F1: Hamilton Crashes After Brake Failure

Formula 1

F1: Hamilton Crashes After Brake Failure

Lewis Hamilton's Wednesday in Jerez got off to a rough start...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted February 06, 2013 Jerez (ESP)

Lewis Hamilton crashed the new Mercedes W04 in Jerez Wednesday morning. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Mercedes continued to face an uphill battle with the new W04 after Lewis Hamilton crashed in Jerez Wednesday morning.

The Briton had completed only 16 laps before a loss of rear brake pressure saw him skate across the gravel trap and make light contact with a tire barrier, damaging the wing and front suspension. It wasn’t Hamilton’s first run in the car, as he had a few laps with demo tires on Monday.

The team said the problem was related to “the hydraulic brake line connecting to the right-rear calliper.”

Tuesday, Nico Rosberg ran only 14 laps before the day’s action was curtailed by a fire caused by a wiring loom failure.

Although there is still a long way to go, the twin setbacks can’t be good for morale in the Mercedes camp.

Adam Cooper notched up his 28th season as a racing journalist in 2012. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.