Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton traded places at the front during the first practice session at the inaugural Abu Dhabi GP this morning, and it was good.
The incoming and outgoing World Champions made a fine show of it, and if their dueling was anything to go by, then Sunday’s race should be a gloves-off cracker.
The track is still pretty green and will get quicker during the weekend as more rubber gets laid down around the circuit, so expect times to fall, even in this afternoon’s second session.
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel was quick enough for fourth, followed by Button’s teammate Rubens Barrichello in the sister Brawn.
Rubens has made his biggest hint yet that he’ll be off to Williams for 2010, saying that he’s definitely looking at them and that they’re a team “on the way up”.
So it could be a straight swap with Williams’ exiting driver Nico Rosberg, as we mentioned yesterday.
Talking of driver changes, Kimi Raikkonen has said that his only option for next year, after leaving Ferrari, is to go to McLaren.
The Finn said that he’ll know the situation in the next few days, and that he’s not even thought about Toyota, who have been dropping large hints that they’ve been looking at him.
Toyota also look likely to lose Timo Glock for next season, with the German saying that the possibilities for him to stay there are low.
It’s expected he’ll sign up to drive alongside Robert Kubica at Renault.
You can see the first practice results here at BBC Sport, where you’ll also be able to watch second practice at 13:00 UK time.
first comment!
i want past champions would be fighting for the championship like schumacer, alonso, kimi, lewis, jenson, jacques, and especially i want mika to come back!
Timo Glock could be the shining star next yr as he drove exceptionally during singapore and recent gp’s
almost 1st comment, ill keep trying lol … not sure if Lewis and Jenson would be good team mates but it would good to watch, does anyone know for sure where Kimi is going yet???
Holly Samos just said that Kimi was a dead cert for a Mclaren seat. But I just read an article that said that Mclaren were in serious talks with Glock as Heikki has signed 2 year contract with Toyota… Not sure what to believe atm…
McLaren will win next year. Funny how they’re only reflecting upon the 2nd half of this season. They’re good at long stint strategies, so I don’t think adapting to a race without refueling will be as difficult for them as other teams. With Hamilton and probably Kimi, they’ve got a tremendous team. Can’t wait to see what the new teams are made of too. But, first things first – the awesome-looking Abu Dhabi! Queue Kobayashi to do some crazy stuff in the tunnel… he’s a nutter!
^ oops, meant adapting to not refualing WONT be as difficult for McLaren as other teams
^ oops again, poor spelling. It’s Friday, therefore I ask for your forgiveness.
Personally i dont think that Rubens should leave the Brawn team, i think that he is a good driver with a couple of good seasons left him in yet. He is not only a consistant point scorer but also a good buffer for Button. My only concern is in the 09 season was the Brawn car just the best car in the early stages of the season and that he had the edge that way and the latter part of the season the rest of the field have caught them up, we will see what the 2010 season brings.
Forgot to say, c’mon Button for the weekend!!!
Kimi should have won the title, at least once, while he was at Mclaren if it were’nt for their reliability issues. They should do the decent thing and let him have another shot. Lewis’ dad may be soiling himself at the thought but who gives a pig’s arse?????
TG can we please have some F1 coverage OTHER than both British drivers? I’m British but hate getting it ramned down my throat all the time. Come on Vettel!
I’m british to and hate all the attention both brit drivers are getting (maybe because my dad’s german, lol) because I really think drivers like vettel and alonso deserve more coverage.
Let’s goooo JENSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON !!!!!
Booooooooooring track!
But nice to see “Kamikaze” Kobayashi is still driving.
Hope he gets a permanent seat in Toyota next year.
I agree with ‘cruisingserpent’(comment 12)-F1 is made up of more than just 2 English drivers(and yes,i’m English too)and it would be nice for the bias to be turned down just a tad but then again,I suppose TG only really jumped on the F1 band-wagon when Lewis Hamilton-mania started…up until then it was too ‘boring’,'unfashionable’ and Button only got the occasional mention.Anyway, moan over
Well done Heikki on setting the fastest time so far (practice 2),I hope he gets a good drive in 2010 and can finally unlock his true potential and Koboyashi 5th(P2)-for a rookie he’s been consistently impressive(like keeping Button behind for 20 laps in the Brazilan GP in a heavier car).Japanese F1 drivers are rarely taken seriousley but hopefully Koboyashi will buck the trend and manage to smooth his rough edges!
Btw, I was watching Vettel on a personal best lap near the end of P2 and he was held up by a Ferrari, poor bloke always seems so unlucky to me!
even bbc’s expert formula one guy said that lewis is the fastest out and out racer there and button has lost alot of what he was yeah last race was greatbut even then hamilton destroyed him hamulton 1st kimi 2nd and kovy looks good but hes kovy so vettel 3rd
Yeaaaah Jenson!
I think button is doing really well so far!
im really surprised button placed as high as he did during this practice! i mean im a huge fan of the guy and i know he’s a good driver, but with all the long straights this circuit was just built for KERS
tough call but id put my money on lewis
its very hard to judge who will win because anything can go wrong whether its the car, the pits or even the driver… but my money as a little more to hamilton
Kobayashi the Kamikaze is a real surprise, I do hope that he gets a permanent seat at Toyota, Glock is not very consistent, so he could do well at Renault. As for Jenson, he is loyal and he deserves a good car, please Jenson don’t go to McLaren, they should sign Heidfeld, good for the German side of the business.
It is no competition Hamilton is the better driver. Mclaren have dominated this second half and its just a little shameful that a no talent driver like Button managed to win a World Championship.
If Kovi must go then Kimi is the only one to replace him, do not want to see Rosberg in a Mclaren
I know the race is going to be won by 1 of 3 guys. Hamilton, Button or Vettel. And it will be strategies that win or lose their race. Even though I massively support him, I don’t think it will be Vettel, because his team will muck something up, as they have done earlier in the year. Because of Ross Brawn though I believe Jenson will win, so long as he doesn’t mess his qualifying up.
Kimi and Rosberg go to Toyota, and McLaren signs Heidfeld. Glock goes to Renault, Kovalainen goes to Williams and Trulli goes to Campos Meta. There.
As for the race, I have to say Hamilton, as much as I despise him. See what happens after quali.
THE NAME SENNA IS BACK IN F1 FROM 2010!!!
Bruno Senna has confirmed the deal with Campos.
Hamilton deserves to be at the front jenson has been very lucky this year getting the upgrade before everyone else and notice that when everyone else got the upgrade he fell behind , hamilton is by far the no. 1 in the grid!
i dont think mclaren would want him there but as it says he toyota do. but i still think that button and hamilton together is a good option
i still think that hamilton and butoon are a good option but kimi will not go to mclaren but i think he will go to toyota
button is a bad driver for a very well made and guessed up team while Hamilton is an amazing driver for an improving team. The 2008 season was much more exciting!
No. 28 comment by joey is right!
Lewis Hamilton kicks BUT
I would put my money on Lewis, he has shown much better performance in the second half of the season than Jenson. Button was just lucky to have the best car on the grid in the first races. When other teams got their cars also to run at that kind of performance like Brawn GP, Button was nowhere after that.
button beat Hammilton =D
He came 3rd
Hamilton’s car broke, if it didn’t than he probably would of won and kicked Buttons butt, like he has most of the time.