Rosberg issues message to title rivals

Nico Rosberg

Ian Parkes

Nico Rosberg sent out an ominous warning to the rest of Formula One by setting the fastest time so far on day two of the final pre-season test in Barcelona.

World champions Mercedes fitted soft tyres to their car for the first time late in the afternoon and Rosberg produced a lap of one minute 22.792 seconds - more than half a second quicker than the previous best set by Williams' Felipe Massa on Thursday.