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2014 Australian Grand Prix - FP1 Report: Alonso on top, Williams show pace

Published on 14 Mar 2014 04:12
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By: Tom Brooks

The first session of 2014 in Melbourne, Australia had typically picturesque weather conditions and even before the light had turned green, there were problems for Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton suffering a power unit issue, resulting in an engine change.

Once the 90 minutes started, a flood of cars quickly hit the track once the session started and Fernando Alonso's Ferrari was first onto the track, Sutil's Sauber and Kevin Magnussen's McLaren quickly followed him.

After just 5 minutes were completed, the first casualty of the season was Hamilton and the Mercedes. The British driver stopped on track shortly after Turn 9 with smoke billowing from the rear of the W05, an Oil Pressure Sensor Alarm was to blame. Marshals quickly recovered the car after the session was covered under double-waved yellow flags.

Daniel Ricciardo set the first flying lap with a 1.37.290 with Magnussen quickly following him with a 1.37.762, the Australian quickly bettered it however after completing a 1.35.168. Vatteri Bottas for Williams also set a timed lap with a 1.38.776.

Caterham endured a tough start to 2014, which continued into FP1 after Marcus Ericsson and Kamui Kobayashi suffered battery store issues, with the former only completing one installation lap before his session was over due.

With 35 minutes remaining it was McLaren's Jenson Button who had hit the top with a 1.32.357, over two-tenths faster than Alonso and Ricciardo. Rosberg was 4th

The new brake-by-wire system was causing problems for some drivers, with front lock-ups aplenty going into Turns 1 and 3. The new development is hydraulic and works in harmony with KERS in order to provide far easier brake bias adjustment for the driver.

Fernando Alonso led with 20 minutes left, bringing the benchmark down to 1.31.840. Button remained in 2nd whilst Massa had crept up to 3rd with a 1.32.431.

Lotus' reliability issues plagued the team once more in Melbourne, after finally getting Pastor Maldonado out of the garage, the Venezuelan didn't even complete an installation lap before his E22's cockpit filled with smoke and caused him to slow and have an off-track excursion before eventually the engine cut-out whilst coming down the pit-entry lane. Max Chilton also suffered problems, with the MR03 stopping just before the pit-exit.

Jean-Eric Vergne locked up and narrowly avoided a collision with the wall at Turn 3, the Frenchman rejoined without incident.

It was Alonso who stayed on top however for FP1, with only Bottas and Massa switching positions. Red Bull also fared well, with Ricciardo and Vettel finishing in 5th and 7th, the duo only seperated by Roseberg's Mercedes. Magnussen, Raikkonen and Vergne rounded out the Top 10.

Tom Brooks
Chief UK Editor

F1 News Fernando Alonso Jenson Button Pastor Maldonado Daniel Ricciardo Lewis Hamilton Marcus Ericsson Kevin Magnussen Lotus F1 Ferrari Mercedes Sauber Williams McLaren