Lewis Hamilton has been forced to miss running on the final day of the first Formula One pre-season test at Barcelona due to an electrical fault.
On Thursday morning Mercedes confirmed it was working on the problem, which prevented the three-time world champion from turning in a single lap at the Circuit de Catalunya before lunch on the designated wet-weather test day. Hamilton took to social media to announce the decision not to run.
Electrical fault kept us in the garage this morning, so I've decided with the team not to drive today as I wouldn't have learned much (1/2) pic.twitter.com/LS0Tr8aWdK
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) March 2, 2017
Shame not to drive but it's been a great few days. The guys have done an awesome job. Can't wait to be back in the car next week! (2/2)
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) March 2, 2017
The three-time constructors' world champions had completed the most laps of any team over the first three days of the first winter test, clocking a total of 490 laps, over 100 more than Ferrari.
Valtteri Bottas, who topped the third day and is scheduled to run in the afternoon session, emerged from the garage just before 12.30 -- indicating the fault had been fixed and that the Finn had been given an extra half hour.