With several teams caught out in Melbourne, we think that we can see a little more running from the main protagonists today than we've seen on previous Fridays this season, particularly in the second session.

All the teams have been hard at work over the last couple of weeks, and many of them will be running various new aerodynamic and mechanical components this weekend, not to mention some up graded engines.

Another change, other than the fact that Mike Gascoyne has left Toyota, is the re-profiling of the Variante Alta, the chicane where Michael Schumacher passed Jenson Button last year.

We say that the chicane has been re-profiled but in reality it has been changed - to our minds - almost out of recognition. What was a fast chicane, which could be straight-lined by 'riding' the kerbs, has become more of a right-left, which will definitely slow the cars.

Since 1994, Imola has been sanitised beyond belief, a move which would have surely saddened Senna, this is another attempt to emasculate a once great track. How very sad.

Although overcast conditions, and even rain, was forecast, conditions are ideal for the start of this first session. The sun is shining, barely a cloud in the sky, while the air and track temperature is 22 degrees C and 26 degrees, respectively.

The lights go green, and first out is Davidson, followed by Wurz, Ide, Doornbos, Mondini and Kubica… all the usual suspects.

Whereas Wurz and Doornbos return to their garages, having completed an installation lap, Davidson stays out, posting the first time of the weekend, 1:34.163. The Englishman continues, and next time around posts 1:31.900.

Another lap, another improvement, Davidson continues, the only man on track, getting down to 1:30.182, before finally returning to the pits. After ten minutes, his is the only time on the timesheets.

Wurz goes quickest with a 1:28.507, as Doornbos goes second (30.081), meanwhile Ide posts a 1:42.546.

Raikkonen has been out, as have Kubica and Liuzzi. It is noticeable that there is smoke pouring out from the brakes on Kimi's McLaren.

Although Wurz improves (28.055), it is Davidson who re-takes the top spot with a 1:27.351. Ide, fourth quickest, remains over ten seconds off the pace. That said, next time around he closes to within 7.1s of the best time.

As the Japanese driver continues to shave fractions of a second from his time, Fernando Alonso is talking to his mechanics in the Renault garage, showing no sign of going to work, just yet. Back on track, Takuma Sato goes fifth, crossing the line at 1:34.996.

Twenty-four minutes into the session, Robert Kubica is back on track, joined, moments later, by Fernando Alonso.

On his first timed lap, Kubica goes fourth (30.315), then immediately improves to third with a 1:28.437.

As Neel Jani leaves the pits, Kubica goes quickest in the first session. He loses ground in the second sector, but nonetheless, goes second with a 1:27.414, having gone quickest in the final sector. Next time around, the Pole goes quickest (26.979), having once again gone quickest in the first and final sectors.

Elsewhere, Jarno Trulli is on track in the Toyota, followed, moments later, by his teammate, Ralf Schumacher.

As the two Toyotas return to the pits, Giancarlo Fisichella goes out for his installation lap.

Davidson goes quickest, crossing the line at 1:26.906, having shaved 0.079s off Kubica's time. Fisichella returns to the pits as David Coulthard leaves, as does teammate Christian Klien.

Twenty-five minutes remaining and just seven names on the timesheets, God only knows what the paying fans think of this, one can hardly describe it as value for money.

Davidson improves again (26.894), but Kubica is already on a hot lap, the Pole finally crossing the line at 1:26.784.

Kubica, Davidson, Wurz, Doornbos, Mondini, Albers, Sato, Ide, Jani and Monteiro.

Juan Pablo Montoya is now on track, but this will surely be another installation lap, as the 'big guns' remain determined to conserve their engines.

As Michael Schumacher climbs into his 248 F1, Kubica fails to improve, having been hampered by traffic.

Neel Jani is pushing hard in the Toro Rosso, the Swiss driver now up to sixth. Elsewhere, Kubica is on another hot lap. Sure enough, the BMW test driver takes another 0.48s off the previous best, as he really rides the kerbs, a very, very impressive performance.