Seven-times champion Michael Schumacher led the way right at the death, but
with a time that was 1.6secs adrift of Button’s best.
And the only problem with the Briton’s time is that it is 0.7secs slower than
Mark Webber’s best in FP1 a year ago.
To appreciate how much is likely left in the locker, and just why so many
questions remain unanswered, Sebastian Vettel’s pole time in Australia last
season was a 1:23.529.
Hamilton finished 0.245secs adrift of his team-mate in FP1, with the duo
comfortably clear of the remainder of the field that was led by Schumacher.
The German manufacturing giant’s car, in particular, looks solid and planted,
assisted by a new radical wing system deemed legal by the FIA.
The technical head of motor sport’s governing body, Charlie Whiting, claims
the device is “completely passive”, with no moving parts that otherwise
would have led to it being banned.
Operating in a similar way as to the F-duct of two years ago, the rear wing is
stalled, which in turn allows greater straightline speed.
It proved to be a German one-two in FP2 as Nico Hulkenberg in his Force India
finished 0.109secs down, with Sauber’s Sergio Perez in third, but almost a
further second behind.
Mexican Perez was fortunate to avoid contact with a wall after losing control
of his car at the top of the start-finish straight and engaging in a spin
late on.
Despite the conditions, that was only one of two notable incidents as
Ferrari’s Felipe Massa slid into a gravel trap in FP1.
To underline the nature of the times in FP2, Red Bull duo Vettel and Webber
were down in 10th and 11th respectively, three seconds down.
As for Button and Hamilton, they languished in 15th and 16th and four seconds
off the pace in the second session, while Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen was 18th,
five seconds down.
After their troubles in FP1, HRT finally put some laps on their car as Narain
Karthikeyan managed 16, albeit finishing 13.5secs adrift of Schumacher.
Karthikeyan’s engine stopped on his first quick lap in FP1 and he never made
it out again, while team-mate Pedro de la Rosa sat in the garage as the team
attempted to finish a car that only passed scrutineering at the 11th hour.
The veteran Spaniard then managed only one installation lap in FP2 as his
problems continued.