Hamilton second and Schumi thirdMANAMA – Germany's Nico Rosberg stayed ahead of teammate Michael Schumacher to put Mercedes on top of the timesheets in practice for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix Friday. After compatriot Adrian Sutil had stolen some of the returning seven-time champion's limelight in the first session with the quickest time for Mercedes-powered Force India, Rosberg went faster in the afternoon. The son of former champion Keke lapped the newly extended Sakhir circuit in one minute, 55.409 seconds, nearly half a second quicker than his 41-year-old teammate in third place. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was second, running faster than teammate and reigning champion Jenson Button who had been ahead in the morning. Mercedes engined cars filled the top four slots. Spain's double world champion Fernando Alonso limbered up for his Ferrari race debut with the second best time in the first session and then ninth after lunch. While practice times can be misleading, with drivers trying out different set-ups and running with varying fuel loads, all eyes were on Schumacher's pace after an absence of three seasons. With Mercedes returning as a works team for the first time since 1955 after taking over champion Brawn, the former Ferrari great was 10th in the morning and more than 0.4 seconds slower than Rosberg. Lotus, an illustrious name returning after a 16-year absence was the best of the three all-new entrants although it was an age off the pace. Finland's Heikki Kovalainen lapped 18th fastest, 5.464 seconds slower than Rosberg, with Italian Jarno Trulli 19th. Virgin Racing's Timo Glock was 6.6 seconds slower than the fastest car while Brazilian Bruno Senna was 11.5 seconds away from Rosberg's time. With the HRT (Hispania) team unable to test the car before arriving in Bahrain, the return of the Senna name to a Grand Prix weekend for the first time since the death of Ayrton at Imola in 1994 was limited to what amounted to a shakedown. Indian rookie teammate Karun Chandhok did not even manage to get out on track, forced to sit out both sessions while mechanics worked on his car. “We have had a lot of problems, we can't seem to get the clutch and gearbox working,” he said. “It's such a shame for the mechanics, they have worked all night without any sleep - so I feel for them. It's some sort of electronic or hydraulic issue, it's not mechanical ... it's a very difficult first day in F1 for me.” McLaren design ‘illegal' The first technical and political row of Formula One's most anticipated season in decades erupted early Friday as the cars began opening free practice for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Renault and Red Bull were both crying foul over the design of the new McLaren MP4-25 car. Both teams believe the design and use of a ventilation system that channels air through the drivers' cockpit of the McLaren is illegal. The air flow can be controlled by a driver and can affect the performance of the car's rear wing and speed on straight runs. Renault team chief Bob Bell said: “It is fundamentally clear that the McLaren wing design is totally illegal. They have driven a cart and horse through the spirit of the rules and regulations.” Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: “It is not as big an issue as the ‘double diffuser' was last year, but it is a similar kind of thing. I am not sure yet if we are likely to protest. I would say that is unlikely and that we will look at it and develop our own variant of the same idea.” The McLaren car was examined and passed before the race weekend began.
