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Drivers start up engines ahead of Malaysia GP

Ferrari technicians push Michael Schumacher car into a garage after a Malaysian F1 Grand Prix practice session in Sepang, Malaysia, Friday. PHOTO: AP

Sauber's Felipe Massa set the fastest time in the second free practice session Friday at the F1 Malaysian Grand Prix, while McLaren pair Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen were both inside the top four.

The 23-year-old Brazilian clocked 1 minute, 35.608 seconds, 0.012 ahead of Montoya and 0.069 clear of Toyota's test driver Ricardo Zonta.

Raikkonen, who spun into the gravel at turn 8 on his first run, returned late in the session with 1:35.719. Toyota's Ralf Schumacher was fifth fastest in the afternoon session, 0.230 seconds behind Massa.

McLaren was quickest in practice at the Australian GP two weeks ago but it didn't translate into the GP because Montoya and Raikkonen were caught in a downpour that marred the opening qualifying session and cost them valuable places on the starting grid.

Renault pair Giancarlo Fisichella and Fernando Alonso, first and third in Australia, drove only two laps each in the first practice session in Malaysia and returned to post the sixth and ninth fastest times in Friday's second session.

Defending champion Michael Schumacher, who crashed out of the Australian GP after being drenched in the qualifying session the previous afternoon, was back in 16th in practice at Malaysia's Sepang circuit. The seven-time world champion skidded off at turn 9 on his last run but regained control to finish the lap.

His Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello, who made up nine places to split the Renaults on the podium in Melbourne, spun into the gravel at turn 11 on Friday but returned to record the seventh fastest time.

Jenson Button, taking advantage of a now-closed loophole in the new engine regulations, was eighth with a new motor in his BAR-Honda.

The new rules dictate that each car use one engine for two race weekends, unless a driver fails to finish the first of a selected pair of races.

Button and teammate Takuma Sato elected to retire their cars on the last lap at Melbourne to exploit the loosely worded rules, which were introduced for 2005 by organizers to cut the costs of running an F1 team.

F1's governing body FIA tightened the regulations this week to ensure drivers don't choose to retire to get a new engine for the following race. Organizers will now demand an explanation for retirements. Any unscheduled engine changes incur a penalty of 10 places on the starting grid.

However, both BAR racers were allowed new engines for Sepang, along with Williams-BMW driver Nick Heidfeld -- who crashed out in Melbourne after colliding with Michael Schumacher -- and Minardi's Christijan Albers.
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