Forumula One: Hamilton struggles as the unfamiliar shine at Melbourne practice sessions

Published on Friday 27 March 2009 10:23

Formula One stands on the brink of a new order if practice for the Australian Grand Prix is anything to go by.

On Melbourne's Albert Park circuit where his world title-winning season began with a victory last year, Lewis Hamilton was today down among the also-rans.

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After finishing 16th in the first 90-minute session, Hamilton then ended the second 1.5 seconds faster – but down in 18th.

He at least had his McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen for company as the Finn was 17th, perhaps underlining the fact their car really is as bad as feared.

The only two drivers behind Hamilton were Renault's Nelson Piquet and this year's lone rookie Sebastien Buemi in his Toro Rosso.

McLaren had hoped progress had been made in the closing two days of the final test in Jerez last week, but clearly not enough.

Their drivers were 1.5secs down on the star of the day Nico Rosberg, who in pre-season threatened to walk away at the end of the year unless Williams provided him with a race-winning car.

It would appear he has his wish as he topped the timesheets at the end of both sessions, with his best lap timed at one minute 26.053secs.

It did not go unnoticed that six of the top seven places in second practice were occupied by the cars that have been embroiled in the diffuser row this week.

It was not until midnight local time last night that the issue was finally resolved as the stewards presiding over the race threw out a protest which had been launched by Ferrari, Renault and Red Bull.

There is still the threat of an appeal, and those three teams will hope the international panel of judges that sits on these matters ultimately side with them, otherwise they face a struggle.

Rosberg was closely followed by the Brawn GP of Rubens Barrichello and Jarno Trulli in his Toyota, with only Mark Webber breaking the stranglehold of the 'diffuser three' by taking fourth for Red Bull.

Brawn's Jenson Button, the Toyota of Timo Glock and Williams of Kazuki Nakajima were fifth, sixth and seventh, the latter half a second down on his team-mate.

With the cars sporting newly-designed front and rear wings, as well as a return to slick tyres, a wind of change really is threatening to blow through Formula One.

Sebastian Vettel, who finished bottom in first practice due to a hydraulic issue which limited him to only four laps, was eighth in his Red Bull.

However, the young German, of whom great things are expected, did blot his copybook late on by sliding off after putting a wheel on the grass.

He and Webber, though, at least underlined the potential of their cars, which may become the best of the rest at this rate.

Force India could also be a surprise as Adrian Sutil wound up ninth in both sessions, finishing ahead of Ferrari duo Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen who, worryingly for them, were a second down.

Like McLaren, the BMW Saubers of Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica, a title challenger until fading late on last year, were 14th and 15th.

McLaren, Ferrari and BMW Sauber were the leading constructors last year, but on this evidence that is unlikely to be the case.