Finally some good news for Lewis Hamilton. The world champion went fastest during today’s first practice in China, doubtless thanks to a whole bunch of aero revisions to his McLaren.
The Ron-less team are running a new front wing in conjunction with an interim rear diffuser, that’s halfway to the full double-deck set-up seen on the Brawn, Williams and Toyota cars.
Lewis topped a Brit one-two in first practice, with Jenson Button going second quickest and teammate Rubens Barrichello in third.
But Lewis was again well off the pace in second practice, dropping outside of the top ten while Button sat in first, followed by Williams Nico Rosberg, Brawn’s Barrichello, and the two Red Bulls of Webber and Vettel closing out the quickest five.
Red Bull chief tech man Adrian Newey is staying home this weekend to work on redesigning the RB5 to incorporate a double-deck rear diffuser set-up. Judging by Red Bull’s pace with their current diffuser, they will be very quick once that’s complete. But it could still be another month or two away before it’s ready.
The ever-outspoken Renault boss Flavio Briatore has questioned the credibility of this season’s title challenge in light of the diffuser row, saying that the fight for this year’s drivers championship is between ‘one who was almost retired’ and a ‘good guy but a paracarro’ – which means ‘slow as a milepost by the side of the road’ in Italian.
Jenson is not happy, saying, “He [Flavio] needs to remember that he tried to employ me for this year, so…”
Apparently Barrichello was just laughing.
Ferrari have decided to run this weekend without KERS, after the problems with the regenerative braking tech in the first two races. However, the team have admitted that the KERS-free car has lost some performance, and that the balance of the car hasn’t improved either. Oh dear.
Kimi Raikkonen, as usual, doesn’t seem bothered though: “The balance of the car isn’t bad and one doesn’t feel the lack of KERS,” he said this morning.
Rumours of Ferrari hanging an ice cream on a stick off the front of Kimi’s car this weekend to speed him up have neither been denied nor confirmed at this stage.
Lewis Hamilton is the best!Down with Brawn GP!Good luck for Lewis in race day.
I’m sad because Ron left the F1 but he took the right decision and in 2011 we will have a new Mclaren.
Go Lewis Hamilton!
It is just Free Practice. The times are nothing to get excited about. Hamilton will go down to mid field. Which is where he belongs this year. After this so so year for him, next year he will look more like a respectable driver, to those who question his attitude, when he fights to get back to the top in a better car.
I know but he is good driver growned by the Ron.
Should be interesting tomorrow to see where Hamilton ends up if one minute he’s first and the next minute he’s miles away.
I think with all the angry Ferrari fans and staff fuming at 2009’s poor start, Kimi’s Magnum would probably melt quite quickly…
Flavio is just being a mouthy sore loser. Ignore him.
Any Brit up the front is great news. Hurrah for Hamilton and Button.
i think that this has to be the WORST season in f1 history and its not because non of the top teams are dominating but its beacause we already know who the championship is for and thats brawn. but you still have to give it to ross brawn for the amazing job he has done for the team.
This F1 season is the worst ever, the cars look crap and the KERS system is a waste of resources. The Honda/all the paddocks money cars are going to win simple.
I do feel sorry for Ferrari a proper racing name with legendary status being made a laughing stock all because of stupid rule changes AGAIN!
Moto GP is far more interesting.
It’s funny how Lewis finished No.1 in the first practice session, most teams avoid pushing their cars to the limit in the first practice and sometimes in first qualifying session.
Even without a world-class diffuser Red Bull have been doing well, putting a new diffuser on will add a bucket-full of spices to the championship, but that’s in a few months so don’t expect any changes yet.
Flavio’s just jealous because he hasn’t got a team capable of winning a race. His comment will be proven to be utter nonscence when qualifying and race day comes.
A lot of toys thrown out of prams today. The rules are the rules, they are the same for everybody. Look at the teams at the front, Brawn, Toyota, Williams, Red Bull. What do they have in common? Brilliant designers and technical staff – Ross Brawn, Patrick Head, Adrian Newey. Experienced drivers who can develop a car – Button, Rubens, Trulli, Webber. These teams are making a success of the new regs because they have understood them and reacted to them. The teams which are struggling simply haven’t designed or developed a car good enough to run at the front.
It is the most exciting and interesting start to a season in my 30 years of watching F1.
My mum love’s Jeremy clarkson
cant wait for the new series
To everyone who thinks this seasons sucks because a Ferrari or Hamilton is not dominating-
I for one am bored of seeing Ferrari dominate, they did it in 2004, and now it’s another team’s turn to shine.
Just because Brawn is faster than everyone doesn’t mean they are cheating, or don’t deserve it.
Just because Hamilton is not winning does not mean he is ’savataged’ or other teams are cheating, simply accept the truth that Brawn used common sense and are now leading the championship.
You can’t just say ‘oh Ferrari should dominate every year’, the truth is they decided to spend their spare time making perfume and crash helmets that match the colour of your dashboard, rather than focussing on the 2009 championship. They are just big-headed, nothing else, just big-headed. What’s happening now is that they have just got a wake-up call and a reality check.
B-R-A-W-N – you know they should have been sponsored by Braun toothbrushes xD
Anyways
its good that its the people that are making the teams now, not just a red car with a nice engine that bully’s its way through F1. Thank god for these changes!!!! 
WHAT THE HELL Comment 9??? Are you stupid?? this has been the most exciting start, even with the silly rain. And the cars look retro… are you like 50?? No style man, no style sense at ALL! And ferrari needed a kick in the balls, and brawn has done that.
Moto GP is much better than F1.
Nicky Hayden all the way.
Well well well!
Bratorio spits the dummy out because his team are not in the running. The other non diffuser teams are also moaning because they can’t get close to Brawn.
STUFF THEM ALL !!!
Good on ya Ross and the rest of the team, best year in F1 for decades.
A new team and a new leader in the championship, cars that slide about making the drivers work for a change. And people are moaning because there’s no over taking !!!
What have you lot been watching for the last 10 years or so? A championship handed to Ferruri on a plate by an incompetent governing body who now are in total shock becuase they can’t do anything to stop an outsider winning.
Brawn for F1 champions will be the best thing to happen since the loss of Murray Walker to commentating.
Yep well done to the Germans on providing The Honda team with a Reliable Mercedes Benz power plant.
i personally think that this is some long overdue success for Jenson, and bariccello has needed this success as well. i for one was getting a bit fed up with it always being mclaren or ferrari. its nice to see Williams heading in the right direction again, and Toyota have needed this success as well.
it would be good if people opened their minds and stopped acting as if the world was 2 inches by 4inches and embrassed this exciting new season in F1
It’s great for F1 that finally Honda’s millions are actually winning races. Mr Brawn should be kissing Japanese arse, without their money Brawn GP would not exist also thanks to Mercedes on providing the engines.
@Graham Potter: You forgot about Renault. They have Alonso and they have a dog of a car. Are you saying Alonso is not a good car developer?
Don’t care so much but the new mclaren road car should be called the Ferrari eater! Lol
I was at Silverstone when a black Ferrari FXX took a McLaren F1 LM to the cleaners.
McLaren a Ferrari eater don’t think so mate.
MotoGP is superb!
F1 sucks right now, cars looks like mud, the rulebook stinks and so do the stewards.
Still wish Hamilton and Button all the best, true racers, both of them !(and I am not even from the UK)
btw Rich man.. hasn’t the FXX been developed about 10yrs later than the McLaren F1??? ….
Vettel will surprise all of you, that Red Bull is FLYING!
Randy, Im not bothered when the vehicles were produced it’s what I observed at Silverstone.
Tbf I can’t afford any of these vehicles so lets not take this matter any further please, thank you.
@ Rich man
I’m with randy, the two cars are actually almost 20years apart and the FXX is far, far, far from road legal, we are talking some where in the region of the distance between paris hiltons feet!! ; )
(^_^)
Although Hamilton’s car isn’t up to scratch yet he’s still been hammering the tracks and to be honest I always look forward to seeing him race just because it’s exciting, plenty overtaking and whatnot.
I think he’ll end up with a fair amount of points by the end of the season, whether he’s challenging for the Championship or not I really haven’t the foggiest, but hopefully there’s some good racing to be had…
Good to see Button going strong though and he’s loving it!
i just hope that with these revision on the McLaren car they will be at the Top 5 on Sunday.
This year is a total disaster for Ferrari!
And Renault!!
Maybe even Mclaren!
Don’t forget about Nico Rosberg. I think he will get his first win this season. Williams made a few mistakes in the last two races that made Nico drop his place.
It’s about time a year was a disaster for ferrari, and heck even mclaren (tho I do like them). We’ve had the big teams at the top for so long it’s wonderful to see a shake-up
I think that the diffuser ruling was a great decision by the FIA – the teams with more money and championship credentials, such as McLaren, Ferrari, and BMW now have to play catch up to the lesser funded and slower developing Red Bulls/Brawns/Williams’. Should lead to an epic battle come mid season, with more than just 1 or 2 teams battling for the race wins. People will say that it doesn’t help the cost-cutting, but Ferrari and McLaren will find a way to spend £300mil without having to develop a new diffuser!
As for Briatore – it’s as Trulli said – some engineers have been more clever than others – he should concentrate on improving his workforce rather than taking a pop at those who have succeeded. And as for the idea that the ex-world champions should be in the best cars – ridiculous!! How would we ever know that someone else on the grid has world championship winning credentials (like Vettel, Kubica, perhaps even Button…). Perhaps Hamilton, Massa, and Raikkonen have only managed to get close to winning the championship, or won it, because they had the best machinery… just a thought.
Finally Mclaren come good, can’t wait for the race!
INTERNET. No I’m not saying Alonso isn’t a good car developer. I’m merely pointing out the teams at the front have designed and developed good cars. Renault clearly haven’t. Maybe they haven’t made the best use of the new regs?
Lots of people are writing off this season already!!
WHY?
Everyone will now use a double-decker diffuser.
Ferrari, McLaren & Renault always improve as the season progresses.
Someone WILL get KERS to work.
This is still anyone’s title.
(Except Piquet’s)
I like the comment about the ice cream on a stick for Kimi.
But I hate to agree, but Button and Barichello will only win this championship because of the diffuser row. Barichello has already proven to not be championship material in a Ferrari when they were at their hieght. And Button, hes just never been that good. When there are drivers like Alonso, Hamilton, and Vettel he doesnt really deserve to be up that high and it is just the car doing it. The Brawn car is just that damn good, and everyone is miles behind them.
Although this is only my 2nd season of following F1, from what I have seen this is far better than last season and the monotony of the ferrari domination.
This season has bearly started, i think there are going to be big changes in attitude of driver and team alike. So far, the season has mainly been dominated by cleaning up and clarifing but squeaky clean Brawn are flying and monoploising massively on this oppurtunity. The Cahmpionship is in no way sealed yet.
There are some drivers with massive potential who I can see having big sucess this season where the playing field is more level than it has been in the past. Nico is due for a win, as is Heidfield and Piquet. Raikonnen will either suceed this season or drop out of it at the end; I hope he is sucessful.
I think that Lewis has potential this year i think Jenson Button has been lucky so far i mean before this year 1 win in 150 races!! I know the car is good but thats just good, anyway i think he has a chance in qualifying but if Jenson came head to head with lewis he is gonna get a shock as he hasent seen him race from the front , in my mind Jenson’s going down , Go Lewis!!
Anybody else think that F1 is getting a bit boring. It’s just not the same with McLaren and Ferrari struggling. It would be like Liverpool and Man United struggling in mid table.
I know F1 had to cut costs and that but the shake up has left the teams with the most support at the back. Lets face it like, 90% of F1 fans are either for a Ferrari or McLaren driver. The last couple of seasons have been immense but the first 2 races of 2009 have been shiocking.
My guess is that the FOM and FIA were delighted to have the Hamilton lying scandall to partly cover how boring the racing was.
I really want the 2007 style order and rules back. Cars looked great, no bloody KERS and Alonso Hamilton Massa and the Iceman could all win on any given day.
The top guys at the moment really lack charisma, that spakle which the others have. Lets aface it, Nicotene Rosberg is as boring as a stick (worse actually: you could play with a stick), Button and Barrichello are too nice to each other and the Toyota car is manky looking with 2 sandwhich boxes for drivers.
Plus the season is almost over already. If Button wins all 4 races before other teams put on new diffusers, sure what would be the point in them doing so, they couldnt make up the lost ground.
I think Ferrari and McLaren should do what the rest did last year, start working on nexty years car. Then they kick ass in 2010 and the cycle is reversed in 2011. F1 will crumble and civilisation as we know it will come to an end!!!!!
Ok maybe not… but I do fear foor F1, it was going in such a good direction the last couple of years but they’ve screwed it up in my book.
……………………………………………
@Pedant: you don’t fancy Piquet for the title? Perhaps Nelson Snr…
What’s with all these people complaining about boring racing? The last couple of seasons have been the best for a decade (remember we had 7 different race winners in 2008, including first wins for Kubica, Vettel and Kovalainen). This year we have the grid turned upside down, the big teams are scrabbling for points and struggling to improve due to the testing ban, and (as pointed out above) we have a bunch of experienced drivers making the most of their opportunities before they’re caught up later in the season. Doesn’t anyone want to see privateer teams like Brawn and Red Bull kicking ass? We haven’t seen this level of constructor-bashing since the Williams/Benetton dominance in the 1990s. I say bring it on!
WORST SEASON IN HISTORY?
BORING?
WORST SEASON EVER?
F1 SUCKS?
Do you not remember when the first 10 races were always won by the title holder?
Or when overtaking only happened in the pit-lane?
This is the most INTERESTING start to a season for years.
Unless you are a Ferrari fan.
@Nitpicker: Snr to replace Jnr by Monaco?
Lewis is back he will kill everyone
3 in a row baby
It has to be pointed out, Barrichello was only fast when Ferrari were at the height of their powers. and now he’s fast in the Brawn. What does this say? If he’s in the fastest car, he’ll win! Button has been driving well and making the most of rubbish cars the last few seasons, so it’s difficult to say that he’s a bad driver! Have you ever won a GP?
This is a great year for F1.
But to make next year even better they should ban tyre warmers. That would mean every driver would have different levels of grip depending on how long he had had to warm his tyres. This would make for sum very ineresting races.
I am confused. This it to those who say it is a boring season because McLaren and Ferrari are not winning.
How can those 2 teams being on Top be considered the Natural Order. There have been times where Lotus was Dominating. What about the years Williams was on top. The So called Natural Order changes. Usually within 5 years. Not the 10 or so years that we just had.
Let me guess. Most of you complainers only followed McLaren or Ferrari since they spent all that time on Top.
Another question. Why is it that now Button is Winning, alot of complaints are the fact that he is a so-so driver and only doing well because he has the best car.
YET
The same people also say that Hamilton is an fantastic driver because he was winning races since he first started (lets not mention the fact he had the best car by a long shot). Yet this year because he is not doing so well, YOU ALL blame his car.
WE ARE ONLY 2 RACES IN. Stop talking like the season is over. Button is on 15 points which is like getting 2 2nd places. Brawn are strong but they have not broken away from the pack yet.
Yes Jenson has been lucky so far in the Brawn GP, but isn’t Lewis also lucky for being in a car that dominated for 2 years????
This year is exciting because instead of 1 team dominating & another team just playing catch-up & others just being other fishes in the aquarium, we have now 3 teams fighting with other following soon, why is that not interesting? Mclaren (specifically Hamilton’s) & Ferrari fans are just saying that this season is not good just because their team is not winning(Flav to obviously).
To the aforementioned fans, there are other fans who support the other teams too. FYI, of the current set of drivers in F1, with the exception of maybe Alonzo, none is any near the former great F1 drivers (& I am not even a fan of Alonzo’s driving).
Enjoy the race, it will be quite interesting who wins
Those are some pretty silly words by Flavio considering some of his driver choices in recent history (i.e. Nelson Piquet Jr. Yes, I’m calling him “Jr.” even if he wants to be known just as Nelson Piquet. He needs to earn that name).
But at least Renault have taken some black paint to the nose of their cars to give the illusion of a non-ugly nose.
Woo Hoo! Go Lewis Hamilton! I live in Woking and obviously I support him! (Watching the F1 right now;))
Wow, Alonso qualified P2…see that black paint on the nose helped! It even fooled the air into thinking the nose isn’t so bulky
Congrats to Vettel on another pole.
Even so…go Brawn and go McLaren! (Quicker, that is).
Well i hate Ferrari and always will so i find it really funny that this year they are actually crap, go brawn, go button, down with Ferrari.
Though Kimi did get into Q3, great.
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On the Kimi. How in gods name did he get that piece of crap into Q3. What a driver!
And congrats Vettel. On an even playing surface, Vettel could be the quickest driver of the lot. Not Hamilton, he isnt looking so special with an ordinary car anymore. It just shows that it was the car that was carrying him the last 2 years.
Nice to have Lewis post a good time but I still get the feeling that it’ll be another 2-3 races before McLaren gets the diffuser sorted out, and that might be “too litlle too late” for them.
As for Mr. Rayz commenting: “It just shows that it was the car that was carrying him the last 2 years”, I’ll only say this: What miracle did Jenson Button manage to pull off, driving his Honda????
With Vettel in P1, Alonso in P2 and Webber in P3 the Renault engines have clinched the podium, and Alonso showed an incredible pace with the new diffuser attached!
Yes Hammy! I think he will win this year as well or at least come 2nd or 3rd. Why can’t McLaren make their road cars like their F1 cars? Same with Toyota as well.
Trick Diffuser? Yeh.
Vettel – Red Bull – Pole – No trick diffuser.
Q2 is the real test for performance setup. Vettel topped Q2. Not warm up like Jamie gets excited about.
Too bad Kubica is down at 18.
Vettel. Yeh. That the future of F1 right there. I think he has it to get the championship this year.
Permission to say ‘I told you so’? (post 28)
I thought Button would be on pole as he was fastest at part of the practice on Friday. Hamilton did OK but not as good as last year. Massa doing rubbish for some reason but i didnt expect Vettel to be at the top!
@ robinsfella, they’d probably do better in the McLaren F1, although, they have pieced it back together again.
What has happened to that Renault. I think that the nose is getting uglier every year!
If you think that nose is ugly. Think back to the BMW Walrus year.
Looking at the weights. I would have to say the Red Bulls are going to start with the Stupid soft tires.
Basically Kubica’s Melbourne stratagy, but hopefully without the crashing 3 laps from the finish.
The BMW walrus nose was awesome, what are you talking about Bruce?!
But nice call on the “Stupid Soft” tires. It must suck to be Bridgestone right now. It’s not their fault. The whole “skipping over compounds” rule is silly. The aero changes, KERS, and slicks were enough to improve the racing. The tire compound skipping rule is a bit much.
There are going to be way too many “yeah, but if’s” at the end of this year.