Hello and welcome back to our coverage of the afternoon session that will conclude the first in-season test period of 2015.

What have we seen so far? Mercedes is working like a Swiss clock, as always and McLaren looks almost sorted out in comparison to the shambolic showing of yesterday. But Red Bull on the other hand have so far been a disaster and have barely rung up any laps, let alone lap times. Here’s the leaderboard courtesy of Mercedes-Benz.

MORNING SUMMARY “@F1: CLASSIFICATION @PWehrlein top of the times & laps completed during Day 2 morning session #F1 pic.twitter.com/evMSIfv9V4“

— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) May 13, 2015

No Pirelli, it’s a quick process to eat this. Who’s supposed to be sated by that? A Pygmy?

And this is the end result. It's almost a shame to eat it. Almost… #BarcelonaTest #F1 pic.twitter.com/4fl8OApNe9

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) May 13, 2015

In the media session at lunch time Pascal Wehrlein has confirmed that Mercedes is doing comparative tests with this year’s and last year’s clutch. In the race last weekend both cars had been equipped with the 2014 vintage, much to the chagrin of Lewis Hamilton.

Cue Metallica… “For Whom the Bell Tolls”

@CaterhamF1 @WylesHardy F1 Race Bay, Works & Office Furniture, Gym Equipment, Etc. #F1 http://t.co/ycd8JIJTLd pic.twitter.com/UPQASJyCYQ

— Caterham F1 Team (@CaterhamF1) May 13, 2015

Deploy smoke screen …

Just for the cameras that one 😉 #F1 "@crash_F1: There is a Mercedes in that smoke somewhere…#F1Testing @PWehrlein pic.twitter.com/YKx67UZhRa"

— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) May 13, 2015

Very little action so far. Maybe they are all full from that copious Pirelli meal…

LOL @Mercedes. While their car runs like clockwork, their live-timing seems to be run by Renault. Yesterday they insisted for hours that the McLaren was piloted by Max Verstappen, and today, well…

WOOOW! @carlosainz und @JolyonPalmer zeigen Benz mal, wo der Hammer hängt! Impressive step forward… pic.twitter.com/9vHLc94sQO

— Roman Wittemeier (@MST_RomanW) May 13, 2015

Rare Pictures from the garage

#TechF1 @ForceIndiaF1 VJM08 floor detail via @SuttonImages pic.twitter.com/jrpUevXLlE

— Matt Somerfield (@SomersF1) May 13, 2015

A nose job is in order for Jenson’s MP4-30

The @McLarenF1 mechanics await @JensonButton for a front wing change #TechF1 pic.twitter.com/olx9I91qDL

— Matt Somerfield (@SomersF1) May 13, 2015

The veteran driver in the McLaren has gone quicker than Fernando Alonso’s qualifying time. There is definitely progress to report. Wehrlein meanwhile has confirmed that the order of the day are not fast lap times. Mercedes concentrates on long runs and start simulations.

At 30°C centigrade its a lovely summers day in May here. Track temps are at a more than cosy 47°C.

Mercedes rack up the numbers once again as Wehrlein closes in on 90 laps. It looks as if the car would ring up four GP distances in half as many days.

Meanwhile the engine discussion goes on…

F1 race promoters have written to the FIA demanding an 'urgent' change to engine rules http://t.co/efBKrqTVaZ pic.twitter.com/Rn7TVUKZKx

— Jon Noble (@NobleF1) May 13, 2015

Five of eight hours running completed the times look like that:

1. Pascal Wehrlein (Mercedes) 1:26.641 – 92 laps
2. Jolyon Palmer (Lotus) 1:27.439 – 49 laps
3. Jenson Button (McLaren) 1:27.486 – 47 laps
4. Esteban Gutierrez (Ferrari) 1:27.989 – 72 laps
5. Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso) 1:27.997 – 82 laps
6. Alex Lynn (Williams) 1:28.419 – 36 laps
7. Esteban Ocon (Force India) 1:29.671 – 45 laps
8. Raffaele Marciello (Sauber) 1:33.402 – 23 laps
9. Pierre Gasly (Red Bull) keine Zeit – 23 laps

Second Red Flag of the day as Carlos Sainz parks his Toro Rosso at the pitlane entrance

A second red flag of the day at the #BCNTest as @carlosainz has stopped at the entry of the pit lane pic.twitter.com/D45Ay9vezu

— Ian Parkes (@ianparkesf1) May 13, 2015

Ten minutes and everything’s good to go again. The STR10 is back at base. Well, it wasn’t a long journey.

Scratch that. The second Red Bull car packs in – another red flag.

Time for Red Bull mechanics to play fetch #F1 #BarcelonaTest pic.twitter.com/TcXhyFsKpg

— Chris Medland (@ChrisMedlandF1) May 13, 2015

Some eye-candy to console them ladies over the loss of fabulous Max.

#F1Testing – @MercedesAMGF1's @PWehrlein speaking to the media at @Circuitcat_eng #F1 pic.twitter.com/Wofyl3j90Y

— sutton-images.com (@suttonimages) May 13, 2015

While we wait for the track to reopen, why not shorten the wait with a bit muzak? Fingerboy & Iceman feat. Dave Greenwood – “Blue Flag”

It appears the Usher has hit his mean streak again…

#F1:“Look at these McLarens” http://t.co/PRzbDnMKOm by withersoul … http://t.co/rBQIxp4pCm pic.twitter.com/ZBk72Vq18a

— theUsher13 (@theJudge13Twts) May 13, 2015

Williams have been relatively obscure once again, but they are still here…

Alex clocks lap 40 and is currently in 7th with a time of 1:28.406 #WeAreRacing pic.twitter.com/anYipmHMy9

— WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) May 13, 2015

Some stats in connection with the 65th anniversary of the first ever F1 race.

#65YearsOfF1 – Drivers from 21 nations have won an #F1 World Championship race. TOP 3: 240 wins – GB 152 wins – Germany 101 wins – Brazil

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 13, 2015

Interestingly Germany has only 7 GP winners (Berghe von Trips, Mass, Frentzen, Schumacher M, Schumacher R, Vettel, Rosberg) and 131 of those wins have been scored by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. Brazil has six (Senna, Piquet, Fittipaldi, Barrichello, Massa, Pace) Britain has 19 GP winners.

Now that’s what I call an interesting read!

Some great work from Dieter Rencken to reveal the FOM payouts F1 teams are receiving http://t.co/tINfxWlPC7 #f1

— Edd Straw (@eddstrawF1) May 13, 2015

And we have the first centenarian of the day with still two hours to go.

He's quickest so far this afternoon (1:26.497) – and @PWehrlein has now gone through the 100-lap barrier #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/fMLeXgL6PR

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 13, 2015

The folks over at wtf1.co.uk think the same as all of us.

So you get more money for 'being Ferrari' than winning the F1 World Championship. #SeemsLegit pic.twitter.com/JE9iYFxpDI

— WTF1 (@wtf1couk) May 13, 2015

A bit more than 100 minutes to go and the action picks up pace. Alex Lynn in the Williams ventures out on soft socks.

It’a ALIVE!

Impressive lap from Pierre Gasly in his Red Bull – he's gone into second overall in this afternoon session #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/73GfLqfwry

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 13, 2015

But Gasly's time in second spot doesn't last long as @alexlynnracing posts a 1:26.967 for @WilliamsRacing #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/nTjZfWSsNb

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 13, 2015

Hell, these guys do a better job at reporting than I do…

Ferrari finish the second century of laps. Both the SF15-T and the W06 seem to be watertight in terms of reliability this year.

Esteban Ocon has passed on the lantern rouge to Raffaele Marciello.

The action hast died down considerably over the last 30 minutes.

There’s no slacking off in the Mercedes camp as they near the two GP distances.

Latest run complete for @PWehrlein! 123 on the board – impressive and OCD approved lap count there 😉 #F1 http://t.co/EwJhKdPWkK

— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) May 13, 2015

And not to forget – just under four hours until our podcast kicks off

Join my #TJ13 #F1 panel feat. @spannersready @mattpt55 @craig_alderson @ajhuntf1 @anilp228 LIVE tonight @8pmBST http://t.co/zm2JLAo0HJ

— thejudge13 (@thejudge13) May 13, 2015

No Hippo on the panel tonight. After two 9-hour sessions today and yesterday plus news writing in the night, I’m just two knackered for that, but you don’t need a Hippo to be funny, we have AJ and Kr on the same panel. Fireworks are guaranteed.

And here’s a joke for the friends of non-Euclidean geometry: My ball has fallen over…

We have the next centenarian…

Aaaaaand 100! Keep going. @carlosainz drives back to garage after his 102nd lap of the day. 40 mins of session remain pic.twitter.com/zMCdMK6XUx

— Toro Rosso (@ToroRossoSpy) May 13, 2015

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

RUMBLED! @PWehrlein doing his best #Kimi impression… who knew ice cream was a source of performance? 😉 #F1 pic.twitter.com/M7fWDmQKK2

— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) May 13, 2015

One of the folks of Motorsport Magazin has been seized by CanalF1 Latin America and they picked his brain about the Audi deal. Shoulda read The Judge13. But kudos, looks quite comfortable for someone not used to being on TV!

The last thirty minutes are ticking down.

Mercedes complete the fourth GP distance in two days. That W06 has technically gone from Paris in France to Wroclaw in Poland.

RB meanwhile engage in a light spot of show-boating, grabbing 2nd spot on soft tyres.

Boom! Jolyon Palmer displaces the Merc from the top spot, but the mean machine from Enstone was on super soft tyres, which Merc never ran so far. Only 0.4 seconds faster than the Merc on mediums. That’s shockingly bad.

Merc bolt on soft tyres and send Wehrlein out. No Freebies for anyone around here. Jenson is out again, and to revive a naughty tradition from the winter test – there seems to have been a bit of a bukkake party in the McLaren garage…

Lotsa Jizz Floviz on that MP4-30.

Game over boys…

It's 18h, testing comes to an end here in Barcelona. C'mon @carlosainz, we know you want to stay out there but.. Box! pic.twitter.com/qPYO2q5TwN

— Toro Rosso (@ToroRossoSpy) May 13, 2015

It’s done. The fat lady has sung, the nasty stuff is still dripping off the McLaren and we have a Lotus in P1. Huzzah.

That’s it for now. Enjoy the podcast and we’ll see again tomorrow morning with the Daily News & Comment.

Cheers.