31/03/2006
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 22 degrees C, while the track temperature is 27 degrees.
When the lights go green, Ide is first out on track, while Kubica, who was sidelined for much of the first session, is also keen to get back to work.
Davidson posts 1:32.123 to go quickest, while Kubica goes second with a 1:32.144. With just four minutes of the session gone we already have thirteen drivers on track and seven times on the timesheet.
Davidson and Kubica both improve, as albers goes third, ahead of Wurz, Liuzzi and Monteiro.
Ide's enthusiasm gets the better of him, he locks up and goes off, but is able to continue. Elsewhere, Button makes his first appearance of the day.
An impressive 1:30.431 sees David Coulthard go second, as Trulli slips into third spot with a 30.499.
Kimi Raikkonen is on track, using every inch of the Albert Park asphalt. The Finn goes quickest, crossing the line at 1:29.098, as Coulthard improves to second. Meanwhile, Montoya goes fourth (29.844).
As Barrichello goes fifth, Raikkonen improves again, going quickest in all three sectors and crossing the line at 1:28.037. Teammate Montoya goes second as Barrichello improves to fourth.
Felipe Massa goes seventh (29.682), as Alonso leaves the Renault garage. The Spaniard loses time behind an Aguri but still posts a 1:30.426 to go tenth.
Jacques Villeneuve splits the two McLarens, the Canadian posting a 1:28.538 in the BMW. Meanwhile, Massa improves to fourth.
Alonso goes second (28.109), then immediately goes quicker, taking the top spot from Raikkonen with a 1:27.464.
However, Michael Schumacher is already on a very hot lap. The German crosses the line at 1:27.658, to go second. The camera mounted on the front of the Ferrari indicates that unlike Sepang there is no flexing.
Fisichella takes fifth (28.890), ahead of Wurz, Kubica, Montoya, Massa and Davidson.
With twenty three minutes of the session gone, we have yet to see Webber, Rosberg or Heidfeld. While Button and Klien have yet to post a time.
In his attempt to take the top spot from Alonso, Michael runs wide, however, the German is able to continue.
A 1:28.036 sees Jenson Button go third, ahead of Raikkonen, Villeneuve and Fisichella, as Davidson goes wide.
Moments later, Button takes the top spot, crossing the line at 1:27.213. Meanwhile, teammate, Rubens Barrichello, is sixth, 1.537s behind. Moments later the Brazilian is bumped down to seventh as Montoya improves.
Even though we have yet to see the two race drivers, there is clearly nothing wrong with the WilliamsF1 FW28, as Alexander Wurz goes quickest with a 1:26.832. This is the signal for Webber and Rosberg to finally climb into their cars.
Yuji Ide has a massive spin, but controls the car perfectly. This is more than be said of Liuzzi who, having gone wide, goes into a spin and comes to a halt on the other side of the track facing the wrong way. His session is over. On the pit-wall, Gerhard Berger looks far from impressed.
Webber is on track but he has a problem, the FW28 is crawling around the track. The Australian tells hit pit crew that his "steering has gone". Any local who have taken the day off work to cheer on their national hero are going to feel robbed.
That said, suddenly the car picks up pace and Webber is on his way, he doesn't even bother to stop at the pits. Meanwhile, on his first flying lap, Rosberg has gone twenty-second.
Other than Webber, the only other driver who hasn't posted a time is Nick Heidfeld.
Kubica takes second with a 1:27.200, as Webber goes nineteenth (30.281).
With ten minutes remaining, the big guns slowly take to the track.
Davidson goes quickest in the first sector, and looks set to improve, but goes wide in the final sector and fluffs the lap. That said, next time around he does improve, taking the top spot with a 1:26.822. Elsewhere, both Raikkonen and Webber have minor offs. Moments later Coulthard also falls victim to the lack of grip.
Christijan albers' session is over, The Dutch driver spinning off across the track and clouting the barriers.
Robert Kubica goes quickest in the first sector, but fails to improve in the others. Meanwhile, Button also has a 'moment'.
Despite several good efforts there are no further improvements, and the session ends with Davidson quickest, ahead of Wurz, Kubica, Button, Alonso, Michael, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Montoya and Massa.
It is far too early to start making predictions, but drivers will surely be hoping to find more grip over the next couple of days.
Third drivers fill the top three spots, which isn't surprising, however, at this early stage the pace of the Toyotas gives cause for concern, as does the pace of the Red Bull.
Of the race drivers, Button is quickest, with five other drivers, including his teammate, within a second.
Then again, as we said, it is far too early to start making predictions.