The new Formula 1 season starts on
Sunday (29.3.2009, 8:00 am CET) with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The new aerodynamics rules as well as the comeback of the slicks should provide for an exciting first race.
In the first both practices on Friday Williams pilot
Nico Rosberg was twice the quickest. His team colleague Kazuki Nakajima was with the ranks 2 and 7 also strong. As expected both Brawn GP drivers
Jenson Button (6th and 5th) and
Rubens Barrichello (4th and 2nd) as well as the Toyota pilots Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli were very fast too. Badly it ran for World Champion
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes). The last years Melbourne winner had to be content with the places 16 and 18 and lost nearly 2 seconds to the fastest lap of Nico Rosberg. The Ferrari pilots
Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa were at least in the 1st practice still with the quickest.
Result 1. Practice:
1. Rosberg (Williams-Toyota) 1:26.687
2. Nakajima (Williams-Toyota) 1:26.736 + 0.049
3. Räikkönen (Ferrari) 1:26.750 + 0.063
4. Barrichello (Brawn GP-Mercedes) 1:27.226 + 0.539
5. Kovalainen (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:27.453 + 0.766
6. Button (Brawn GP-Mercedes) 1:27.467 + 0.780
7. Massa (Ferrari) 1:27.642 + 0.955
8. Glock (Toyota) 1:27.710 + 1.023
9. Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 1:27.993 + 1.306
10. Alonso (Renault) 1:28.123 + 1.436
Result 2. Practice:
1. Rosberg (Williams-Toyota) 1:26.053
2. Barrichello (Brawn GP-Mercedes) 1:26.157 + 0.104
3. Trulli (Toyota) 1:26.350 + 0.297
4. Webber (RBR-Renault) 1:26.370 + 0.317
5. Button (Brawn GP-Mercedes) 1:26.374 + 0.321
6. Glock (Toyota) 1:26.443 + 0.390
7. Nakajima (Williams-Toyota) 1:26.560 + 0.507
8. Vettel (RBR-Renault) 1:26.740 + 0.687
9. Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 1:27.040 + 0.987
10. Massa (Ferrari) 1:27.064 + 1.011
Result Melbourne 2008:
1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes)
2. Nick Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber)
3. Nico Rosberg (Williams-Toyota)
Formula 1: Race Calender, Teams and Drivers 2009
For the bookies the Brawn GP drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello are to be favour. The highest odd on a victory of Button or Barrichello is on bwin, odd 6.50
The highest odd on a victory of Nico Roberg is on bwin with 9.00
Last years winner Lewis Hamilton is this time only an outsider. The highest odd on Hamilton-win is on Bet365, odd 26.00
