Mark Webber underlined his podium ambitions when he dominated the first two practice sessions for the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix in a Red Bull on Friday.Australia's Webber topped the afternoon session in 1 minute 36.876 seconds from the British McLaren duo of Jenson Button (1:36.881) and Lewis Hamilton (1:37.010).World champion Sebastian Vettel was fourth in 1:37.090 minutes on the 5.543-kilometres Sepang course in the other Red Bull, after placing 17th in the morning.
The German Vettel won the season-opener two weeks ago in grand style from pole in Australia ahead of Hamilton and Russian Renault driver Vitaly Petrov, who was 13th in the second round on Friday.
Webber managed no better than fifth in Melbourne and said ahead of the Malaysian weekend that a place on the podium Sunday was his goal.
Friday practice gave a first indication that the main fight will be between Red Bull and McLaren again, but teams don't reveal everything in these sessions which are used to get the best setup for Saturday's qualifying and the race Sunday.
It remains unclear whether Red Bull will use the Kers power-boosting system in Sepang. The team opted against it in Australia, but Vettel nonetheless won with a 22-second advantage.
Record world champion and Sepang winner Michael Schumacher was fifth for Mercedes on Friday, while the Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso placed sixth and ninth, respectively.
Jerme d'Ambrosio managed no lap in the afternoon session for Virgin.
Hispania saw a glimmer of hope when Narain Karthikeyan managed to stay inside the required time limit to compete while Vitantonio Luizzi was only just over it.
Hispania were unable to race in Australia under the so-called 107 per cent rule, which says that drivers more than seven percent slower than the best qualifying time are ineligible.
The amount of rubber on the track Friday suggested that graining could become a problem if the weather stays dry for the race.
However, rain is forecast for Saturday and Sunday, which could play havoc with the action as in 2009, when the race had to be ended after 31 of 56 laps because of a flooded track from torrential downpours.
The German Vettel won the season-opener two weeks ago in grand style from pole in Australia ahead of Hamilton and Russian Renault driver Vitaly Petrov, who was 13th in the second round on Friday.
Webber managed no better than fifth in Melbourne and said ahead of the Malaysian weekend that a place on the podium Sunday was his goal.
Friday practice gave a first indication that the main fight will be between Red Bull and McLaren again, but teams don't reveal everything in these sessions which are used to get the best setup for Saturday's qualifying and the race Sunday.
It remains unclear whether Red Bull will use the Kers power-boosting system in Sepang. The team opted against it in Australia, but Vettel nonetheless won with a 22-second advantage.
Record world champion and Sepang winner Michael Schumacher was fifth for Mercedes on Friday, while the Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso placed sixth and ninth, respectively.
Jerme d'Ambrosio managed no lap in the afternoon session for Virgin.
Hispania saw a glimmer of hope when Narain Karthikeyan managed to stay inside the required time limit to compete while Vitantonio Luizzi was only just over it.
Hispania were unable to race in Australia under the so-called 107 per cent rule, which says that drivers more than seven percent slower than the best qualifying time are ineligible.
The amount of rubber on the track Friday suggested that graining could become a problem if the weather stays dry for the race.
However, rain is forecast for Saturday and Sunday, which could play havoc with the action as in 2009, when the race had to be ended after 31 of 56 laps because of a flooded track from torrential downpours.
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