In brilliant sunshine and temperatures reaching 34°C, the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers carried out completely different programmes while working on set-up and conducting tyre evaluations.

Robert completed twelve laps and clocked a personal best of 1:37.121 minutes, thus taking tenth position on the timesheets. The Pole set this time on the first timed lap of his first stint. Later in the session, he went out two more times, but returned to the pits without setting a timed lap.

At the same time, his young German team-mate was the busiest driver of the entire field. Sebastian completed a total of four stints comprising 39 laps, with his final two stints being long-runs of 11 and 13 laps respectively - one on the harder and one on the softer compound. The goal was to find out which of the two tyre compounds will be the better solution over a longer distance. Like Robert, Sebastian posted his personal fastest lap (1:37.637 minutes, twelfth position) early in the session and did without trying to set fast lap times in the closing stages of the session.

In the second free practice session, held from 14:00 to 15:30hrs local time (07:00 to 08:30 hrs BST), Nick Heidfeld and Robert will continue the team's preparation programme.

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