From GMM
Officially bearing the 'number 1' for the first time, Lewis Hamilton never rose higher than sixteenth quickest as McLaren's worst fears about its performance were apparently realised on Friday at the Australian Grand Prix.
With the uncertainty of winter testing now behind, the Briton outpaced only the struggling Nelson Piquet - watched on by his famous triple world championship-winning father - and Swiss rookie Sebastien Buemi, as the three hours of practice wound down Albert Park.
The reigning world champion was also slower than his teammate Heikki Kovalainen throughout Friday.
The shadows of the early evening grew longer as Melbourne prepared for its 'twilight race' debut, leaving observers wondering if Williams has returned to top form, after Nico Rosberg headed the times in both 90 minute sessions.
His teammate Kazuki Nakajima was also quick, but so too were the other runners (Brawn and Toyota) who are accused of using dubious rear diffusers.
The Brawn GP cars were the pre-Friday favourites here, and Rubens Barrichello in the late session posted the second fastest time of the entire day. Jenson Button's best times fell a couple of tenths shy.
Barrichello, extending his record as the most experienced veteran in the sport's history, insists the Mercedes-powered car is not only being boosted by a clever rear end.
"If you would take it (the diffuser) out completely, we would lose some time but not everything. The car is competitive for a whole bunch of reasons," he said.
Apparently struggling are expected title protagonists BMW-Sauber, whose drivers were never inside the top ten, and Ferrari, a second off the leading pace in the ultimate session after a more promising start.
Sebastian Vettel, meanwhile, had a disastrous day, stranded out on the circuit twice: first with an hydraulic problem, and finally when he spun into the gravel after putting a tyre on the grass verge.
Free practice 1, Friday:
1 - Nico Rosberg (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'26"687 - 19 laps completed
2 - Kazuki Nakajima (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'26"736 - 21
3 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F60) - 1'26"750 - 24
4 - Rubens Barrichello (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'27"226 - 21
5 - Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'27"453 - 15
6 - Jenson Button (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'27"467 - 12
7 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F60) - 1'27"642 - 24
8 - Timo Glock (Toyota TF109) - 1'27"710 - 24
9 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'27"993 - 20
10 - Fernando Alonso (Renault R29) - 1'28"123 - 16
11 - Nick Heidfeld (BMW F1.09) - 1'28"137 - 20
12 - Jarno Trulli (Toyota TF109) - 1'28"142 - 21
13 - Robert Kubica (BMW F1.09) - 1'28"511 - 22
14 - Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'28"603 - 16
15 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'28"785 - 27
16 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'29"042 - 18
17 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'29"081 - 7
18 - Nelsinho Piquet (Renault R29) - 1'29"461 - 25
19 - Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'29"499 - 21
20 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'32"784 - 4
Free practice 2, Friday:
1 - Nico Rosberg (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'26"053 - 36 laps
2 - Rubens Barrichello (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'26"157 - 38
3 - Jarno Trulli (Toyota TF109) - 1'26"350 - 42
4 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'26"370 - 30
5 - Jenson Button (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'26"374 - 38
6 - Timo Glock (Toyota TF109) - 1'26"443 - 42
7 - Kazuki Nakajima (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'26"560 - 33
8 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'26"740 - 19
9 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'27"040 - 29
10 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F60) - 1'27"064 - 35
11 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F60) - 1'27"204 - 32
12 - Fernando Alonso (Renault R29) - 1'27"232 - 28
13 - Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'27"282 - 32
14 - Nick Heidfeld (BMW F1.09) - 1'27"317 - 34
15 - Robert Kubica (BMW F1.09) - 1'27"398 - 36
16 - Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'27"479 - 36
17 - Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'27"802 - 35
18 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'27"813 - 31
19 - Nelson Piquet (Renault R29) - 1'27"828 - 35
20 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'28"076 - 33
Unofficial timing
photo:WRI2
Officially bearing the 'number 1' for the first time, Lewis Hamilton never rose higher than sixteenth quickest as McLaren's worst fears about its performance were apparently realised on Friday at the Australian Grand Prix.
With the uncertainty of winter testing now behind, the Briton outpaced only the struggling Nelson Piquet - watched on by his famous triple world championship-winning father - and Swiss rookie Sebastien Buemi, as the three hours of practice wound down Albert Park.
The reigning world champion was also slower than his teammate Heikki Kovalainen throughout Friday.
The shadows of the early evening grew longer as Melbourne prepared for its 'twilight race' debut, leaving observers wondering if Williams has returned to top form, after Nico Rosberg headed the times in both 90 minute sessions.
 |
| Nelson Piquet spun his Renault on Friday. |
His teammate Kazuki Nakajima was also quick, but so too were the other runners (Brawn and Toyota) who are accused of using dubious rear diffusers.
The Brawn GP cars were the pre-Friday favourites here, and Rubens Barrichello in the late session posted the second fastest time of the entire day. Jenson Button's best times fell a couple of tenths shy.
Barrichello, extending his record as the most experienced veteran in the sport's history, insists the Mercedes-powered car is not only being boosted by a clever rear end.
"If you would take it (the diffuser) out completely, we would lose some time but not everything. The car is competitive for a whole bunch of reasons," he said.
Apparently struggling are expected title protagonists BMW-Sauber, whose drivers were never inside the top ten, and Ferrari, a second off the leading pace in the ultimate session after a more promising start.
Sebastian Vettel, meanwhile, had a disastrous day, stranded out on the circuit twice: first with an hydraulic problem, and finally when he spun into the gravel after putting a tyre on the grass verge.
Free practice 1, Friday:
1 - Nico Rosberg (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'26"687 - 19 laps completed
2 - Kazuki Nakajima (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'26"736 - 21
3 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F60) - 1'26"750 - 24
4 - Rubens Barrichello (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'27"226 - 21
5 - Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'27"453 - 15
6 - Jenson Button (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'27"467 - 12
7 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F60) - 1'27"642 - 24
8 - Timo Glock (Toyota TF109) - 1'27"710 - 24
9 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'27"993 - 20
10 - Fernando Alonso (Renault R29) - 1'28"123 - 16
11 - Nick Heidfeld (BMW F1.09) - 1'28"137 - 20
12 - Jarno Trulli (Toyota TF109) - 1'28"142 - 21
13 - Robert Kubica (BMW F1.09) - 1'28"511 - 22
14 - Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'28"603 - 16
15 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'28"785 - 27
16 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'29"042 - 18
17 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'29"081 - 7
18 - Nelsinho Piquet (Renault R29) - 1'29"461 - 25
19 - Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'29"499 - 21
20 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'32"784 - 4
Free practice 2, Friday:
1 - Nico Rosberg (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'26"053 - 36 laps
2 - Rubens Barrichello (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'26"157 - 38
3 - Jarno Trulli (Toyota TF109) - 1'26"350 - 42
4 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'26"370 - 30
5 - Jenson Button (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'26"374 - 38
6 - Timo Glock (Toyota TF109) - 1'26"443 - 42
7 - Kazuki Nakajima (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'26"560 - 33
8 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'26"740 - 19
9 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'27"040 - 29
10 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F60) - 1'27"064 - 35
11 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F60) - 1'27"204 - 32
12 - Fernando Alonso (Renault R29) - 1'27"232 - 28
13 - Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'27"282 - 32
14 - Nick Heidfeld (BMW F1.09) - 1'27"317 - 34
15 - Robert Kubica (BMW F1.09) - 1'27"398 - 36
16 - Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'27"479 - 36
17 - Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'27"802 - 35
18 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'27"813 - 31
19 - Nelson Piquet (Renault R29) - 1'27"828 - 35
20 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'28"076 - 33
Unofficial timing
photo:WRI2