(CNN) -- Lewis Hamilton endured a nightmare start to testing his new Mercedes after driving straight off the track at Jerez on his first day following a hydraulic problem Wednesday.
The 2008 world champion, who left McLaren at the end of last season, was on his 15th lap of timed testing when his car went off the track and hit a barrier of tires.
Hamilton's accident, which prevented him from returning to action, follows teammate Nico Rosberg's disastrous run which was ended by a minor fire Tuesday.
Webber vows to battle Vettel for F1 title
The German's car was found to have been suffering with electrical problems, while Mercedes took to Twitter to give an update on Hamilton's setback.
Pastor Maldonado took the new Williams for a spin at Barcelona on February 19 following the launch at Circuit de Catalunya.
F1 teams unveil 2013 cars
Sebastian Vettel celebrates after securing his third consecutive Formula One title. The Red Bull racer claimed a sixth place finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix to win the championship by three points from Fernando Alonso.
2012 F1 season climax in Brazil
Sebastian Vettel celebrates with his team and admirers after a pulsating race at Interlagos in Brazil. But where does the Red Bull driver rank in the pantheon of F1's virtuosos?
How good is Sebastian Vettel?
"Lewis suffered a loss of rear brake pressure, the front brakes enabled him to slow the car but he couldn't avoid the barrier," said Mercedes on Twitter.
"Obvious damage to the front wing and nose; we're checking the car over now. Lewis himself is fine.
"Update from Jerez, we have traced the problem to the hydraulic brake line connecting to the right-rear caliper."
Hamilton is expected to return to the track on Friday following the collision, which saw the car career on straight for some 70 meters at 280 kilometers per hour.
Ferrari ready for Red Bull fight
Meanwhile, Russian team Marussia has replaced Timo Glock with Brazil's Luis Razia as its second driver for the 2013 season.
The 23-year-old, who finished as runner-up in last season's GP2 series, will partner fellow rookie Max Chilton when the campaign starts in Australia on March 17.
"It's fantastic to be back with the Marussia F1 Team and with pretty much the same group of people I worked with back in 2010 when I was reserve driver," Razia told the Marussia website.
Glock's F1 future in doubt after leaving Marussia
"I am very proud to take the step up to a Formula 1 race seat, particularly with the team I began this journey with, since they helped show me what it takes to progress to the highest level.
"The past two seasons in GP2 have been all about proving that I have what it takes and that I'm ready.
"I am also looking forward to the first race in Melbourne and I'm excited to be racing alongside Max, who I competed against last season.
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The new Infiniti Red Bull Racing RB9 was launched at the Austrian-owned Formula One team's English headquarters in Milton Keynes on February 3.
Mark Webber, left, and triple world champion Sebastian Vettel pose with the Red Bull they will be driving this year.
Title rivals Ferrari launched the new F138 which they hope will power Fernando Alonso to glory in 2013.
British team McLaren unveiled its car on January 31. New driver Sergio Perez (right) poses with 2009 world champion Jenson Button and the new MP4-28.
Former McLaren star Lewis Hamilton, left, and new teammate Nico Rosberg pose with the new Mercedes W04 on February 4.
Sauber's new C32 was launched in Switzerland on February 2. It will be driven by Perez's replacement Esteban Gutierrez and Nico Hulkenberg, who left Force India in 2012.
Force India's Paul Di Resta with the new VJM06 which was launched on February 1 at Silverstone. His new teammate had yet to be named.
Charles Pic and Dutch rookie Giedo van der Garde launched Caterham's new CT03 car on the first day of preseason testing at Circuito de Jerez on February 5.
Romain Grosjean was third-fastest on the opening day in Jerez for Lotus, which was the first team to launch its new car -- the E21 -- on January 28.
Fernando Alonso was looking cool and relaxed before heading into battle at Interlagos. The Ferrari driver, who started the day 13 points adrift of championship leader and title rival Vettel, qualified in eighth before being upgraded to seventh following the 10-place grid penalty meted out to Williams' Pastor Maldonado.
Vettel began the day aiming to become the youngest ever triple world champion in Formula One. The German, 25, started fourth on the grid with McLaren's Lewis Hamilton on pole. A top four finish would be good enough for Vettel to win the title irrespective of where rival Alonso finished.
Hamilton started the day on pole position ahead of his McLaren teammate Jenson Button. Brazil holds fond memories for Hamilton, who won the drivers' title at Interlagos back in 2008.
Vettel suffered a nightmare start on the opening lap after being hit on the fourth turn and suffering damage to his car. His team radio swiftly brought news, telling the German: "There is visible damage. It is not front wing, we cannot fix it." The incident left Vettel at the back of the grid but by the 24th lap of 71, the safety car had been called to clear debris from the track with the Red Bull racer having clawed his way back to fifth place.
Alonso lost grip on the first turn of the circuit as tension soared during a pulsating race at Interlagos. The Ferrari man, who last won the title back in 2006, was hoping to collect his third championship trophy by sneaking past Vettel.
Hamilton had led at Interlagos before a collision with Force India's Nico Hulkenburg forced him out of the race and allowed teammate Jenson Button to pass and claim victory.
Button salutes the crowd at Interlagos following his victory. He said: "First of all I want to congratulate the whole team. This is the perfect way to end the season. We have had ups and downs and to end on a high bodes well for 2013."
Michael Schumacher congratulates fellow German Vettel on his title triumph. Seven-time world champion Schumacher finished seventh in his final race before retirement.
Vettel celebrates with Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone following his title win in Brazil.
On Sunday, Vettel fought off feisty toreador Fernando Alonso to capture the drivers' title in a dizzying denouement and join an elite band of Formula One world champions.
The 2012 season demonstrated that if you want to get ahead in F1 make sure you have a good engineer in your team. Arguably there is no better engineer in the sport than Adiran Newey.
"Schumacher had five consecutive titles but that was in a period when Ferrari had influence on tyre development," said former McLaren GP winner John Watson.
"Vettel is making the most of the best design in F1," added Andretti.who is one of only two American drivers to have won the Formula One title. Here Andretti (R) is seen talking to Stirling Moss, during the championship winning season in 1978.
When Schumacher won his first world title with Benetton in 1994 it was also one of F1's darkest periods. The German won the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994 where both Simtek racer Roland Ratzenberger and three-time world champion Ayrton Senna lost their lives. 
Vettel is now chasing after Frenchman Alain Prost , who won four drivers' titles.
"Fangio is my hero," said former McLaren GP winner Watson. "Why I respect him is that he won five world championships in an era when motor racing was fundamentally a slaughter."
Vettel aims to join Prost next year -- then five-time winner Fangio and Schumacher's magnificent seven are all that are ahead of him in his quest for total greatness.
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