McLaren fastest after first two practices

After the two first practices at Albert Park, McLaren has come out as the fastest team at the moment. Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton dominated the second practice session, proving to be the only two drivers able to break the 1m25s barrier.

On the second session drivers ran under race conditions for the last 30 minutes in order to test out the new overtaking zone. The quickest times showed up just before the hour mark when teams changed to the soft Pirelli 'Option' tyre.

Hamilton was the first to set a time under the 1m26, but then Button managed to fix the fastest time of the two sessions with 1m25.854s. Still we can’t say that the pace of McLaren gives us the right look at what is happening as Red Bull drivers were told not to use their adjustable rear wings during most part of the session.

At the end of the second practice session Vettel and Webber, after being first and second on the first practice of the day, managed to climb to fourth and fifth place, taking the advantage of the Option tyres. Still, they weren’t capable of overtaking Fernando Alonso who was the third fastest.

Being the eighth fastest driver during the first session Schumacher managed to climb to sixth place. Ferrari’s Felipe Massa was the seventh quickest. Sergio Perez, the rookie from Sauber was a surprise on the session having set the eighth fastest lap, ahead of the most experienced F1 driver at the moment, Rubens Barrichello, who was ninth for Williams. Top ten was completed by Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg.

Lotus Renault seems to be finding some difficulties of finding the right pace, with both drivers outside the top-ten on both sessions.

(UPDATING)