28/03/2014
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's opening session, the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 37 degrees.
Tyres available this weekend are the hard (prime) and medium (option). There are two DRS zones, one on the start/finish straight and the other on the final straight.
As one would expect the event is overshadowed by the still unfolding tragedy of flight MH370, and in respect of this many drivers and cars are sporting messages of support.
As one would expect, these being the opening flyaway races of the season, there are no reserve/third drivers on duty.
The lights go green and, unusually, Alonso is first out, followed by Ericsson, Raikkonen, Bottas, Magnussen, Vergne and Kobayashi.
Within five minutes all but Vettel have been out for an installation lap, Magnussen and Button competing two. The McLarens sporting numerous new parts including a new nose… consequently lots of flo-vis.
Rosberg, who gets a little sideways, complains of a problem with his car. "I almost spun because the rears locked," he says.
Gutierrez is the first driver out for a second run, the Mexican subsequently followed by one of the Melbourne heroes, Bottas.
As Gutierrez begins his first flying lap, Ericsson complains that his car keeps cutting out. He subsequently slows.
Gutierrez posts the first time of the weekend, the Sauber driver crossing the line at 1:45.851. Moments later Bottas posts 44.359.
A 45.114 sees Massa go second - making it a Williams 1-2 - while Chilton goes fourth with a 48.021.
Bottas improves to 43.193 as Alonso and Button head down the pitlane. On his first lap the Spaniard immediately goes quickest, posting 42.930, 0.263s quicker than Bottas.
Ricciardo has been out for a second installation lap and returned to the pits.
Button goes third (44.078), ahead of Massa, Vergne and Gutierrez as Hamilton leaves the pits.
A 42.531 sees Button go top but moments later a 41.923 sees Alonso reclaim the position. Vergne goes third (42.782), ahead of Bottas and Gutierrez.
As Magnussen goes second (42.053), Grosjean's misery follows him from Melbourne, the Frenchman's Lotus grinding to a halt in T9. Elsewhere, Hamilton locks up and runs wide in T1.
Rosberg goes third (42.089) and teammate Hamilton fifth (42.665) as Grosjean, having helped push his car to safety, hitches a ride back to the pits.
After half-an-hour, Kvyat, Perez, Maldonado, Grosjean, Ricciardo and Vettel have yet to post times.
Sutil spins at the final corner, though the replay suggests he was actually heading in to the pits but carrying to much speed.
After a brief period of total inactivity, Kvyat fires up the Renault power unit in his Toro Rosso and gets things going again.
"The straights, which are over 1km each, will provide plenty of opportunity for the MGU-H to be recharged," says Renault. "The tight corners such as the hairpin, the 1st corner complex and the third sector will allow the MGU-K to recover energy under braking."
Kvyat, using said engine, posts 43.841 to go twelfth. Next time around he improves to seventh with a 42.782.
"We've found a problem with his energy store so it's floor off to change it so he can run again in FP2," tweets Caterham in reference to Kobayashi.
Kvyat is joined on track by teammate Vergne and Gutierrez.
At 'half-time', it's: Alonso, Magnussen, Rosberg, Button, Hamilton, Vergne, Kvyat, Hulkenberg, Sutil and Bottas. Still no times from Perez, Maldonado, Grosjean, Ricciardo or Vettel.
As Gutierrez improves to eighth you can really hear his tyre squeal in the final corner. Cameras also pick up a lovely slow motion drift from the Sauber. Elsewhere a big lock up for Vergne.
Vergne posts 41.402 to go quickest, leapfrogging Magnussen who had momentarily taken the top spot. That said, our money is on the Dane retaking the position before much longer.
Indeed, the McLaren, sporting a very large Esso decal on the sidepods, crosses the line at 41.274. Elsewhere, Vergne complains of a "lot of vibration".
Raikkonen and Hamilton head down the pitlane as Ericsson has a big spin in T15.
Ricciardo goes sixth and Vettel sixteenth as the Red Bull duo finally get to work. Hamilton warned - as if he doesn't know - that "lots of cars are struggling with rear-end grip".
Magnussen stops at the pitlane entrance, but gets a push from the marshals. "I lost power," he tells his team. Indeed, as the marshals return to their posts he stops again, which means he has to be rescued by another bunch of marshals.
Lotus reports a "conscious uncoupling" with Grosjean for this session. Many a true word…
As Raikkonen goes quickest (40.843), teammate Alonso spins at T8. Moments later Hamilton takes the tops spot (40.723) as Vettel improves to seventh (41.523).
Hamilton consolidates his top spot with a 40.691. He was quickest in S2 but lost time in the final sector due to a lock-up.
In the Lotus garage mechanics work on both cars furiously, between them Grosjean and Maldonado have completed just 3 laps. Meanwhile, the tweets continue.
Mixed fortunes for Force India, Hulkenberg currently ninth whilst Perez, having only completed two laps, has yet to post a time.
A big spin for Massa in T8, a corner, along with T15, which is catching up a number of drivers this morning.
Other than Raikkonen's Ferrari, the top five is all about Mercedes and McLaren.
Finally back on track, Maldonado slows after just a few corners, smoke billowing out of the back. "Stop the car, stop the car, stop the car please," he is told. He eventually obliges.
Mechanics run down the pitlane to rescue the stricken Lotus, as they push it back to the garage they are all wearing the obligatory - and very sensible - thick rubber gloves.
Elsewhere, Kvyat reveals that he is "really struggling to stay on the track".
As Hamilton heads down the pitlane, Hulkenberg improves to eighth with a 41.642. Elsewhere, as Ricciardo heads back to work teammate Vettel is out of his car and in conversation with his crew.
As work continues on Maldonado's car, teammate Grosjean is finally back on track. He completes a single lap and returns to the pits.
With less than five minutes remaining Perez has his helmet on and looks ready to come out for a couple of laps. His car is still on its stand however.
Raikkonen posts a PB in S1, the Finn currently 0.152s off Hamilton's pace. He loses time in the final sector and consequently fails to improve.
Hamilton takes a long, late through the gravel at T11. "It's like driving on marbles out there," he says, "very slippery."
The session ends with Hamilton quickest, ahead of Raikkonen, Rosberg, Button, Magnussen, Vergne, Vettel, Hulkenberg, Massa and Bottas.
Alonso is eleventh, ahead of Ricciardo, Sutil, Kvyat, Gutierrez, Bianchi, Ericsson, Chilton, and Kobayashi. No time from Perez, Maldonado or Grosjean.
Check out our Friday gallery, here.