Australian Grand Prix 2011: Second Practice Session Highlights – Part 1
After some encouraging progress in the first practice session, drivers and teams alike braced themselves for the final practice session of the day. The third practice session was scheduled to precede qualifying on the following day.
Red Bull Racing were quickest off the blocks in the first practice period with a strong 1 – 2. Mark Webber, the local boy, made a little history of his own as he became the first driver to break the 1 minute 26 second barrier with a quick dash of 1 minute 26.831 seconds in the dying moments of the practice session.
The Australian’s teammate, and current world champion, Sebastian Vettel wasn’t far behind either. The young German recorded a 1 minute 27.158 second lap to his credit. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, evidently motivated after letting the title slip from his grasp in the final race of the season last term, finished with a 1 minute 27.749.
Was there going to be a change in the front row this time round? Ferrari, McLaren Mercedes, Mercedes GP and Renault were all expected to make their mark; albeit being a mere, informal, practice session.
The session kicked off and Sauber’s Sergio Perez was the first driver to hit the road. Buemi, Alguersuari and di Resta joined him soon after.
Perez’s first exploits on the circuit earned him a 1 minute 30.600 seconds fastest lap... Fernando Alonso entered the picture... Moments later, it was Ferrari at the top of the charts with a blistering 1 minute 28.393 seconds lap. Meanwhile, the Red Bull Racing radio sprang to life as Vettel was on his way to upset the arrangements at the top of the classifications. The Constructors’ Champions advised their driver to engage the wing adjustment system so as to give him higher speed on the front stretch.
As more and more cars started setting competitive laps of their own, Michael Schumacher’s 1 minute 27.979 seconds caught the eye of many at the time. The seven time world champion went on top as a result of that. However, it was somewhat short-lived as McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton further improved on that time with a 1 minute 27.056 seconds – Nearly a second quicker than the 41-year-old veteran.
The McLarens were slowly tilting the balance in their favour as their performance was clearly boosted with more exposure on track. Lewis Hamilton headed the classifications while his teammate, Jenson Button was second fastest with a 1 minute 27.575 seconds lap – still nearly half a second slower than Hamilton. Bottom-line: It was a McLaren 1 – 2 at the time.
Continued in part 2...
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