Grosjean tops Dubai practice

The Renault F1 test driver lapped his ART Grand Prix machine in 1:42.055, just 0.014 seconds faster than his ART teammate for the main series, Luca Filippi, who drives for the Malasyian-based Meritus squad in Asia.

Behind Filippi, who is a Honda F1 young driver, came another Grand Prix protege, Toyota's Kamui Kobayashi (DAMS), who was over a quarter of a second off the ultimate pace.

Kobayashi has made an habit of winning reverse grid sprint races recently, but is targeting a feature-round victory this weekend.

Fourth fastest was Karun Chandhok for iSport, ahead of Vitaly Petrov (Campos) and Adrian Valles (FMS).

Valles has a new teammate at Giancarlo Fisichella's outfit this weekend, as Roldan Rodriguez is replacing the injured Michael Herck. Rodriguez got off to a bad start, however, and ended his session on the back of a tow rope.

Someone else in difficulties was Durango's Alberto Valerio, who spun off at the banked left-hander that precedes the back straight and hit the tyre wall. He was unhurt.

Pos  Driver                  Team              Time     Laps
 1.  Romain Grosjean         ART               1:42.055   13
 2.  Luca Filippi            Meritus           1:42.069   15
 3.  Kamui Kobayashi         DAMS              1:42.267   14
 4.  Karun Chandhok          iSport            1:42.297   12
 5.  Vitaly Petrov           Campos            1:42.318   15
 6.  Adrian Valles           FMS               1:42.632   14
 7.  Jason Tahinci           BCN               1:42.650   16
 8.  Davide Valsecchi        Durango           1:42.755   15
 9.  Sebastien Buemi         Arden             1:42.833   15
10.  Hiroki Yoshimoto        Meritus           1:42.886   15
11.  Jerome D'Ambrosio       DAMS              1:42.926   14
12.  Bruno Senna             iSport            1:42.962   14
13.  Marco Bonanomi          Piquet Sports     1:42.962   16
14.  Ho-Pin Tung             Trident           1:42.982   15
15.  Fairuz Fauzy            Super Nova        1:43.270   15
16.  Christian Bakkerud      Super Nova        1:43.318   16
17.  Milos Pavlovic          BCN               1:43.339   14
18.  Yelmer Buurman          Arden             1:43.662   15
19.  Harald Schleghelmilch   Trident           1:43.695   15
20.  Alberto Valerio         Durango           1:43.839   10
21.  Marcello Puglisi        Piquet Sports     1:43.885   16
22.  Diego Nunes             DPR               1:43.941   11
23.  Ben Hanley              Campos            1:44.120   14
24.  Armaan Ebrahim          DPR               1:44.618   14
25.  Stephen Jelley          ART               1:44.668   16
26.  Roldan Rodriguez        FMS               no time     0