“That is a bit too much for my standards. I’ve got to raise my game a bit and I’m sure I’m able to,” he said.

Rosberg was fastest of all, 0.445secs quicker than McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.

Schumacher, who was 0.494secs behind Rosberg, had been 0.463secs slower than his team-mate in the first session in the morning.

Afterwards, the 41-year-old seven-time world champion said: “I certainly feel a little bit rusty, certainly on the one-lap issue I can do better.

“On long runs and consistent runs things are pretty good, I’m quite happy. I will just use the rest of the weekend in order to tweak out the little bits.

“It’s not a problem. It’s just that for one lap I saw that Nico was four-tenths up and that is a bit too much for my standards. I’ve got to raise my game a bit and I’m sure I’m able to.”

Hamilton’s team-mate Jenson Button was fourth ahead of Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel.

Button, who appeared to be very evenly matched with Hamilton, said: “I’m reasonably happy with the car.

“It’s very difficult because the rear tyres go off quite quickly here, but it’s the same for everyone.

“The basic car is quite good. The long runs seem to be reasonably good. There are areas we need to work on with set-up.”

The Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso were seventh and ninth in the afternoon after being fourth and second in the morning.

Force India’s Adrian Sutil stole the limelight in the morning session, beating Alonso to the fastest time in first practice, heading the double world champion by 0.325secs.

Alonso said he had no idea who was in the best shape for Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s race.

“It’s still completely unknown,” he said. “For sure, out of the four big teams, any can be on pole. And there could be a surprise like Force India, who seem very quick on this type of circuit.

“We are in a position to attack 100%. We are confident with the car – we need to make changes to improve the grip but there is nothing wrong.”

The gap between the fastest and slowest times was even bigger than expected, with Rosberg more than six seconds faster than the quickest car from a new team.

That car belonged to Virgin’s Timo Glock, who was 0.15secs quicker than his team-mate, the Brazilian novice Lucas di Grassi.

Heikki Kovalainen, the quicker of the two Lotus drivers, was two seconds slower than Glock – a margin that is almost certainly not representative of the true performance of the cars.

The Hispania team, who arrived in Bahrain having never run their car before, managed to put some mileage on it in the hands of Bruno Senna, the nephew of Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna.

But Senna was more than 12 seconds off the pace in what is effectively a shakedown test for the car. Hispania missed all the pre-season test sessions as they battled to get themselves ready in time for the first race, following a change of name and ownership.

Senna also suffered a scare when something broke on his car at the end of one of the straights in the closing stages of the afternoon session.

His team-mate, the Indian driver Karun Chandhok, did not get out on to the track at all on Friday because the team could not make his gearbox work.

It remains to be seen whether Friday’s times are a reliable indicator of form, as practice sessions are even harder to read than usual following the banning of in-race refuelling this season.

Cars will now go to the grid fully laden with approximately 160kg – about 210 litres of fuel – and teams have to use the practice sessions to learn about the behaviour of their cars and tyres on both heavy and light fuel loads.

Cars will qualify with as little fuel as possible before filling up for the start of the race, and finding the best compromise between set-ups for the two conditions will be one of the major challenges of the season.
<>

Portsmouth become the first club in the Premier League’s 18 year history to fall into administration. It will be docked nine points as a result, effectively ensuring it will drop down at the end of the season.

The proposition of top flight clubs falling into such financial problems has previously seemed unlikely simply because of the huge payments received from Sky television as part of the broadcasting contract.

However, clubs which have fallen out of the top flight have often met this fate, including Ipswich, Southampton and Leicester. Portsmouth won the FA Cup in 2008, with a team full of internationals on reportedly high wages.
Mr Chainrai, who is looking to recover a £17m loan he made to the previous owners, moved to prevent the club from being wound up in the High Court on Monday over £7.5m owed to HM Revenue and Customs.
The automatic nine-point penalty will leave Pompey struggling with just seven points, 16 behind their nearest rivals.

Joyce Tynan, 76, a Portsmouth fan since 1946, told Channel 4 News: “It’s heartbreaking. It’s a good club with good staff and now I hope they carry on. If they carry on, then I will.”
Speaking outside the club’s Fratton Park ground, Mrs Tynan blamed its former managment for plunging the club into financial chaos.

Red Bull Racing-Renault
5. Sebastian Vettel
6. Mark Webber
*************

Scuderia Ferrari
7. Felipe Massa
8. Fernando Alonso
******************

Williams-Cosworth

9. Rubens Barrichello
10. Nico HÃlkenberg

Renault F1 Team
11. Robert Kubica
12. Vitaly Petrov
***************

Force India F1 Team-Mercedes
14. Adrian Sutil
15. Vitantonio Liuzzi
*****************
NB. There is no car number 13 in F1.
*****************
Scuderia Toro Rosso-Ferrari

16. Sebastien Buemi
17. Jaime Alguersuari
****************
Lotus-Cosworth
18. Jarno Trulli
19. Heikki Kovalainen
****************
Campos-Cosworth
20. TBC
21. Bruno Senna
*******************
US F1-Cosworth
22. Jose Maria Lopez
23. TBC
*****************
Virgin Racing-Cosworth

24. Timo Glock
25. Lucas di Grassi
****************
BMW Sauber
Kamui Kobayashi
Pedro de la Rosa
BMW Sauber driver numbering TBC

2009 F1 drivers not yet confirmed for 2010

Sebastien Bourdais
Kazuki Nakajima

Christian Klien

Romain Grosjean
Drivers not competing in 2010

Kimi Raikkonen (on sabbatical)

Nelson Piquet Jnr. (gone to NASCAR Trucks)
Other teams

Toyota – Toyota have withdrawn from F1.

With its dramatic looking engine-cover fin, the car will bear the prestigious number one, thanks to reigning world champion Jenson Button joining McLaren from the former Brawn team to partner fellow Briton – and 2008 champion – Lewis Hamilton.

“I’m incredibly proud to be standing here today knowing I’ll be carrying the number one for the whole season: that’s a great responsibility but also a great honour,” said Button. “It’s something I’m relishing. From the very first day of testing, I’ll be working with the team to learn about the car and to develop it ahead of the first race. I’ve said it before: the pace of development in those opening tests could well determine the outcome of the championship.”

The 2010 McLaren looks noticeably different from last year’s race-winning MP4-24. It features a radical aerodynamic overhaul and a significantly larger fuel tank to take full advantage of this year’s new regulations, and its design team is confident it has explored every possible avenue to maximise the car’s performance. Horsepower once again comes from a subtly improved Mercedes-Benz FO 108X V8 engine.


Michael Schumacher, Mercedes-Benz; Valencia testing, Spain; Monday February 1st, 2010.
As Schumacher became accustomed to the car and the latest generation of tyres, he reduced his lap time to 1min 12.947sec, the third fastest of the day.
*******************************************************
Formula 1 will have a new points system for the 2010 after an agreement between the governing body (FIA) and the teams.

The new system will see places rewarded in a 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 sequence.

F1 bosses believe a seven-point gap between first and second place, rather than the current two-point separation, will promote a ‘race-to-win’ attitude.

New tyre rules mean drivers must start races on the same tyres they set their grid time in, while ‘double diffusers’ will be banned from 2011.

The Formula 1 Commission, a decision-making forum for the teams and major stakeholders, agreed the amendments to the sporting and technical regulations at a meeting on Monday.

Eastlands boss Roberto Mancini is keen to add another midfielder before the transfer window and recently confirmed interest in tough-tackling Argentina star Gago.
But reports in Spain claim City have had a £13m bid knocked back.

Although Madrid have not closed the door on a deal, coach Manuel Pellegrini is concerned that his squad is already stretched by injuries to Pepe, Mahamadou Diarra and Gonzalo Higuain, as well as the sale of Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Nonetheless, Gago has grave concerns about his standing in the team and fears a lack of regular first-team football could affect his chances of playing at the World Cup.
His agent Marcelo Lombilla has spoken to Boca Juniors first club – Gago’s first club – about a loan to the end of the season, only for Madrid to block a move.

The president of world football’s governing body FIFA has staunchly opposed the use of video replays as a refereeing aid because they would interrupt the flow of the game.

But he told the Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick that he might consider them after other technology has been approved.

“I’m not completely against it. But only when goal line technology is ready to be introduced, only then,” he said.

The guardian of football’s rules, the International Football Association Board, is due to discuss electronic goal line technology, including computer chips in balls and goalmouth cameras, at its meeting in March.

Blatter again ruled out the introduction of such aids in South Africa this summer.

“We won’t carry out any experiments there, not even with two extra referees,” he added.

Two additional assistant referees are being lined up in Europa League matches this season in a trial aimed at improving surveillance of incidents in penalty box.

In December, FIFA’s executive committee also ruled out the introduction of video technology to assist referees similar to the system used in rugby, cricket and tennis.
World football chief Sepp Blatter said in a newspaper interview on Sunday that he might consider video assistance for referees in the future.

The president of world football’s governing body FIFA has staunchly opposed the use of video replays as a refereeing aid because they would interrupt the flow of the game.

But he told the Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick that he might consider them after other technology has been approved.

“I’m not completely against it. But only when goal line technology is ready to be introduced, only then,” he said.

The guardian of football’s rules, the International Football Association Board, is due to discuss electronic goal line technology, including computer chips in balls and goalmouth cameras, at its meeting in March.

Blatter again ruled out the introduction of such aids in South Africa this summer.

“We won’t carry out any experiments there, not even with two extra referees,” he added.


Two additional assistant referees are being lined up in Europa League matches this season in a trial aimed at improving surveillance of incidents in penalty box.

In December, FIFA’s executive committee also ruled out the introduction of video technology to assist referees similar to the system used in rugby, cricket and tennis.

Pressure for refereeing aids surged again with the furore that followed Thierry Henry’s blatant handball in a World Cup playoff against Ireland in November that saw France qualify for the finals.

“There’s been no opponent that has been confirmed yet. There’s been no date confirmed yet. But the point is I have made my mind up I am going to have one more fight.”

The Manchester Hitman confirmed on Wednesday that he has fallen prey to the temptation which has lured so many great boxers into risking damage to their health by prolonging their careers.

Hatton said: ‘It is nice that people worry about me but I owe it to my fans to give it one more go.’

The probability is that the 31-year-old Hatton will be back in the ring at the end of May, one calendar year after being knocked unconscious by world pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao.

The likeliest opponent, given that Amir Khan is committed to a mandatory world title defence this spring, is Juan Manuel Marquez. This Mexican warrior is the reigning
world lightweight champion but willing to move up to Hatton’s natural light-welterweight.

“On behalf of the BDO we send our condolences on this. It’s a tragedy.”

The large lake at the centre of the complex is frozen and has now been fenced off.

Surrey police have begun an investigation into the cause of death.

A management buy-out led by Brawn saved the team, which was renamed Brawn Grand Prix.
Brawn surged on to fairytale success in 2009, capturing both the drivers’ and constructors’ crowns.

“Everybody at Brawn played their part,” added Button. “It was down to their expertise, dedication and hard work that we were able to achieve so much.
“We literally started with nothing, but had the belief, determination and passion to take on the world and succeed.
“Many people played a role in my world championship – and in receiving this award, I want to acknowledge and thank them for all their efforts.

“To be recognised by the Queen and the British people is a tremendous honour.”

Ross Brawn’s contribution to the team’s 2009 success and to motorsport in general saw the 55-year-old Mancunian, who now lives in Oxfordshire, appointed OBE.
“Receiving this award is a great personal honour for me,” added Brawn, who has worked in F1 for more than 20 years.

“I am very grateful to everyone involved and pleased that the achievements of everyone at Brawn have been recognised in this way.”
Before joining Honda, Brawn was technical director for Benetton and Ferrari where he oversaw all seven of Michael Schumacher’s world titles.
The pair have now been sensationally reunited at Brawn, which will race under its new guise of Mercedes in 2010.
Schumacher joined Mercedes after Button chose to sign for McLaren in 2010 and race alongside 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton.

Button followed Hamilton as the 10th British world champion in the sport’s history and now the pair become the first British champions to race as team-mates since Graham Hill joined Jim Clark at Lotus in 1968.

“I’m incredibly proud to have joined the likes of Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Sir Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Lewis Hamilton as British Formula 1 world champion,” Button added.
“The past 12 months have provided me with such an exhilarating journey. For 2010, I am starting another exciting chapter in my career.

“I’m ready looking forward to representing Great Britain on the world’s sporting stage and successfully defending my world championship.”