Button sets the early pace

The Formula One field made a slow return to Canada this morning, with a quiet first practice session.

The track was very dirty at the start which meant someone would have to do some track-cleaning before getting some proper work done.

Kamui Kobayashi kicked off the action with a first timed lap after thirty minutes of slow installation laps from all the drivers. The Japanese was soon joined on track by Jaime Alguersuari, and the two of them traded the fastest time for a while.

Halfway through the session, Rubens Barrichello was leading from his Williams’ teammate Nico Hulkenberg and Sauber’s Kobayashi. Only ten drivers had posted a time on the board.

The frontrunners finally made their appearance a few minutes later. The hierarchy immediately changed as Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher filled the three top spots. The session got busier as the conditions improved.

Lucas di Grassi had some mechanical problem on his Virgin, with 23 minutes remaining, and pulled off at Turn 6.

Jenson Button ended the session with a 1’18’’127 fastest lap time. He was 0.158s quicker than Michael Schumacher. Lewis Hamilton was third fastest. Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel completed the top five.

Robert Kubica set the sixth fastest time. Alonso, Liuzzi, Hulkenberg and Barrichello rounded off the top ten.