25/09/2010
NEWS STORY
Mat Coch writes:
Mark Webber will start qualifying with a new engine after his Red Bull team elected to change it on Friday night.
Recording the best time in the damp first practice, Webber remained on the pace in the second session, albeit more than half a second adrift of his teammate. "I need to work on my short run performance a bit, but overall it's good," he said. "I haven't seen the times that closely yet, but I'm pretty happy with how today went."
The engine change won't penalise the Australian, who so far has used only six of his allocated eight engines.
While Webber escapes penalty for his engine change, Williams driver Nico Hulkenberg will drop five places after qualifying as a result of a gearbox change.
Completing 46 laps during Friday practice the German spent the day evaluating new aerodynamic components, as well as tyre and set-up development.
Hulkenberg set the seventeenth fastest time in the opening session, just two tenths off the pace of his teammate though on a dry circuit for the second session Hulkenberg improved to eleventh fastest, while Barrichello climbed to sixth.
Prior to this weekend, engine useage was as follows:
McLaren Mercedes: Jenson Button 7- Lewis Hamilton 7
Mercedes: Michael Schumacher 7 - Nico Rosberg 7
Red Bull: Sebastian Vettel 7 - Mark Webber 6
Ferrari: Felipe Massa 8 - Fernando Alonso 8
Williams: Rubens Barrichello 6 - Nico Hulkenberg 7
Renault: Robert Kubica 6 - Vitaly Petrov 6
Force India: Adrian Sutil 7 - Vitantonio Liuzzi 7
Toro Rosso: Sebastien Buemi 7 - Jaime Alguersuari 7
Lotus: Jarno Trulli 7 - Heikki Kovalainen 7
Hispania: Sakon Yamamoto 7 - Bruno Senna 7
Sauber: Nick Heidfeld 9 - Kamui Kobayashi 7
Virgin: Timo Glock 7 - Lucas di Grassi 7