High mileage Mercedes tweak F1 testing plans

McLaren Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain take a curve with his car during the second testing session ahead the upcoming season at the Circuit Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmelo, Spain, February 23, 2016. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Formula One world champions Mercedes have done so much mileage already in two days of pre-season testing that they changed their schedule on Wednesday to make life easier for Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Rosberg did an unprecedented 172 laps, a distance of 801 km or nearly three race distances, of the Circuit de Catalunya on Tuesday after triple champion team mate Hamilton completed 156 on the first day.