Sauber drivers Felipe Massa and Jacques Villeneuve finished sixth and 16th respectively after today's first practice sessions for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Jacques Villeneuve: "The new rules on engine life mean that you don't get much time for set-up work on the car, but the long run I did seemed okay. The first lap on the tyre seems to be the problem, for me at least, and we need to do some more work on that. This morning it also felt as if I had a long brake pedal, but really we just need to do a small adjustment to suit me."

Felipe Massa: "I'm happy with the way things went today. The car was quick, consistent and stable, and for our first proper run against everyone else it was good. I did a long run and the performance was reasonably consistent, so everything is working right and it's a good start to the new season."

Peter Sauber (Team Principal): "It is good finally to stop all the talking and to move into action. It has been a long winter! This first Friday of the season has been positive for us as we have adapted to the new rules governing the tyres, aerodynamics and preservation of the engines, and developed our new relationships with Michelin and our new driver, Jacques."