morning.

On Thursday, Fernando Alonso will be trying out his new Ferrari, and his fellow countryman Pedro Martínez de la Rosa will be familiarising himself with the latest modifications to last season’s HRT because – in common with Mercedes – they won’t be running their 2012 contender until the second test at Barcelona in two weeks’ time.

Though I can’t tell you exactly which days they’ll be taking to the track, Toro Rosso, Sauber, Force India and Williams – reunited with Renault – will also be making their debuts at Jerez this week, while Marussia are sitting out the event as the honing of their 2012 design continues.

Sadly it’s too late for me to be booking a day off this week, so if you’re lucky enough to visit the Jerez racetrack this week, go on, do tell me what it was like… please!