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Williams Formula One driver Nico Rosberg - Source: Reuters -
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Nico Rosberg kept race-rusty team mate Michael Schumacher behind him on Saturday to put Mercedes on top of the timesheets in practice for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
The younger of the two Germans was quicker than the returning seven-times champion in both sessions, filling eighth place and then the top slot while the 41-year-old moved up from 10th to third in the afternoon.
While practice times are often 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.
"The car felt much better in the second session although I am still a little rusty on one-lap runs and need to get back into the routine," Schumacher told reporters after climbing out of his 'Silver Arrow'.
"On the long runs, the car felt good and once you get into the rhythm it feels very natural," added the former Ferrari great, returning with the first Mercedes works team since 1955 after their takeover of champions Brawn.
Rosberg, son of former champion Keke, lapped the newly extended Sakhir circuit in a best time of one minute 55.409 seconds, nearly half a second quicker than Schumacher.
Hamilton Second
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was second, faster than team mate and reigning champion Jenson Button who had been ahead in the morning. Mercedes-engined cars filled the top four slots.
"It's been very hot so tyre degradation of both compounds has been pretty high," said Hamilton. "But I think the degradation is something we can handle.
"Overall, today didn't feel too bad. We still don't really have a full understanding of where all the teams are because everyone was running different fuel loads."
Spain's double world champion Fernando Alonso limbered up for his Ferrari race debut with the second best time in the first session and the ninth after lunch.
"From what we could see, the indications we got from testing have been confirmed, with four teams that you could describe as favourites," said Alonso.
"The new track is not bad. It is fun, even if there are a few too many bumps which I hadn't spotted when I inspected it by bicycle (on Thursday)."
Lotus, an illustrious name returning after a 16-year absence were the best of the three all-new entrants although they were 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 team mate 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.
