Sutil fastest in Free practice 1

The first practice session of the season has just ended… with Adrian Sutil on top of the timesheets.

Based on the winter testing results, many observers expected a McLaren, Red Bull or Ferrari to set the pace but saw their predictions upset by the Force India driver.

Sutil emerged on top with less than thirty minutes to go and remained unbeaten with a fastest lap time of 1’56’’583. New Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso was second fastest with Renault’s Robert Kubica third.

Felipe Massa and World Champion Jenson Button completed the top five.

There was not a lot of action during this 90 minute-session with the drivers not very keen on cleaning a dusty track. Most of them went for some installation laps at the start before pitting and having quick chats with their engineers.

Lotus drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli were the first to embark on timed laps with 25 minutes gone. They were joined by the rest of the field 15 minutes later. Alonso put his Ferrari on top shortly afterwards but saw his lap time bettered by Sutil 10 minutes later.

The German didn’t seem too bothered by a big bump through turn six which he reported to unsettle his car quite badly.

There was an historic moment in the final part of the session with the track debut of the HRT car. Bruno Senna was able to do three laps of the Bahrain track while the Spanish team was still busy preparing Karun Chandhok’s car. The Indian driver is expected to make his debut during FP2.

Newcomers Virgin and Lotus were 7 seconds off the pace.