Kovalainen edges Brit pack

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN prevented practice for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from being an all-British affair.

With three minutes of the second session remaining, and with Lewis Hamilton poised to edge out Jenson Button again at the top of the standings, Kovalainen ensured it would be a McLaren one-two rather than a British one-two that led the way ahead of tomorrow’s race.

Appreciably, conditions for the second 90-minute period were markedly different to those in the first as outgoing champion Hamilton pipped new title-holder Button by just 0.096 seconds.