Although drivers and team bosses insist that little should be read into the current test times the stats reveal that a clear pattern is already forming.

While the Jerez test, what with its changeable weather, not to mention the initial problems encountered as the teams tried out most of their packages for the first time, might be regarded as FP1 and FP2, things got a little more serious in Bahrain this week as the focus switched to FP3 and qualifying.

It is correct to say that because so little is known about fuel loads, tyre compounds and the like we are not able to predict with any real authority who is quickest, we can certainly see who has reliability... and who hasn't.

In terms of pace, Mercedes heads McLaren, with Ferrari seemingly third ahead of a close group which includes Williams and Force India. In other words, Mercedes powered cars fill four of the top five places.

This carries across in terms of reliability also, with the Mercedes powered teams completing 6,264 miles in Jerez and Bahrain, more than Ferrari (3,094) and Lotus (2,497) combined. And let's not forget that Ferrari is supplying three teams to Lotus four.

Unsurprisingly, Mercedes powered drivers are right up there in terms of driver mileage, though Fernando Alonso (as ever) is giving them a run for their money.

It was once said that politicians use statistics like drunkards use lampposts: not for illumination, but for support. While it would be foolhardy to look at these stats and bet your house on Mercedes winning the title, surely it would be equally silly to totally ignore them and not recognise that - certainly in the early stages of the season - Mercedes will have the edge and last year's champions have a lot of work to do.

Driver Test Mileage - Jerez and Bahrain

Driver	Team	Miles	Kms
Rosberg	Mercedes	1102.41	1774.1
Alonso	Ferrari	1017.42	1637.3
Magnussen	McLaren	872.82	1404.6
Hamilton	Mercedes	807.09	1298.8
Button	McLaren	796.7	1282.1
Bottas	Williams	690.62	1111.4
Gutierrez	Sauber	672.88	1082.9
Raikkonen	Ferrari	641.09	1031.7
Massa	Williams	584.53	940.7
Sutil	Sauber	582.7	937.7
Hulkenberg	Force India	507.49	816.7
Kobayashi	Caterham	427.7	688.3
Perez	Force India	387.65	623.8
Vergne	Toro Rosso	382.76	616.0
Ericsson	Caterham	376.03	605.1
Nasr	Williams	292.57	470.8
Maldonado	Lotus	285.85	460.0
Vettel	Red Bull	275.76	443.8
Frijns	Caterham	256.19	412.3
Kvyat	Toro Rosso	233.26	375.4
Juncadella	Force India	222.87	358.7
Ricciardo	Red Bull	172.12	277.0
Bianchi	Marussia	95.69	154.0
Grosjean	Lotus	87.44	140.7
Chilton	Marussia	84.38	135.8