12/03/2010
NEWS STORY
At long last the wait is over, the much anticipated 2010 Formula One World Championship season is underway as the 24 drivers prepare for the first practice session. While we don't expect any of the major questions to be answered today we will get some sort of feel of the relative pace and the gaps between the front-runners and backmarkers.
Ahead of this opening session, the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 38 degrees. Being the desert, it is bright and sunny.
The lights go green and Jarno Trulli leads the way. One by one the cars come out for an installation lap.
While the row over McLaren's rear wing appears to have been settled - for now - a new row appears to be brewing over 'suspect' devices that have now appeared on the Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. The Woking team is understood to have a device - operated by the driver's left knee - which effectively stalls the rear wing.
Ten minutes into the session, all but Chandhok, Senna have di Grassi. Once they're running, this will be nothing more than a glorified practice session for HRT.
Twenty-five minutes into the session, after almost fifteen minutes of total inactivity, Kovalainen breaks the deadlock, heading down the pitlane in the Lotus. The Finn posts the first time of the day, crossing the line at an unrepresentative 2:07.702. Next time around he improves to 2:05.854.
As he improves to 2:05.486, Kovalainen is joined by teammate Trulli, after thirty-two minutes, only the Lotii have completed more than 2 laps. Following a minor detour, the Italian eventually crosses the line at 2:19.705.
Hamilton is the first of the big guns to come out, the McLaren driver heading down the pits forty minutes into the session. As the Englishman posts 57.759, teammate Button leaves the pits. In the HRT garage the mechanics are working furiously on both cars.
As Button begins his first flying lap, Webber , Kubica and Petrov get to work.
Button's first flying lap sees the world champion go second with a 59.588, next time around - having lost time in the final sector - he improves to 57.903. Kubica goes third with a 59.229.
At half-time, seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher heads down the pitlane. Elsewhere, Webber posts 2:00.515 to go fourth.
As Hamilton raises the benchmark with a 57.163, Schumacher goes third with a 58.762 only to be demoted by former teammate Massa (58.179).
Button goes quickest with a 57.068, however, all eyes are on Alonso who goes fifth (58.683) on his debut for Ferrari.
Fifty minutes into the session, we're finally into the groove with all the big guns on track.
Rosberg goes third with a 57.766, ahead of Kubica, Massa, Webber, Alonso, Schumacher and Petrov. Elsewhere, Vettel is about to begin his first flying lap of the day.
Early days, but the Renaults are looking good, Kubica improving to third with a 57.570. The Top 7 - Button, Hamilton, Kubica, Rosberg, Massa, Alonso and Webber - are covered by 0.760.
Liuzzi pops up in eight, ahead of Schumacher, in the Force India, the Italian posting 57.919.
A 59.909 sees Alonso go quickest while Vettel can only manage thirteenth (2:00.137). Moments later Liuzzi improves to fifth (57.317).
Vettel is struggling for grip, the German has improves with a 59.289 but has slipped down to fourteenth.
Hulkenberg - another driver making his debut this weekend - goes ninth ahead of Schumacher. The seven-time champion is currently around 0.6s off his teammate's pace.
It's a Ferrari 1-2 as Massa goes second with a 57.055, just 0.146s off his teammate's pace. Button and Hamilton maintain the symmetry with third and fourth, ahead of Liuzzi, Kubica, Rosberg, Webber and Hulkenberg.
From out of nowhere, Sutil produces a 57.158 to go fourth. Early days, but Force India appears to be picking up where it left off at the end of 2009.
With just under thirty minutes remaining, still no times from Barrichello, Glock, di Grassi, Chandhok or Senna. Indeed the HRTs haven't even completed an installation lap.
"I'm burning," says Kovalainen, "my feet are burning, I'm coming in…" Which he duly does.
Sutil goes quickest with a 56.888, beating Alonso's best by 0.021s. A great start for Force India. Elsewhere, Senna is in the HRT and looking likely to go out. As far as we know, this is the first time the car has ever run. It certainly looks more like a Grand Prix car than it did at its launch last week. That said, the large 'Bruno' on the side looks a little tacky.
With twenty minutes remaining, the track temperature has risen to 40 degrees while the air temperature remains 29 degrees.
Having completed an installation lap, Senna heads back to the pits. Strange to see so many 'photographers' in the pitlane using the cameras on their mobile phones.
As Webber seeks to improve on eleventh (57.809), Barrichello goes seventeenth in the Williams. Teammate Hulkenberg is currently twelfth, around 0.9s quicker.
With fifteen minutes remaining, it's: Sutil, Alonso, Kubica, Massa, Button, Hamilton, Liuzzi, Rosberg, Schumacher and Alguersuari. Yes, the first Toro Rosso deigned and built car is heading both Red Bulls!
Chandhok remains the only driver yet to make an appearance, while Senna and the Virgins - sounds like a band or a mucky movie - have yet to post times. While this is to be expected as far as HRT is concerned we fail to see why the two Virgin cars haven't done any serious running.
At which point - it's called Sod's Law - Glock and di Grassi leave the pits, the Italian returning after just one lap.
Glock posts 2:05.296, which, while it is 8.713s off the pace, is actually quicker than some of the times that were being posted earlier in the session. Or are we being optimistic.
Webber has improved to ninth, moving ahead of Schumacher, while teammate Vettel remains thirteenth. Elsewhere, Senna is back on track.
Glock improves with a 2:04.566 as Alonso goes quickest in the second sector, however, the Spaniard dives into the pits at the end of the lap.
Senna really struggling for grip in the HRT, not the most auspicious of starts for the young Brazilian. At the end of the second sector he's already 15s off the pace, unsurprisingly he dives into the pits.
The session ends, with Sutil quickest, ahead of Alonso, Kubica, Massa, Button, Hamilton, Liuzzi, Rosberg, Webber and Schumacher.
Alguersuari is eleventh, ahead of Hulkenberg, Vettel, Buemi, Barrichello, Petrov, de la Rosa, Kobayashi, Glock, Kovalainen and Trulli.