16/03/2007
NEWS STORY
After five months of waiting, the new Formula One season is finally underway, as the drivers prepare for the first of today's two ninety-minute sessions.
Most teams are to use their race drivers today, however, Williams will be using Kazuki Nakajima, which means we won't be seeing Nico Rosberg today, while Sebastian Vettel replaces Robert Kubica.
Furthermore, in respect of the new testing agreement, the engine rules don't apply, which means that drivers can 'go for it' without fear of a grid penalty.
With the teams having agreed to eight three-day test sessions during the season, the Friday sessions have been extended in the hope that there'll be more action as teams try out new parts.
With five minutes to go before the opening session gets underway, its dry but overcast. There has been rain this morning and further showers are forecast for the remainder of the day. This, combined with the fact that the track is already 'dirty' should make for a few thrills and spills in the opening session.
Having got used to seeing Ron Dennis in the infamous black outfits, it seems strange to see him in a white Vodafone McLaren Mercedes bodywarmers. And very nice he looks too.
We've also been treated to the much-hyped Red Bull promotional movie which sees the Red Bull duo go head to head with Toro Rosso, thereby giving a whole new meaning to one-make series.
Air temperature is 21 degrees C, while the track temperature is 24 degrees.
The lights go green and first out is Sebastian Vettel, followed by Trulli and Sutil. The track is still wet, consequently we see the familiar 'rooster tails' of spray.
As Vettel returns to the pits, Sato, Albers, Davidson and Liuzzi get their seasons underway.
More and more drivers take to the track, but they are merely running installation laps. The big guns - at McLaren, Ferrari and Renault - watch and wait.
That said, seven minutes into the session Lewis Hamilton leads Fernando Alonso down the pitlane, as Jenson Button crosses the line to begin what will hopefully be the first flying lap of the day.
Watching the on-board footage, for the briefest of moments, you think that Jaguar is back in F1, the green (earth) livery on the left-hand side of Button's cockpit not being quite what you expect. Elsewhere, Coulthard gets slightly out of shape, but keeps it all together.
"It's very slippery," says Button, "the white line are very slippery, and they've got some painted black lines too. Very nasty."
Ten minutes into the session, all but Massa, Raikkonen and Barrichello have made an appearance.
Being a fly away, and at such an early stage in the season - when spares are not so readily available - nobody will be wanting to take unnecessary risks. Especially when the weather for the remainder of the weekend is expected to be good.
No sooner has Button told us how bad it is than we see Barrichello go off. The Brazilian veteran keeps it all together and returns to the pits.
Good to see that the Spyker does actually look orange now and not that dreadful fluorescent red/orange we saw earlier in the year. The team shirts look good too.
Sixteen minutes into the session, Adrian Sutil posts the first time (1:50.333), with Vettel crossing the line at 52.967 moments later.
Both Ferrari drivers watch the 'action' from the pit-wall, before Raikkonen finally heads back to the garage.
Back on track, Sutil improves to 47.560, as Jarno Trulli begins his first flying lap. It was all going so well, having gone quickest in the first two sectors, then he loses it. He keeps the car well away from the barriers and continues. "Don't push too hard," he's told over the radio.
Elsewhere, Vettel goes quickest with a 46.307, only to be demoted by Trulli (45.180). However, moments later the German is back on top with a 44.911.
Alonso is back on track, though he's 0.2s off Vettel's pace in the first two sectors. The World Champion eventually crosses the line at 1:44.274 to go third, of four.
Also on track is Heikki Kovalainen in the Renault.
As Alonso improves with a 42.878 to go quickest, Kovalainen posts 45.119 to go fourth. Moments later however, he takes a trip across the grass.
At the back of the Ferrari garage Kimi Raikkonen is putting on his balaclava and helmet. Elsewhere, Button goes quickest in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 42.769 to go quickest.
Nakajima posts 48.293 as Button improves to 41.647, the Englishman is told that he's "purple in all sectors".
Approaching half-time, there just three drivers on track, Vettel, Nakajima and Sutil, and only seven names on the timesheets. Button, Alonso, Vettel, Trulli, Kovalainen, Nakajima and Sutil.
Vettel goes quickest in the final sector, posting a 41.927 to go second. Meanwhile, Webber posts 44.528 to go fifth.
While Nakajima informs his crew that his tyres are graining, Alonso goes quickest in the first sector. However, Vettel has already improved again, taking top spot with a 40.624. Moments later however, the World Champion reaffirms the status quo, crossing the line at 40.578.
While Alonso and Vettel battle for the top spot, Kimi Raikkonen quietly slips down the pitlane, almost unnoticed. Webber improves to fourth, as Alonso raises the benchmark to 40.210.
As Ralf goes third, Kovalainen takes fourth from Webber. Meanwhile, all eyes are on Raikkonen, who goes quickest in the second sector. Having lost time in the final sector, the Finn crosses the line at 41.888 to go ninth.
As Hamilton goes fourth, and Fisichella sixth, Lewis Hamilton makes his maiden appearance on the F1 timesheets, crossing the line at 43.338, to go twelfth.
Raikkonen takes top spot with a 39.242, putting over 0.6s between himself and the World Champion. Moments later however, it is Ralf who goes second, the Toyota driver posting 39.550.
Elsewhere, Felipe Massa leaves the pits.
Hamilton improves to fourth (40.077) to slot in behind his McLaren teammate and ahead of the two BMWs.
With thirty minutes remaining, it's; Raikkonen, Ralf, Alonso, Hamilton, Heidfeld, Vettel, Kovalainen, Fisichella, Webber and Button.
Kovalainen has a scary moment getting all out of shape, as Massa goes third (39.430), behind Raikkonen and Heidfeld. Next time around the Brazilian improves to second with a 39.277.
Still no times from Sato, Albers, Davidson, Liuzzi or Barrichello, who is having a lot of work down on the front of his Honda - where the Cape of Good Hope is.
A minor off for Massa, as Heidfeld goes quickest in the first sector. The German 'does a Button' - going purple in all three sectors - crossing the line at 1:38.165. An excellent lap.
As Wurz stops at the end of the pitlane, Heidfeld improves with a 38.102.
Nakajima advises his crew that it might be time to switch to dry tyres but they advise against it, preferring to wait for someone else to take the gamble. Back on track, Heidfeld improves again (37.249).
Albers joins the (growing) list of drivers to have a bash at rally-cross, the Dutchman going on to post his first time of the day, which is good enough for fifteenth.
Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, finally crossing the line at 38.072 to go second, ahead of the Ferraris.
Davidson and Barrichello are both on track, and hopefully about to post their first times of the day. Bloody hell!!! The Englishman goes sixth - yes sixth - with a 39.478. No doubt Frank is already slapping in a protest. Truth is, the English driver is on dry tyres. Meanwhile, Barrichello goes ninth. Maybe Honda should be using last year's car!
Takuma Sato is the only driver that hasn't posted a time - with under thirteen minutes remaining.
Almost unnoticed, Wurz has gone third in the Williams. The Austrian having posted 1:38.400. Meanwhile, Davidson improves to fourth!
Webber goes quickest in the third sector, thereby improving to thirteenth overall. Meanwhile, Hamilton has a massive lock up.
Webber, like Davidson, has clearly picked the right time to switch to dry tyres, the Australian going quickest with a 1:32.194, over 5s quicker than second-placed Heidfeld.
With five minutes remaining, it's entirely possible that we'll see further improvements as more drivers switch to dry tyres. Then again, they might opt to leave it until the second session.
Webber hits the wet, and consequently exits the track at high speed. Dry tyres are all well and good, providing you remain on the dry part of the track.
Button improves to second as Sato goes eighth and Nakajima sixth.
As the mad final dash gets underway it all goes a little crazy, the timing screen changing colours like a pinball machine (?). Best to wait until the dust settles.
Massa posts 30.707, but Alonso is already on a hot lap, having gone quickest in the first two sectors. Sure enough, the Spaniard takes the top spot with a 29.214.
The session ends, with Alonso quickest, ahead of Massa, Vettel, Hamilton, Button, Nakajima, Coulthard, Kovalainen, Barrichello and Webber.
If you're the sort of person that reads the first and last paragraphs - missing out all the boring bits - you'll be under the impression that there's a new order in F1 this season. Not a bit of it. As expected, McLaren and Ferrari look the class of the field, with BMW also looking very good. While Renault is in there too.
Providing it remains dry for the second session, we should have a much better idea of the true order of things in a couple of hours.
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