Lewis Hamilton is taken ill on the first day of the second pre-season test, and is replaced by reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein.

Just 11 laps into his programme, Hamilton climbed from his car at the Circuit de Catalunya as the second of the three pre-season tests got underway.

The German team subsequently tweeted that the world champion was "unwell" and "not able to continue driving today", whilst revealing that 20-year-old test driver Pascal Wehrlein, in action in the 2014 Force India, would replace the Briton for the remainder of the day.

Whilst Nico Rosberg is at the Spanish track, it is understood that the team doesn't want to over use the German who is scheduled to drive the car tomorrow and Sunday.

Whilst Mercedes is playing down Hamilton's illness, thought to be a slight fever, one can be certain that the tabloid media will make much of it following his recent split from his girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger. Indeed, ahead of this week's test, sections of the media have been focussing on Hamilton as he spent time relaxing in New York.

As Wehrlein steps into the Mercedes this afternoon - thereby giving him the opportunity to compare the 2014 and 2015 cars back-to-back, Sergio Perez will replace him in the Force India.

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Unwell Hamilton replaced by Wehrlein at Barcelona

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