2008 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix (Including Late Night Spoilers)

[Turkey]

Friday Practice 1 Standings

Pos  	No  	Driver  	        Team 	                Time  	        Gap  	
 1 	 1 	Kimi Räikkönen 	        Ferrari 	        1:26.461 		
 2 	22 	Lewis Hamilton 	        McLaren-Mercedes 	1:26.948 	0.487 	
 3 	 2 	Felipe Massa 	        Ferrari 	        1:26.958 	0.497 	
 4 	23 	Heikki Kovalainen 	McLaren-Mercedes 	1:27.114 	0.653 	
 5 	10 	Mark Webber 	        Red Bull-Renault 	1:28.263 	1.802 	
 6 	 5 	Fernando Alonso 	Renault 	        1:28.360 	1.899 	
 7 	 4 	Robert Kubica 	        BMW 	                1:28.579 	2.118 	
 8 	12 	Timo Glock 	        Toyota 	                1:28.913 	2.452 	
 9 	15 	Sebastian Vettel 	STR-Ferrari 	        1:28.957 	2.496 	
10 	11 	Jarno Trulli 	        Toyota 	                1:29.014 	2.553 	
11 	16 	Jenson Button 	        Honda 	                1:29.124 	2.663 	
12 	21 	Giancarlo Fisichella 	Force India-Ferrari 	1:29.230 	2.769 	
13 	 9 	David Coulthard 	Red Bull-Renault 	1:29.301 	2.840 	
14 	14 	Sebastien Bourdais 	STR-Ferrari 	        1:29.363 	2.902 	
15 	17 	Rubens Barrichello 	Honda 	                1:29.533 	3.072 	
16 	 3 	Nick Heidfeld 	        BMW 	                1:29.561 	3.100 	
17 	20 	Adrian Sutil 	        Force India-Ferrari 	1:30.155 	3.694 	
18 	 6 	Nelsinho Piquet 	Renault 	        1:30.357 	3.896 	
19 	18 	Takuma Sato 	        Super Aguri-Honda 	1:31.048 	4.587 	
20 	19 	Anthony Davidson 	Super Aguri-Honda 	1:31.771 	5.310 	
21 	 8 	Kazuki Nakajima 	Williams-Toyota 	1:35.053 	8.592 	
22 	 7 	Nico Rosberg 	        Williams-Toyota

F1 Australian GP - Qualifying Live - 15 Mar - ITV1, 2.15am
Re-run - ITV1, 1.20pm

F1 Australian GP - Race Live - 16 Mar - ITV1, 3.30am
Re-run - ITV4, 12.45pm; ITV1, 3pm

Anyone else excited about the new season?

 

[Conkers]

I can't wait! It should be noted that ALL practice sessions can be watched for free on the ITV F1 website....as well as the entire Qualifying session........AND Race!!!!!
The practice session had a few bandwidth problems (will hopefully sort it out in time for the race) but the quality was absolutely superb

Kimi > Lewis > Massa > Heiki

Will be the order of the Drivers Championship come the end of the season.

 

[Turkey]

Amazing picture - Practice 2 live now - Live - Video - F1 | ITV Sport

 

[Icy Gull]

I have the feeling that this season will be as good as last. Be very interesting to see how Lewis does in his 2nd season. Really looking forward to it. Anyone who reckons Formula 1 is boring obviously hasn't been watching recently or has no interest in motor sport..

 

[Turkey]

Lewis Hamilton showed McLaren will challenge Ferrari all the way for the first victory of the 2008 season by setting the pace in second practice at Melbourne.

The 23-year-old bumped home favourite Mark Webber from the top of the order in the closing minutes of the afternoon’s running, leaving the Australian as the only driver to lap within a second of the pacesetter.

Hamilton used the soft tyres to complete his lap of 1m26.559s – and in doing so became the only top driver to beat his morning effort as the focus switched to longer runs.

The Briton’s late show ensured it wasn’t quite the perfect day for the passionate Albert Park crowd, but nevertheless Webber’s second place gives RBR much encouragement heading into the weekend.

Indeed the Australian had led the way for the majority of the afternoon, beating the McLaren drivers’ early targets after half an hour of running.

Felipe Massa ended up just over a second behind Hamilton in third, and was lucky not to damage his F2008 car after a high-speed spin.

The Brazilian lost control in the middle of the fast sweep at turns 11-12 and spun into the gravel – but missed the outside wall and was able to continue.

Heikki Kovalainen completed a solid first practice day as a McLaren driver with fourth again, while David Coulthard rounded up RBR’s impressive day in fifth.

Morning pacesetter Kimi Raikkonen ended 1.6s back from Hamilton in sixth as he concentrated on longer, fuel-heavy runs.

However the world champion's morning benchmark of 1m26.461s remained the day’s fastest lap, indicating that the Ferrari lacks nothing in terms of raw pace.

Toyota again found both its TF108s in the top 10, despite Jarno Trulli spinning out at turn three when he put his car’s right-front wheel onto the grass under braking.

After mechanical problems in the morning, Nico Rosberg showed good speed in the Williams FW30 to end up eighth.

Force India enjoyed a strong first day in Melbourne and Giancarlo Fisichella’s ninth-best time suggests last year’s back-of-the-grid team will be far more competitive this season.

Both BMWs ended the day disappointingly outside the top 10, with Nick Heidfeld (12th) in particular seemingly struggling with the handling of his F1.08.

The German ran wide onto the dirt several times, but he wasn’t the only one to struggle for grip on the slippery surface.

With traction control and assisted engine braking banned in '08, drivers were clearly having to work harder at the wheel.

Braking for turn nine proved especially tricky, with Coulthard, Timo Glock (10th), Fernando Alonso (13th), and Takuma Sato (20th) all taking trips across the gravel.


Australian GP free practice session 2 times

1. HAMILTON McLaren 1m26.559s
2. WEBBER Red Bull 1m27.473s
3. MASSA Ferrari 1m27.640s
4. KOVALAINEN McLaren 1m27.683s
5. COULTHARD Red Bull 1m28.037s
6. RAIKKONEN Ferrari 1m28.208s
7. TRULLI Toyota 1m28.292s
8. ROSBERG Williams 1m28.352s
9. FISICHELLA Force India 1m28.469s
10. GLOCK Toyota 1m28.582s
11. BUTTON Honda 1m28.632s
12. HEIDFELD BMW 1m28.731s
13. ALONSO Renault 1m28.779s
14. BARRICHELLO Honda 1m28.849s
15. KUBICA BMW 1m28.860s
16. NAKAJIMA Williams 1m29.077s
17. SUTIL Force India 1m29.161s
18. VETTEL Toro Rosso 1m29.193s
19. PIQUET Renault 1m29.518s
20. BOURDAIS Toro Rosso 1m29.605s
21. SATO Super Aguri 1m30.663s
22. DAVIDSON Super Aguri 1m31.527s

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

These times look a bit pedestrian to me; my wife and I tried out the circuit in a Ford Focus in January and were both well below 1m 25s.

 

[Icy Gull]

Alonso well off the pace, as he's likely to be all season?

 

[Dave the OAP]

was davidson driving with his handbrake on!!!

 

[Turkey]

Lewis Hamilton takes Pole Position

[b]Pos     Driver  	        Team[/b]  	
 1 	Lewis Hamilton 	        McLaren-Mercedes 	
 2 	Robert Kubica 	        BMW 	
 3 	Heikki Kovalainen 	McLaren-Mercedes 	
 4 	Felipe Massa 	        Ferrari 	
 5 	Nick Heidfeld 	        BMW 	
 6 	Jarno Trulli 	        Toyota 	
 7 	Nico Rosberg 	        Williams-Toyota 	
 8 	David Coulthard 	Red Bull-Renault 	
 9 	Timo Glock 	        Toyota 	
10 	Sebastian Vettel 	STR-Ferrari 		
11 	Rubens Barrichello 	Honda 	
12 	Fernando Alonso 	Renault 	
13 	Jenson Button 	        Honda 
14 	Kazuki Nakajima 	Williams-Toyota 	
15 	Mark Webber 	        Red Bull-Renault 	
16 	Kimi Räikkönen 	        Ferrari 	
17 	Giancarlo Fisichella 	Force India-Ferrari 	
18 	Sebastien Bourdais 	STR-Ferrari 	
19 	Adrian Sutil 	        Force India-Ferrari 	
20 	Takuma Sato 	        Super Aguri-Honda 	
21 	Nelsinho Piquet 	Renault 	
22 	Anthony Davidson 	Super Aguri-Honda

Wow. That was quality. Can't believe BMW are so fast

 

[Vatican Citys No.2 Keeper]

Yes. Have Lewis and Kubica in my F1 fantasy team

GO VATICAN SPEEDSTERS:yahoo:

 

[Icy Gull]

Yes. Have Lewis and Kubica in my F1 fantasy team

GO VATICAN SPEEDSTERS:yahoo:

Hamilton, Heidfeld, Rosberg and Vettell

 

[Conkers]

If it wasn't for technical problems my fantasy team would have done brilliantly.
Raikkonen
Webber
Kubica
Rosberg

 

[Vatican Citys No.2 Keeper]

I had Hamilton, kubica, rosberg and DC

 

[SNOOBS]

What the f*** is 'STR-Ferrari'

 

[nail-Z]

What the f*** is 'STR-Ferrari'

Squadro Torro Rossi with a Ferrari 'customer' engine.

 

[Box of Frogs]

Good to see Coulthard in the top 5 - let's hope his car is reliable and he can make a good show of it this season.

 

[Turkey]

Good to see Coulthard in the top 5 - let's hope his car is reliable and he can make a good show of it this season.

He's 8th. The 5th above was the practice time. Still good though.

As for my fanatasy team. Both Ferrari drivers I think.

 

[Box of Frogs]

Oops - looking at free practice session 2 times!

 

[Turkey]

Qualy highlights for those who missed it: Track Highlights - Video - F1 | ITV Sport

 

[dougdeep]

Not many finishers, the boy did everything right again.