Lewis sets pace in 2nd practice
15 March 2014 6:25 AM IST
The 2008 world champion could not finish a lap in the first session due to a sensor problem, but topped the timesheets in the second with a lap of one minute 29.625 seconds on a glorious sunny day at Albert Park.
Hamilton’s quickest edged out teammate Nico Rosberg by less than 0.157 seconds as the pace of the two Mercedes’ drivers carried on from their promising performances in winter testing.
Teams struggled to come to terms with the new turbocharged hybrid engines during the pre-season tests, and continued to battle glitches during practice, with drivers cooling their heels for long stretches in the garages, as technicians frantically tinkered.
Excursions onto the track saw a number battle to handle the extra torque and reduced downforce of the new V6 power units, with plenty of over-steering at corners and skids into the grass. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso handled conditions better than most, posting the quickest lap of one minute 31.840 seconds in the first session and finishing third fastest in the second.
Reigning quadruple champion Sebastian Vettel battled a couple of nervy skids, coming onto the grass at one point in the later session, but finished an encouraging fourth, having endured a dismal winter testing with Red Bull.
Hamilton’s quickest edged out teammate Nico Rosberg by less than 0.157 seconds as the pace of the two Mercedes’ drivers carried on from their promising performances in winter testing.
Teams struggled to come to terms with the new turbocharged hybrid engines during the pre-season tests, and continued to battle glitches during practice, with drivers cooling their heels for long stretches in the garages, as technicians frantically tinkered.
Excursions onto the track saw a number battle to handle the extra torque and reduced downforce of the new V6 power units, with plenty of over-steering at corners and skids into the grass. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso handled conditions better than most, posting the quickest lap of one minute 31.840 seconds in the first session and finishing third fastest in the second.
Reigning quadruple champion Sebastian Vettel battled a couple of nervy skids, coming onto the grass at one point in the later session, but finished an encouraging fourth, having endured a dismal winter testing with Red Bull.
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