Jenson Button topped first practice this morning for the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, with Williams’ Nico Rosberg going fastest in the afternoon.
Rosberg is becoming something of a master in second practice, although the fact that his car seemed to run out of fuel on his last lap of the day shows how light he was running.
His teammate Kazuki Nakajima might have been similarly low on gas, finishing the day in second, marginally ahead of Renault’s fast-improving car at the hands of Fernando Alonso.
All three set quicker lap times than Button’s morning run, however, which basically means no one outside of the teams themselves has any real idea who’s got proper pace for qualifying tomorrow.
All we do know is that the teams are carrying huge updates, and none more so than BMW, who have revised their car so heavily that it looks like an all-new machine.
It’s not however carrying a ‘B’ suffix to it’s F1.09 moniker – would that be admitting a weakness about the previous car?
Their upgrades appear to be paying dividends too, with both Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld setting times fast enough for third and fourth respectively in the morning.
They ran slower and so finished lower down the field in the afternoon, although if they’d kept their morning pace that would still only have been good enough for eighth and 13th in the second session.
Even though Kimi Raikkonen managed to claw into the top ten after lunch, Ferrari – and McLaren – appear to still be struggling for pace.
Of course, this could all change come tomorrow, as we don’t know what test programs they’re running, but Lewis Hamilton, when asked how the modifications worked today, simply replied: “They didn’t.” It’s not going well for big Macca then.
In a turn of events very nearly as surprising as that scene at the end of Fight Club, Nelson Piquet actually went well in both sessions, Renault allowing him to run lighter fuel loads in order to improve his qualifying performance.
This didn’t stop Nelsinho spearing off into the gravel in session two however, only to make it back to the garage, get his car sorted, head out of the pits… and straight off the circuit again on his next flying lap. Oops.
As much as it used to amuse me how rubbish he is, I’m actually now starting to feel sorry for him. Surely he’s not long for the F1 world is he?
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What do you think?
Graham Potter commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 5:21 pm
We thought that last season and he’s still there. I wonder how much influence Alonso has in the matter? It’s no secret he demands number one status and Piquet could be seen as his ideal number two.
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A4R0N commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Well in Button keep it up!
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Mansell's Stalker commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 4:56 pm
1st! I reckon Vettel will win this one for sure, From Button, From Rosberg, From Trulli, From Kubica, From Glock. If that is right, I want money!
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Charlie commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Alonso will definately go for pole like he did last year, and as a difficult cercuit for overtaking, he may get a podium.
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Boland commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 6:21 pm
I really wish Mclaren would get it together, but I don’t think they’ll do anything special this season…great
here’s routing for them next year lol, if Hamilton stays on
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Ed commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Ferrari will come back good this weekend
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Alex commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 6:23 pm
So far no idea what to expect tomorrow.
these practive times not allways tell the real performance of the teams.
Still, I do hope that Niko will finaly win a race for williams. He should finaly convert those great practice lap times into something more meaningfull
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Mikeado commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 6:49 pm
So the body mods aren’t really changing the order much then? That’s fine. It’s good that this year it isn’t just red v silver, makes it more interesting.
I agree that Piquet Jnr probably isn’t long for F1. £1 million says he isn’t on the grid in 2010. It’s odd how much he sucks though (yes, angrier commenters that belong on YouTube, I know I couldn’t do any better, but it’s all relative, isn’t it? Compare him to, let’s say, other drivers).
He was very very good in A1 GP (well, what I saw of it anyway – I lost interest after 2 or 3 races). Are F1 cars really that hard to drive if you’re used to a wholly different single seater? Champ-Car drivers aren’t doing well either, after all. Bourdais springs to mind.
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Martin commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 6:52 pm
I can’t see Piquet being there much longer…
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Lucas.M commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Yeah, come on Button, you can win it this year
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Nathan commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Go on Button!
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Dreamless.Dead commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 9:12 pm
And we all thought that this season wasn’t going to be good what with all the new rules and changes. I think it is turning out to be a freaking great season.
- Looking forward to the fuel rules for next season.
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jackirius commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Piquet really is rubbish. I bet he would never had made to F1 if it wasn’t for his father. But who is waiting in the wings to replace him?
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Luke commented on this article
Friday May 8, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Williams had to be running light; I’d be quite surprised if they weren’t.
I don’t think all the updates from Ferrari and McLaren are really working yet, but it’s hard to tell now. Let’s see what happens at Saturday practice, when the track is more rubbered in.
Jamie, I agree with you, feeling sorry for Piquet. He could do much better, and I know he can. Who would replace him, if Flavio feels like that should happen?
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Bruce commented on this article
Saturday May 9, 2009 at 1:26 am
Two questions really come to mind at this stage.
What happened to BMW who had a car that had the pace to hunt for the win in Australia. Now it is near the bottom. Hopefully the new improvements might move them up about 12 places.
Will Sutil finally get some points with the new parts. He seems to be the unluckest driver around at the moment. He gets into the points. Then something happens. Interesting he does not seem to do anything wrong. I Suspect Force India are not placing offerings to the right Indian God. Which leads to the question. Who is the Indian God of Racing?
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BOY RACER commented on this article
Saturday May 9, 2009 at 7:23 am
I won’t Piquet to win cause it can’t be easy i mean he has a world champion as a dad and he’s spinning off lap after lap and when that happens you start kicking and screaming at yourself in your head as and then you lose focus and spin again and its an awful cycle to get stuck in.
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beth commented on this article
Saturday May 9, 2009 at 8:58 am
Well, Nelsinho`s daddy was a great driver and even won the world championship But unfortunately for both of them, Nelsinho is not doing as good positions as he should be. He does have a good car and good team behind him.
Nelsinho`s driving is more like practicing, but nowadays when the teams are so near each others on the board his practicing should be already done.
I hope that Piguet is going to end well this weekend but if he does not then its probably time to get new driver to his seat. There is lot of good drivers which are just waiting the call to come drive to the great Formula 1. Many of them are drivers what we expected to join F1 already in this season.
Now I start to look third and last practice in Spain, and then waiting for qualifying. Hope Finns are doing well! Unfortunately I dont believe that.
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BrowntheRockCat commented on this article
Saturday May 9, 2009 at 10:03 am
booooo! Jenson to lose!
Hamilton to win!
Yay Im first today!
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BrowntheRockCat commented on this article
Saturday May 9, 2009 at 10:04 am
booo Jenson to lose!
Hamilton to win!
Yay im first today!
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TheArabian Stig commented on this article
Saturday May 9, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Good one Jenson
But why you was not that good with Honda last season ??
I really hope Ferrari and Mclaren come to the podium again
But, Am hoping for Toyota win (GO GLOCK DOG)
If Toyota won, maybe my Toyota camry will have KERS & F1 style shifters !! who knows
P.S Sorry if it is double post cuz I keep refreshing and cant see the comment!
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TheArabian Stig commented on this article
Saturday May 9, 2009 at 12:31 pm
http://www.autosport.com/ news/report.php/id/75163
Final Practice Results
check it out …. FERARRI ARE BACKKKKKK !!!
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BrowntheRockCat commented on this article
Monday May 11, 2009 at 5:17 pm
thats really dumb
i posted a comment yeaterday first and it hasnt come up
weird.
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BrowntheRockCat commented on this article
Monday May 11, 2009 at 5:18 pm
oh just had a look and it did post but 18th instead of 1st
weird
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