The 2012 Formula 1 season has finally gotten under way!

After months of winter testing... working in wind tunnels and on computer programs, the 12 teams participating in the new championship season finally put rubber to asphalt... at the circuit in Jerez, Spain, for the first official test of the season.

Pre-season tests are rarely indicative of how fast the cars really are... and, more importantly, of how reliable they are.

In any case, the 2012 machines in action this week were the Red Bull RB8, the McLaren MP4-27, the Ferrari F2012, the Lotus E20, Force India's VJM05, Sauber's C31, the Toro Rosso STR7, Williams' FW34 and the Caterham CT01.

Check out the top three times for each of the four days of the Jerez test...

Day 1 -

-          Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) - 1:19.670, 73 laps

-          Paul di Resta (Force India) - 1:19.772, 101 laps

-          Nico Rosberg (Mercedes, 2011 model) - 1:20.219, 56 laps

Day 2 -

-          Michael Schumacher (Mercedes, 2011 model) - 1:18.561, 132 laps

-          Mark Webber (Red Bull) - 1:19.184, 97 laps

-          Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) - 1:19.587, 100 laps

Day 3 -

-          Nico Rosberg (Mercedes, 2011 model) - 1:17.613, 118 laps

-          Romain Grosjean (Lotus) - 1:18.419, 117 laps

-          Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) - 1:19.297, 96 laps

Day 4 -

-          Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) - 1:18.877, 39 laps

-          Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) - 1:19.597, 80 laps

-          Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) - 1:19.606, 50 laps

For more results, visit here...

There will be three more test sessions, ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, scheduled for March 18.

Meanwhile, check out the first glimpses of the 2012 monsters in action!

Caterham Formula One driver Heikki Kovalainen of Finland drives during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 7, 2012.

Mercedes Formula One driver Michael Schumacher of Germany is seen in the garage during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 8, 2012.

Williams Formula One driver Pastor Maldonado of Venezuela drives the FW34 in the pit-lane during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 8, 2012

Force India Formula One driver Jules Bianchi of France drives his VJM05 out of the track during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 9, 2012.

Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil sits inside his 663 as team members push his car into the garage during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 8, 2012.

Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany drives the RB8 during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 10, 2012.

Sauber Formula One driver Kamui Kobayashi of Japan drives his C31-Ferrari during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 10, 2012.

McLaren Formula One driver Jenson Button of Britain races during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 8, 2012.

A Toro Rosso Formula One team member cleans a truck in the paddock during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 8, 2012.

Lotus Formula One driver Romain Grosjean of France takes a curve during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 9, 2012.

HRT Formula One driver Pedro de la Rosa of Spain drives during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 7, 2012.

Toro Rosso Formula One driver Jean-Eric Vergne of France takes a curve during a training session at the Jerez racetrack in southern Spain February 9, 2012.