Mat Coch writes:

On a dusty and sometimes damp circuit drivers struggled for grip throughout the first day's running in Abu Dhabi, with many complaining of problems as the tyres began to grain.

After a rain shower in the morning the field hit the track as it began to dry, the green surface offering little in the way of grip early on. By the end of the second practice session however, times were a second faster than at the same point in the weekend last year, times dropping by almost two seconds between the sessions.

That didn't stop drivers complaining of a lack of grip, the super soft compound graining on high fuel runs, though just how badly depending on the car. The off-camber nature of many of the 21 turns on the Yas Marina circuit induces oversteer, compounding the graining issues on the rear tyres experienced by most of the field.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso appears to be suffering most, while Lewis Hamilton's tyres are looking particularly good, according to Bridgestone.

The medium compound tyres are faring well, the circuit rated as relatively easy on tyre wear by Renault, and Bridgestone reputedly happy with the results of the opening two practice sessions.

Alonso's problems are expected to be short lived. With the track expected to offer more grip as it wears in, the graining problems the Spaniard is experiencing should disappear leaving us with a straight fight in time for qualifying.