Melbourne Grand Prix:Lewis Hamilton led a McLaren one-two ahead of team-mate Jenson Button by setting the fastest lap in a rain-interrupted second session of free practice for this weekend's Australian Grand Prix today.
Melbourne Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton led a McLaren one-two ahead of team-mate Jenson Button by setting the fastest lap in a rain-interrupted second session of free practice for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix today.
While the first practice session had been held during bright sunshine, clouds had gathered as the afternoon progressed and by the time the cars took to the circuit once again rain had started to fall intermittently.
But Hamilton got the better of the conditions to produce the fastest lap of the day with a time of one minute 25.801 seconds that put him ahead of reigning world champion Button by 0.275secs.
Red Bull’s Mark Webber — hoping to secure a maiden win at his home race this weekend — was third with a time of 1:26.248 while seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher recovered from early problems in the session to vault up to fourth from 20th in his Mercedes.
Vitaly Petrov produced an impressive display to go fifth fastest in his Renault while Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi was sixth with the Force Indias of Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi seventh and eighth respectively.
Rubens Barrichello of Williams and Nico Rosberg — who was beaten in practice by Mercedes team-mate Schumacher for the first time this season — rounded out the top 10.
Sebastian Vettel, who started on pole at the season-opener in Bahrain, finished 16th after going into the gravel at one point in his Red Bull.
Times
1. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:25.801 13 laps
2. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.076 + 0.275 16 laps
3. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:26.248 + 0.447 22 laps
4. Schumacher Mercedes 1:26.511 + 0.710 16 laps
5. Petrov Renault 1:26.732 + 0.931 26 laps
6. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:26.832 + 1.031 29 laps
7. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:26.834 + 1.033 22 laps
8. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:26.835 + 1.034 17 laps
9. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:26.904 + 1.103 25 laps
10. Rosberg Mercedes 1:26.956 + 1.155 22 laps
11. Kubica Renault 1:27.108 + 1.307 28 laps
12. de la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari 1:27.108 + 1.307 25 laps
13. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:27.455 + 1.654 23 laps
14. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:27.545 + 1.744 25 laps
15. Alonso Ferrari 1:29.025 + 3.224 20 laps
16. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:29.134 + 3.333 19 laps
17. Massa Ferrari 1:29.591 + 3.790 21 laps
18. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:29.860 + 4.059 15 laps
19. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:30.510 + 4.709 43 laps
20. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:30.695 + 4.894 17 laps
21. Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:32.117 + 6.316 9 laps
22. di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 2 laps
23. Chandhok HRT-Cosworth 1 laps
24. Senna HRT-Cosworth