For the third and final day of testing at Valencia for McLaren, new driver and reigning world champion, Jenson Button took to the cockpit for the very first time, spending the morning finessing his seating position and sight-lines as he got used to the all-new cockpit of the MP4-25.

Into the afternoon, the Woking based squad were able to concentrate on a series of longer runs, using the opportunity to find a balance and a set-up that suited Jenson.

After three days of testing, the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team leaves the opening test extremely satisfied with the performance and reliability of the new MP4-25.

The test team will regroup in Jerez de la Frontera next week for the second of four pre-season sessions – a circuit that will enable all teams to begin a more meaningful assessment of relative pace.