01/05/2012
NEWS STORY
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Mid-Session times from Mugello
All Times Unofficial
| Name | Team | Laps | Time | Gap |
| Alonso | Ferrari | 38 | 1:22.444 | 142.312 mph |
| Webber | Red Bull | 24 | 1:23.648 | 1.204 |
| Vergne | Toro Rosso | 32 | 1:23.891 | 1.447 |
| D'Ambrosio | Lotus | 40 | 1:24.048 | 1.604 |
| Rosberg | Mercedes | 49 | 1:24.100 | 1.656 |
| Kobayashi | Sauber | 43 | 1:24.736 | 2.292 |
| Turvey | McLaren | 30 | 1:25.303 | 2.859 |
| Bianchi | Force India | 18 | 1:25.475 | 3.031 |
| Gonzalez | Caterham | 33 | 1:27.197 | 4.753 |
| Pic | Marussia | 45 | 1:27.359 | 4.915 |
| Bottas | Williams | 23 | 1:29.179 | 6.735 |
While the heavy mist over the Tuscan track lifted before the start of proceedings, the rain stopped just five minutes before the green light, leaving the track extremely wet. While some opted to wait until conditions improved others were keen to make full use of every minute of the first in-season test since 2008.
Six of the eleven teams running today fielded their GP regulars, while the rest took the opportunity to run their reserve/test drivers.
With the intermediate tyres not really appearing until a couple of hours before lunch, it was only in the final stages of this morning's running that the first drivers opted to switch to slick rubber.
As expected, a number of teams are using the test to try out updates, Caterham, for example, which has Rodolfo Gonzalez on duty, is trying out new rear wings, revised bodywork and exhausts and also working on brakes. Further along the pitlane, Force India, where Jules Bianchi is in the VJM05, drew interest with its new nose (above).
The conditions mean that there have been a number of red flags, Vergne, Alonso and Rosberg each getting into difficulty at some time or another and bringing the session to a halt.