Raikkonen and Schumacher take the lead in F1 testing

F1 teams are in Jerez, Spain, this week to test out new car designs before this year's championships and Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher have given some of the most impressive performances so far.

This is one of the only opportunities engineers will get to see how their vehicles fare on a race track before the season begins and, with millions of pounds thrown at each team, the pressure is on to perfect every element of the cars.

On Tuesday (February 7th) - the first day at the course - Raikkonen led the way in the new Lotus E20, posting the best time of one minute and 19.670 seconds.

The next day saw Michael Schumacher speed around the track more quickly than any of the other drivers, crossing the finish line at one minute and 18.561 seconds.

But in testing the lap times are not so important, the key factor is how the cars are performing and Raikkonen seemed happy with the new Lotus.

"We had no major issues and I got a good feel for the car and the tyres," he stated. "I'm happy with the balance of the car, which feels good ... Also, I did more than a race distance today and did not have any physical problems at all."

Meanwhile, Schumacher said he was happy with the tyres in the new Mercedes vehicle, saying they "felt like a step forward. More consistent and comfortable to drive".

However, the Caterham CT01 had some problems with Heikki Kovalainen behind the wheel on the first day, pulling out of testing early because of damage to the starter shaft.

Each year, mechanics are not just trying to make the most powerful and aerodynamic cars, they are also trying to meet new technical requirements.

This year, engine mapping has been limited and stricter rules on exhaust positioning have been brought in.

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