More Saturday news briefs from Melbourne

Timo Glock, who qualified 21st at Albert Park, is likely to start Sunday’s Australian GP from the rear of the grid due to an unscheduled gearbox change. It also emerges that, in addition to the ’small fuel tank’ story, the Virgin car is struggling to run with relatively low levels of fuel, with Glock telling German media that he had to carry 25 kilograms of fuel effectively as ballast in qualifying due to the pick-up problem.

According to a Mercedes team member, it is likely to rain on Sunday for round two of the 2010 world championship. But Ferrari engineer Chris Dyer, an Australian, added: "At the moment, the weather forecast is dry for the race, but we saw both yesterday and today that there is a real chance of short showers."

Sauber’s Pedro de la Rosa was reprimanded by stewards, including Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen, after Saturday practice at Albert Park. A statement said the Spanish veteran impeded another driver.