Nico Rosberg leads a Mercedes 1-2 after final practice in Malaysia
Nico Rosberg has ended the third and final practice session fastest for Mercedes, leading a 1-2 for the German marque with Lewis Hamilton a close 2nd. Kimi Raikkonen ended the session best of the rest for Ferrari in 3rd, over a second behind the fearsome pace of the Mercedes duo with Sebastian Vettel 4th for Red Bull.
The third and final practice session of the Malaysian Grand Prix got underway in slightly overcast weather conditions, with dark clouds looming ominously overhead as Marcus Ericsson became the first of many drivers to take to the Sepang International Circuit once the session officially got underway. The Swedish rookie was eventually followed by almost the entire field, except the Red Bulls, with many eager to finalise their preparations ahead of qualifying later in the day. Despite the sudden flurry of track activity, only installation laps were initially completed before the Lotus of Pastor Maldonado completed the first timed lap of the session with a 01:49.882.
As Pastor Maldonado made up for his lack of track time during the first two practice sessions on the Friday, with the Venezuelan ace eventually working his way down to a 01:44.622, many other drivers returned to the track in a bid to begin their own timed laps. This naturally saw the benchmark at the top tumble, as the likes of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen rose to the sharp end of the order with the latter producing a 01:41.835 for the Scuderia. After such a competitive debut for McLaren, Kevin Magnussen’s Malaysian Grand Prix woes continued during the final practice session, with the Danish rookie complaining of a lack of power as Lewis Hamilton asserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:41.246.
Despite the ever-present threat of rain the third and final practice session continued in dry yet humid weather conditions, as Nico Rosberg bettered his team-mate’s time with a 01:40.946 as Lewis Hamilton began pushing beyond the limit and ran wide at Turn 4. With Kevin Magnussen yet to set a timed lap in the session, fellow McLaren driver Jenson Button was also struggling, as the 2009 World Champion produced a woeful 02:05.555 with the Briton complaining of a lack of rear grip on his Mercedes-powered machine. Meanwhile Lewis Hamilton returned to the top for Mercedes with a 01:40.552, as Pastor Maldonado became the first driver to elect for Pirelli’s medium tyre compound before running extremely wide at Turn 1.
With the majority of the field also deciding to switch from Pirelli’s hard compound to the medium compound, the benchmark at the top took another tumble as Kimi Raikkonen and then Nico Rosberg stormed to the top with the latter producing a dominant 01:39.008 to keep the German marque at the top of the order. As the final minutes of the session ticked away Rosberg’s time at the top remained unchallenged, with team-mate Lewis Hamilton slotting neatly into 2nd position to strengthen the German marque’s reign at the top. During the final minutes of the session Romain Grosjean ran extensively wide at Turn 11, with the Frenchman eventually ending the session 15th after a relatively incident free hour.
The Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen ended the session 3rd fastest behind the incredibly dominant ‘Silver Arrows’ of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, with reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel 4th fastest in the Red Bull albeit over one second off of the pace set by Rosberg. With all three practice sessions now over, the teams and drivers will return to the Sepang International Circuit later in the day for the all-important qualifying hour to determine the grid for the 56-lap Malaysian Grand Prix.
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Nico Rosberg tops an intense final practice in Australia
Nico Rosberg has ended an intense third and final practice session fastest for Mercedes, ahead of Jenson Button in the McLaren and Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton was 4th in the second Mercedes, whereas Sebastian Vettel ended the session a lowly 12th as preparations ahead of qualifying intensified.
With dark clouds looming ominously overhead as the session officially got underway, Jean-Eric Vergne became the first driver to take to the track for Toro Rosso and was instantly followed out by a whole host of other drivers who were all eager to continue with their preparations. This included the casualties of Marcus Ericsson and Pastor Maldonado, who both endured extremely tough days on Friday. As the majority of the field completed at least one installation lap, Kimi Raikkonen remained stuck in his garage with an electrical issue plaguing his Ferrari. With a slight shake of the head from the 2007 World Champion, it was crystal clear that all was not well within the Scuderia.
Whilst the Ferrari mechanics busied themselves on rectifying Kimi Raikkonen’s car, Jean-Eric Vergne produced the first timed lap of the session. The Frenchman’s initial benchmark was quickly thwarted by the McLaren of Kevin Magnussen, who managed to produce a 01:33.130. However, the times soon began to tumble as more drivers elected to complete a timed lap, with reigning GP3 Champion Daniil Kvyat rising to the top with a 01:33.079, which the Russian driver managed to immediately improve upon with a 01:32.605. Despite taking a minor excursion through the gravel trap at Turns 9 and 10, a mistake also carried out by team-mate Kevin Magnussen earlier, Jenson Button stormed to the top for McLaren with a 01:32.604 as the session swung into motion.
Former McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton soon rose to the top for Mercedes, before the 2008 World Champion’s team-mate fully asserted himself at the sharp end of the order with a 01:31.736. Whilst Pastor Maldonado’s weekend failed to improve after a trip through the gravel at Turn 12, Sauber confirmed that Esteban Gutierrez’s session was over after the Swiss outfit were forced to carry out a gearbox change on the car. As Lewis Hamilton returned to the top for Mercedes with a 01:30.919, Nico Rosberg was seen bizarrely holding a piece of bodywork in his hand through Turns 9 and 10. The German then threw the bodywork in question, which was apparently an elbow protector, out of the car and continued circulating.
As the third and final practice session entered it’s halfway stage, Romain Grosjean frustratingly reported back to his mechanics that his car was misfiring, as the Enstone-based team’s weekend failed to improve. Sergio Perez became the next driver to leave the track after making a minor mistake at Turn 13, whilst Kimi Raikkonen did likewise several minutes later at Turn 8. Although Red Bull had endured a somewhat topsy-turvy start to the new season, Sebastian Vettel was certainly on the ball as he amusingly corrected his race engineer over the team radio as to which torque map he required. After failing to complete a lap throughout the session, Williams confirmed that Valtteri Bottas was to incur a five-place grid penalty due to a gearbox change, as even the Mercedes-powered cars began to discover mechanical gremlins.
Eventually Pirelli’s softer tyre compound began to by utilised, with Pastor Maldonado and Nico Hulkenberg becoming the first two drivers to switch to the softer rubber. However, it was Nico Rosberg who fully capitalised on the soft tyre compound, with the German storming to the top with a 01:29.375 whilst Romain Grosjean began to loose his temper with “nothing solved” on his car. Lewis Hamilton became the next driver to make a mistake at Turns 9 and 10, which ultimately prevented the Briton from thwarting his German team-mate at the top. As the session drew to a climactic conclusion, Pastor Maldonado parked his Lotus at Turn 15 to prematurely end his session, whereas Jenson Button once again ran wide at Turns 9 and 10.
The checkered flag was soon unfurled to signify the end of an enthralling third and final practice session, with Nico Rosberg topping the time sheets ahead of Jenson Button in the McLaren and Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton could only manage 4th fastest, whereas reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel ended the session way down in 12th. The 22 drivers will return to the Albert Park Circuit later in the day for the all-important qualifying hour, which could well be plagued by inclement weather conditions.
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Mark Webber fastest after treacherously wet final practice at Brazil
Mark Webber has managed to end the third and final practice session fastest at Sao Paulo, despite the treacherously wet weather conditions which continued to plague proceedings. The Australian ace end the session ahead of Romain Grosjean, with the second Lotus of Heikki Kovalainen 3rd.
After a Friday plagued with inclement weather conditions over Sao Paulo’s Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace circuit, the teams and drivers were once again greeted with heavy rainfall for the third and final practice session prior to the all-important qualifying hour later in the day. With standing water lurking all over the treacherous 4.309km circuit, the majority of the drivers were extremely cautious when they finally took to the track. Despite the weather, Esteban Gutierrez became the first driver to take to the track for Sauber, and was quickly followed by Jules Bianchi and Pastor Maldonado.
Whilst the majority of the field elected to only carry out installation laps as the session swung into motion, Esteban Gutierrez proceeded to splash around the circuit with a seven lap stint in his Ferrari-powered Sauber. The Mexican rookie initially produced a 01:34.837, before eventually working his way down to a 01:34.129. With the track conditions failing to improve as the session continued, only the odd installation lap occurred up and down the order as the majority of the drivers unsurprisingly elected to remain in the safe and dry confines of the pit-lane.
As the halfway stage of the third and final practice session occurred, Max Chilton eventually became the second driver to produce a timed lap behind Esteban Gutierrez. Meanwhile team-mate Jules Bianchi managed to storm to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:33.412, as more drivers eventually began to brave the Brazilian elements. Williams ace Valtteri Bottas was the next driver to rise to the top, after producing a 01:32.772. The Finnish rookie momentarily managed to improve a lap later, before World Champion Sebastian Vettel asserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:31.857.
With only several minutes remaining in the session, the rain eventually began to subside allowing as the track action intensified around the legendary circuit. Esteban Gutierrez managed to return to the top for Sauber with a 01:31.121, before Lewis Hamilton thwarted the Mexican rookie with an even quicker 01:29.980. Although the conditions were visibly improving around the track, both Marussia drivers’ of Max Chilton and Jules Bianchi still managed to run slightly wide at various points of the circuit. Meanwhile Mark Webber managed to catapult himself to the top with a stunning 01:27.891, with the Williams duo of Valtteri Bottas and Pastor Maldonado slotting into 2nd and 3rd behind the experienced Australian driver.
Due to the slightly improved weather conditions, many drivers began switching to Pirelli’s intermediate tyres during the closing minutes including Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez. The former managed to propel himself up into 2nd position behind Mark Webber, with team-mate Heikki Kovalainen slotting into 3rd position for Lotus. Despite the majority of the field electing to run the final few minutes on the intermediate tyres, Mark Webber’s benchmark remained unchallenged as the checkered flag emerged signaling the end of the session.
With the rain forecast to remain a strong threat for the remainder of the day, the all-important qualifying hour could well include several surprises as the drivers battle against the elements in their quest for pole. Can Sebastian Vettel remain dominant in the rain, or can Mark Webber end his career with yet another pole?
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Sebastian Vettel remains dominant after practice three at Abu Dhabi
Sebastian Vettel has remained dominant at the front after the third and final practice session ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, with the German ace ending the final hour of practice fastest ahead of team-mate Mark Webber. Lewis Hamilton ended the session as the best of the rest in 3rd, with team-mate Nico Rosberg 4th.
With only one hour of track time remaining for the drivers to prepare for the all-important qualifying hour, the third and final practice session of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend began with an immediate flurry of track action headed by the Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, with the Frenchman in particular eager to make up for his lost time during practice two yesterday. However, only several corners into his first installation lap around the Yas Marina Circuit the Frenchman was heard complaining over the team radio of vibrations still plaguing his machine.
Despite the instant flurry of track activity, many drivers up and down the order only completed one installation lap before then returning back to the pits. Eventually Charles Pic became the first driver to produce a timed lap for Caterham, after initially missing the apex of Turn 6. The Frenchman managed a 01:52.337, before then improving on his next lap with a 01:50.512. Giedo van der Garde then improved upon his team-mate’s benchmark with a 01:47.898, as more drivers began returning to the track to begin producing their first timed laps of the session.
As more drivers began producing timed laps, the disgruntled Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen rose to the top with a 01:45.026, as Max Chilton went about removing the bollard at Turn 1. Newly-crowned Champion Sebastian Vettel soon managed to assert his authority over the proceedings with a 01:44.117, as Adrian Sutil was heard describing his Force India machine as undriveable over the team radio. Meanwhile both Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen began trading fastest laps at the front, with the German eventually lowering the benchmark to a 01:43.795. The duo’s battle at the front was short-lived, however, as the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg soon stormed to the top with a 01:43.784.
Although Sebastian Vettel was momentarily able to return to the top in his Renault-powered RB9, Nico Rosberg was quick to better his fellow countryman’s time with a 01:43.465. Whilst qualifying preparations ensued up and down the paddock, Jules Bianchi’s was brought to a premature conclusion after the Frenchman spun at Turn 2 and lightly tapped the retaining tyre barrier. Despite the recovery operation by the marshals, the session remained under green flag conditions with double-waved yellow flags denoting the incident.
The many drivers soon returned to the Yas Marina Circuit sporting Pirelli’s soft tyre compound, as the qualifying simulations swung into full motion. This enabled Jenson Button to momentarily rise to the top for McLaren, with Nico Hulkenberg 2nd. However, the Briton’s reign was short-lived as former team-mate Lewis Hamilton soon rose to the top for Mercedes with a 01:41.580. As the times continued to tumble at the top, Sebastian Vettel soon silenced the opposition with a 01:41.351, which the German sensation managed to improve upon with a 01:41.349. Mark Webber slotted neatly into 2nd position behind his Red Bull team-mate, creating yet another 1-2 finish for the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
With all three practice sessions now over, the attention within the paddock will now switch to qualifying later in the day. Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull look utterly dominant out on track, however the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and even the Lotus of Romain Grosjean could well spark a surprise when the sun goes down the floodlights illuminate the Yas Marina Circuit.
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Vettel heads yet another Red Bull 1-2 in shortened final practice at India
Sebastian Vettel has headed yet another Red Bull 1-2 result during the third and final practice session ahead of the Indian Grand Prix, which was shortened by 20 minutes due to visibility issues. The duo were followed by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, with Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg a competitive 4th.
After a Friday dominated by Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull around New Delhi’s Buddh International Circuit, the teams and drivers returned to the track for the third and final practice session in a bid to finalize their preparations ahead of qualifying later in the day. However, the start of the third session was frustratingly delayed by several minutes after the heavy smog that had lingered over the track all weekend prevented the medical helicopter from safely operating. Eventually the session was started after a 20 minute delay, leaving only 40 minutes for the teams and drivers to complete their preparations before the all-important qualifying hour.
This led to a frenetic start to the third and final practice session, as the Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez eventually led out a long queue of awaiting drivers all naturally eager to return to the circuit. Whereas some drivers immediately returned to the confines of the pit-lane after an installation lap, others elected to complete timed laps. Esteban Gutierrez set the initial benchmark with a 01:30.709, before Mark Webber immediately rose to the top for Red Bull with a 01:27.879. The Ferrari duo of Felipe Massa and then Fernando Alonso then shot to the top of the timing sheets respectively, with the Spaniard producing a 01:27.792 to thwart his team-mate.
As the shortened session progressed, Mark Webber was quick to return to the top for Red Bull with an impressive 01:27.180. After a tough Friday around the Buddh International Circuit, McLaren’s Sergio Perez pushed beyond the limits as he missed the apex at Turn 7. However, the Mexican’s minor mistake failed to deter him from progressing during his next lap, as he stormed to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:27.136. Eventually reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel left the confines of the pit-lane to begin his preparations for the all-important qualifying hour, with Pirelli’s soft tyre compound bolted to his Red Bull RB9.
Although Fernando Alonso initially managed to return to the top with a 01:27.011, Sebastian Vettel was soon able to assert his authority over proceedings with a sensational 01:25.332 with Pirelli’s softer rubber at his disposal. The 26-year-old’s team-mate, Mark Webber, slotted into 2nd position as the final practice session neared its completion, therefore creating yet another Red Bull 1-2 at the top of the timing sheets. Whilst the Milton Keynes-based outfit dominated out on track, Nico Hulkenberg returned to the pits and ran over a mechanics foot in the process. Luckily no major injuries were caused, as Max Chilton spun out on track at Turn 6 but managed to continue.
As more drivers began switching to Pirelli’s softer tyre compound during the latter stages of the session, the times behind the Red Bull duo ebbed and flowed however no-one seemed capable of questioning their authority. Esteban Gutierrez was seen flying over the high kerbs at Turn 7 in his Sauber, with the entire front of his car raising into the air and crashing spectacularly back to the track without causing any damage. As the session entered its closing minutes, Lewis Hamilton was forced to run wide at Turn 12 after Romain Grosjean himself ran wide at Turn 11 and rejoined the track right in front of the former World Champion.
After a shortened session the checkered flag was soon unfurled signaling the end of the third and final practice session, with the Red Bull drivers’ of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber 1st and 2nd respectively. The duo were distantly followed by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, with Nico Hulkenberg continuing to impress in the Sauber in a strong 4th position. With all three practice sessions now completed, the teams and drivers will be frantically crunching the numbers before the all-important qualifying hour gets underway later in the day.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m25.332s 16 2. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m25.892s +0.560s 14 3. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m26.105s +0.773s 19 4. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m26.306s +0.974s 17 5. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m26.350s +1.018s 16 6. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m26.435s +1.103s 20 7. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m26.438s +1.106s 15 8. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m26.441s +1.109s 19 9. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m26.489s +1.157s 15 10. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m26.557s +1.225s 17 11. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m26.635s +1.303s 14 12. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m26.641s +1.309s 13 13. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m26.737s +1.405s 13 14. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m26.847s +1.515s 17 15. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m26.876s +1.544s 17 16. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m26.883s +1.551s 15 17. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m27.259s +1.927s 18 18. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m27.941s +2.609s 18 19. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m28.019s +2.687s 15 20. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m28.498s +3.166s 16 21. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m29.094s +3.762s 11 22. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m29.169s +3.837s 13
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Webber fastest in final practice as Vettel suffers KERS issue at Japan
Mark Webber has ended the third and final practice session fastest ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, after team-mate and reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel suffered from a KERS issue. The German driver failed to complete a qualifying simulation run, as Webber ended the session ahead of the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
After two incident-filled practice sessions on the Friday, the Formula 1 teams and drivers returned to the Suzuka circuit for the third and final practice session in a bid to finalize their preparations ahead of the all-important qualifying hour. Once again the iconic circuit was dry despite the threat of rain, with slight cloud cover in comparison to yesterday’s glorious sunshine. After heavy incidents during the opening day of the weekend both Sergio Perez and Jules Bianchi entered the session with extensive rebuilds, with the Mexican driver sporting a return to an older chassis.
Esteban Gutierrez was quick to become the first driver to take to the track when the session got underway, and was soon followed out by the likes of Jules Bianchi and Pastor Maldonado, both of whom were understandably eager to make up for lost time after their separate incidents on the Friday. Many drivers elected to complete installation laps during the opening minutes of the session, however the Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean continued to produce the opening timed laps of the session. The 2007 World Champion managed to set the initial benchmark with a 01:40.877, before team-mate Romain Grosjean thwarted him with an even quicker 01:36.187 despite cutting the final chicane.
The Lotus duo continued to trade fastest laps at the front during the opening minutes of the session, with Romain Grosjean eventually working his way down to a 01:33.232 despite making yet another mistake through the final chicane and running slightly wide. Max Chilton became the next driver to make a slight mistake through the final chicane, as more drivers gradually began taking to the track to begin their preparations ahead of the qualifying hour. Mark Webber soon rose to the top to bring an end to Romain Grosjean’s reign, with the Australian ace producing a 01:32.722.
As the final practice session the Japanese Grand Prix weekend continued, Nico Hulkenberg was forced to return to the pits with the German complaining of a potentially broken exhaust. The saw the Sauber mechanics begin work on the car to ascertain the issue, as Pastor Maldonado ran extensively wide at Turn 11 and off onto the grass. The Venezuelan driver managed to continue circulating despite his minor error, as Sebastian Vettel returned to the pits with a KERS failure on his RB9.
Meanwhile Romain Grosjean returned to the top for Lotus with a 01:32.707, with the Frenchman clearly improving with each passing minute behind the wheel of his Renault-powered machine. Whilst Lotus continued to take the fight to Red Bull at the top of the timing sheets, Lewis Hamilton ran slightly wide on the exit of Turn 9. This saw the Briton kick up excessive amounts of dirt, and quickly return to the pits for a floor inspection. Minor errors ensued as the session wore on up and down the paddock, as Romain Grosjean ran extensively wide at Turn 1 but was luckily able to avoid the barriers due to the tarmac run-off area.
Adrian Sutil’s qualifying preparations took a blow during the latter stages of the session, as the German lost control of the rear of his Force India on the exit of Turn 14 and spun into the retaining tyre barrier. The incident ripped off the front-wing of the Force India, and lightly damaged the rear-suspension. The stricken machine was efficiently retrieved by the Japanese marshals, as Adrian Sutil observed from the sidelines.
As the final practice session entered its final minutes, many drivers up and down the paddock began switching their attention to qualifying simulations on Pirelli’s P Zero medium tyre compound, with the Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean becoming the first to do so. Whilst the track action intensified during the final few minutes, Sebastian Vettel’s session was brought to a premature conclusion as the German’s KERS issues continued to plague his RB9. This forced his ever-efficient mechanics to remove both the exhaust and floor of Vettel’s car just to access the KERS battery in question. This will see the reigning World Champion enter the all-important qualifying hour without running a qualifying simulation on low fuel settings.
Whilst Sebastian Vettel changed out of his racing overalls, team-mate Mark Webber shot to the top of the timings sheets with a 01:32.053 as Romain Grosjean once again ran extensively wide at Turn 1. As many drivers began producing low-fuel laps, F1 rookie Valtteri Bottas was also spotted running wide at Turn 1. During the final minutes of the session, both Nico Rosberg and then Lewis Hamilton rose to 2nd position behind the Red Bull of Mark Webber. However, the Australian sensation managed to end the session fastest overall for Red Bull in what was another intriguing practice session around the Suzuka circuit.
Although Sebastian Vettel will enter the all-important qualifying hour with hardly any low-fuel running in his Renault-powered RB9, the ever-dominant German is still regarded by many as the man to beat ahead of the all-important qualifying hour. With all three practice sessions now complete, the teams and drivers will return to the track later in the day to battle for the coveted pole position for Sunday’s 53-lap race.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap Laps 1. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m32.053s 17 2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m32.187s +0.134s 18 3. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m32.355s +0.302s 18 4. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m32.707s +0.654s 26 5. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m32.800s +0.747s 14 6. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m32.815s +0.762s 14 7. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m32.869s +0.816s 17 8. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m32.946s +0.893s 25 9. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m33.036s +0.983s 8 10. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m33.076s +1.023s 12 11. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m33.158s +1.105s 15 12. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m33.260s +1.207s 15 13. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m33.490s +1.437s 16 14. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m33.638s +1.585s 17 15. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m33.660s +1.607s 19 16. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m33.732s +1.679s 15 17. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m33.955s +1.902s 18 18. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m34.773s +2.720s 8 19. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m35.473s +3.420s 20 20. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m35.518s +3.465s 18 21. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m35.844s +3.791s 16 22. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m39.378s +7.325s 20
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Sebastian Vettel returns to the top after final practice at Korea
Sebastian Vettel has managed to reassert his authority over proceedings at the top after the final practice session of the Korean Grand Prix, with the German sensation finishing ahead of team-mate Mark Webber to create a Red Bull 1-2. The duo were followed by the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg in 3rd, who in turn finished just ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton in 4th.
After the two practice sessions on Friday around the Korea International Circuit, the Formula 1 teams and drivers returned to the circuit to begin finalising their preparations for the all-important qualifying session later in the day with the final hour of practice. Once again the paddock was greeted with glorious sunshine overhead, with no signs of the typhoon threatening proceedings. As the session got underway, Max Chilton became the first driver to take to the circuit for Marussia and was quickly followed out by team-mate Jules Bianchi.
Despite many drivers electing to carry out traditional installation laps up and down the paddock, the Caterham duo of Charles Pic and Giedo van der Garde elected to produce early lap times with the Frenchman setting the initial benchmark with a 01:43.170. Charles Pic and Giedo van der Garde continued to improve throughout the early stages of the session, with the former remaining on top with a 01:42.730 before Giedo van der Garde rose to the top with a 01:42.383.
Whilst several more drivers returned to the Korea International Circuit after their initial installation laps, Lewis Hamilton was heard complaining of a vibration on the brake pedal as he circulated the track in his Mercedes. The 2008 World Champion eventually returned to the pits, before his mechanics busied themselves around his brakes to investigate the issue. Meanwhile the Force India of Adrian Sutil rose to the top with a 01:42.240, before Mark Webber thwarted the German’s momentary reign with an even quicker 01:39.330.
As the third and final practice session of the Korean Grand Prix weekend progressed, Jules Bianchi suffered a minor spin at Turn 9 as he pushed to the limit of his Cosworth-powered Marussia. The Frenchman luckily managed to avoid contact with the barriers, as Mark Webber continued to improve at the top with a 01:39.234. The Australian driver was soon thwarted by his team-mate of reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel, as he finally asserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:39.014. Mark Webber returned to the top for Red Bull with a 01:39.001 as preparations for the remainder of the weekend raged on, before improving once again with a 01:38.946.
Lewis Hamilton managed to rise to the top with a 01:38.860, despite his earlier brake issues on his Mercedes machine. Mark Webber soon became the first driver to opt for Pirelli’s super-soft tyre compound as the session entered its closing stages, with many drivers’ attentions turning to qualifying simulation runs throughout the latter half of the session. This unsurprisingly saw the Australian sensation return to the top for Red Bull with a 01:38.132, as a flurry of cars returned to the track all sporting the softer rubber. Mark Webber soon managed to improve behind the wheel of his Renault-powered RB9 with a 01:38.018, before reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel soon rose ahead of his team-mate with a scintillating 01:37.881.
Eventually the checkered flag emerged signaling the end of third and final practice session, with Sebastian Vettel atop the timing sheets once again with Friday pace-setter Lewis Hamilton in 4th position. The German sensation was followed by team-mate Mark Webber in 2nd position, with the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg 3rd and only just ahead of his British team-mate. Despite Lewis Hamilton’s promising pace during the two Friday practice sessions, Red Bull still appear to be the team to beat around the twists and turns of the Korea International Circuit as the teams continue to crunch the numbers before qualifying later in the day.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m37.881s 17 2. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m38.018s +0.137s 17 3. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m38.318s +0.437s 16 4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m38.332s +0.451s 15 5. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m38.486s +0.605s 13 6. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m38.701s +0.820s 19 7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m38.816s +0.935s 14 8. Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault 1m38.857s +0.976s 17 9. Nico Hülkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m38.961s +1.080s 16 10. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m39.114s +1.233s 14 11. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m39.128s +1.247s 15 12. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m39.196s +1.315s 16 13. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m39.204s +1.323s 17 14. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m39.274s +1.393s 15 15. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m39.327s +1.446s 17 16. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m39.371s +1.490s 19 17. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m39.665s +1.784s 15 18. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m40.128s +2.247s 17 19. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m41.360s +3.479s 19 20. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m41.614s +3.733s 20 21. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m41.646s +3.765s 14 22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m42.267s +4.386s 17
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Sebastian Vettel reigns supreme after final practice at Singapore
Sebastian Vettel has ended the third and final practice session of the Singapore Grand Prix fastest overall, continuing his dominance at the front of the grid. The German sensation was closely followed by the Frenchman of Romain Grosjean, with the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg 3rd fastest for the German marque.
After an intriguing opening day to the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, the teams and drivers returned to the Marina Bay Street Circuit late in the afternoon for the third and final practice session to begin finalising their preparations for the weekend ahead. With the sun beginning to set over the glorious street circuit, Esteban Gutierrez, Kimi Raikkonen and Daniel Ricciardo eventually became the first three drivers to take to the track once the session got underway.
The trio were quickly followed by the entire field, who once again completed installation laps to begin with. Charles Pic soon became the first driver to produce a timed lap during the early stages of the session, with the Frenchman setting a 01:52.954 as the initial benchmark. The other Caterham of Giedo van der Garde quickly thwarted his team-mate with a 01:52.134, before the Force India of Adrian Sutil stormed to the top with an even quicker 01:51.402. Charles Pic managed to match the German’s pace with an identical lap time, before Giedo van der Garde continued to lower the benchmark with a 01:50.792.
After their initial installation laps more drivers began returning to the Marina Bay Street Circuit, as the Force India duo of Adrian Sutil and then Paul di Resta ended Caterham’s reign with the latter producing a 01:49.572. The Scotsman managed to secure his best result of his career around the illuminated streets last season, with 4th behind Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. The times continued to tumble as the session continued, as both Valtteri Bottas, Pastor Maldonado and Daniel Ricciardo all rose to the top with the latter producing a 01:48.001 despite suffering from brake issues earlier in the session.
Whilst preparations for the all-important qualifying hour ensued up and down the paddock, Paul di Resta was lucky to avoid contact with the barrier after a minor spin. Mexican rookie Esteban Gutierrez was also seen struggling as the session progressed, with the Sauber driver extensively locking-up his brakes during the final sector. Meanwhile Nico Rosberg and then Romain Grosjean managed to rise to the top, with the Frenchman producing a 01:46.883 for Lotus. Although the 27-year-old managed to improve, Lewis Hamilton soon asserted his authority over proceedings with a competitive 01:46.514.
Mark Webber soon brought Lewis Hamilton’s reign to an end, with the Australian ace rising to the top after producing a 01:46.220 behind the wheel of his Renault-powered Red Bull. After Mark Webber’s rise to the top the track gradually began to fall silent, as many of the drivers returned to the pits before opting for Pirelli’s super-soft tyre compound. Eventually it was Romain Grosjean who became the first driver to elect for the softer rubber, and was almost instantly joined by the remainder of the field as the qualifying simulations got into full swing.
As the entire field returned to the track sporting Pirelli’s super-soft tyre compound, Romain Grosjean unsurprisingly became the first driver to improve with the Frenchman producing a 01:44.364. However, the 27-year-old’s pace was soon obliterated by reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel, who set a 01:44.173 to reassert his authority over proceedings at the top for Red Bull. The German ace remained fastest as the session drew to a conclusion, only just ahead of Romain Grosjean who will be striving to repeat his impressive pace in qualifying later in the evening.
Sebastian Vettel has won the last two Singapore Grands Prix, and will unquestionably be aiming to secure his 41st pole position when the paddock reconvenes for the all-important qualifying hour later in the evening around the illuminated Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m44.173s 15 2. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m44.364s + 0.191s 16 3. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m44.741s + 0.568s 18 4. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m44.906s + 0.733s 14 5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m44.921s + 0.748s 14 6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m44.257s + 0.084s 13 7. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m45.500s + 1.327s 12 8. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m45.876s + 1.703s 19 9. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m45.890s + 1.717s 13 10. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m45.935s + 1.762s 13 11. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m46.084s + 1.911s 15 12. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m46.147s + 1.974s 13 13. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m46.338s + 2.165s 17 14. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m46.358s + 2.185s 16 15. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m46.660s + 2.487s 17 16. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m46.879s + 2.706s 16 17. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m46.893s + 2.720s 13 18. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m47.249s + 3.076s 19 19. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m48.931s + 4.758s 17 20. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m49.037s + 4.864s 18 21. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m49.182s + 5.009s 21 22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m49.982s + 5.809s 20
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Sebastian Vettel remains uncatchable in final practice at Monza
Sebastian Vettel has remained practically uncatchable after the third and final practice session ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, after the German ace ended the session fastest overall ahead of Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari. The second Red Bull of Mark Webber was 3rd fastest, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes.
Once again the Formula 1 paddock was greeted with glorious sunshine over the legendary Autodromo di Monza, as preparations for the all-important qualifying hour began in earnest with the third and final practice session. Max Chilton once again became the first driver to take to the track for Marussia, and was instantly followed out by his team-mate of Jules Bianchi and the Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez. As ever the traditional installation laps were carried out up and down the paddock, with Red Bull ominously running copious amounts of flo-vis paint on both Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel’s cars’.
Eventually the Caterham duo of Charles Pic and Giedo van der Garde produced the first timed laps of the session, with the latter setting a 01:28.728 to rise ahead of his French team-mate. The Caterhams’ reign was quickly thwarted as other drivers took to the Italian circuit, with the McLaren of Sergio Perez rising steadily to the top with a 01:26.489. Paul di Resta momentarily managed to dislodge the Mexican sensation with a 01:26.230, before Sergio Perez stormed back to the top for the Woking-based outfit.
As Esteban Gutierrez made a minor mistake at Turn 1 and Sergio Perez did likewise at Turn 4, Kimi Raikkonen silently rose to the top for Lotus after producing a 01:25.871. Whilst the Finn asserted his authority over proceedings, former Italian Grand Prix race winner Lewis Hamilton continued to struggle behind the wheel of his Mercedes, completely cutting the second chicane after out-braking himself once again. Meanwhile the times at the top continued to tumble as the session progressed, with Esteban Gutierrez, Jean-Eric Vergne and then Kimi Raikkonen rising to the top with the latter producing a 01:25.514.
Reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel soon rose to the top for Red Bull, producing a 01:25.265 behind the wheel of his Renault-powered machine. The German ace continued to improve at the top, as Mark Webber slotted into 2nd position once again creating a Red Bull 1-2 at the top. Fernando Alonso soon managed to split the Milton Keynes-based duo with a 01:25.151 to go 2nd fastest, as Paul di Resta’s session was brought to a premature conclusion as the Scotsman ran straight on at the tricky Parabolica corner at lightly tapped the retaining barrier. As the stricken Force India was cleared, his team-mate of Adrian Sutil spun at Turn 8 and managed to continue.
As the final practice session progressed, Sebastian Vettel continued dominantly improving at the top, with the German eventually working his way down to a 01:24.511, as Jean-Eric Vergne’s tough morning continued as the Frenchman ran wide at Turns 8 and 9, skipping through the gravel trap. With only 15 minutes left in the session the track fell eerily silent, as all of the drivers returned to the pits to make minor alterations to their cars’ and opt for Pirelli’s medium tyre compound. During this momentary lull the McLaren mechanics elected to change Sergio Perez’s left rear suspension, before Jules Bianchi and Charles Pic became the first two drivers to return to the track with the medium tyre compound.
Despite the softer rubber, no-one was able to dislodge the Championship leader. Sebastian Vettel once again managed to improve on numerous occasions on the medium tyre, lowering the benchmark even further to a 01:24.360. Soon the checkered flag was unfurled, signaling the end of the third and final practice session. The German sensation remained unchallenged at the top, ahead of the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber. The teams’ and drivers’ will now frantically continue to prepare for the all-important qualifying hour later in the day, which will determine the grid for Sunday’s 53-lap race.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m24.360s 18 2. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m24.643s +0.283 13 3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m24.677s +0.317 22 4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m24.712s +0.352 17 5. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m24.864s +0.504 19 6. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m24.865s +0.505 19 7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m24.995s +0.635 14 8. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m25.103s +0.743 15 9. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m25.116s +0.756 20 10. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m25.120s +0.760 18 11. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m25.136s +0.776 16 12. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m25.273s +0.913 21 13. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m25.324s +0.964 22 14. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m25.499s +1.139 17 15. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m25.660s +1.300 21 16. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m25.702s +1.342 19 17. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m26.120s +1.760 11 18. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m26.607s +2.247 21 19. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m27.172s +2.812 20 20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m27.605s +3.245 18 21. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m27.665s +3.305 18 22. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m27.822s +3.462 5
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Sebastian Vettel Remains On The Pace In Final Practice At Germany
Sebastian Vettel has remained on the pace at the sharp-end of the order after the third and final practice session in preparation for the German Grand Prix, eventually obliterating the opposition to finish ahead of fellow countryman Nico Rosberg and team-mate Mark Webber.
The third and final practice session ahead of the German Grand Prix began in clear weather conditions at the legendary Nurburgring, with many drivers immediately taking to the iconic circuit in a bid to finalize their preparations for the remainder of the weekend. Former team-mates Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg led the field out of the pits as the session got underway, with many drivers electing to complete installation laps. Sergio Perez eventually became the first driver to set a timed lap, with the Mexican sensation producing a 01:34.382.
After working his way down to a 01:33.684, many other drivers began returning to the Nurburgring to set their own timed laps. This saw Jenson Button momentarily dispose of his team-mate with a 01:32.704, before the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg continued impressing at the top with a 01:31.911. As team-mate Lewis Hamilton made a minor mistake at Turn 2 on his quick lap, the local star proceeded to improve at the top with a 01:31.618.
The 28-year-old continued to improve, before fellow countryman and reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel asserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:31.294 as team-mate Mark Webber slotted into 2nd position. Meanwhile Pastor Maldonado skipped through the gravel at Turn 7, as the Venezuelan ace continued to struggle behind the wheel of his Renault-powered Williams machine.
After running the majority of the session on Pirelli’s medium tyres, Fernando Alonso became the first driver to switch to the Italian supplier’s softer tyre compound. The Spaniard was quickly followed by team-mate Felipe Massa, as many others began following the Ferrari duo’s trend in the final minutes of the third practice session. The two-time World Champion understandably improved at the top with a 01:30.621, with the assistance of the softer rubber. Felipe Massa slotted into 2nd position, with the Brazilian also managing to improve on the soft tyre compound.
However, the Scuderia’s reign over proceedings was quickly brought to a conclusion, as local driver Nico Rosberg returned Mercedes to the top with a 01:30.193. Lewis Hamilton failed to trouble the top of the timing sheets on the soft tyre, with the Briton still struggling in comparison to team-mate Nico Rosberg. Mark Webber looked on course to dispose of the 28-year-old, after producing the fastest first two sectors. However, a loss of time in the final sector saw the Australian driver only manage 2nd, as team-mate Sebastian Vettel finally took to the circuit on the soft tyre compound.
The local hero simply obliterated the opposition with his first run of the softer compound, producing the fastest time of the entire weekend so far with a 01:29.517. Sebastian Vettel continued to improve through the first sector on his next lap, however the German failed to improve overall as the checkered flag emerged signaling the end of the session. The reigning World Champion ended the session ahead of fellow countryman Nico Rosberg, with team-mate Mark Webber a distant 3rd.
With all three practice sessions now over, the teams and drivers will be frantically crunching the numbers in preparation for qualifying later in the day. Sebastian Vettel looks incredibly strong in his Red Bull, however Nico Rosberg can never be discounted from contention in the ever-improving Mercedes.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m29.517s 19 2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m30.193s +0.676s 19 3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m30.211s +0.694s 18 4. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m30.621s +1.104s 16 5. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m30.639s +1.122s 17 6. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m30.671s +1.154s 19 7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m30.744s +1.227s 20 8. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m30.781s +1.264s 18 9. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m30.966s +1.449s 20 10. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m31.009s +1.492s 18 11. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m31.326s +1.809s 22 12. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m31.405s +1.888s 20 13. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m31.733s +2.216s 21 14. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m31.855s +2.338s 18 15. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m31.855s +2.338s 23 16. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m31.898s +2.381s 19 17. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m31.969s +2.452s 20 18. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m32.036s +2.519s 23 19. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m33.230s +3.713s 19 20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m33.470s +3.953s 22 21. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m33.964s +4.447s 21 22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m34.683s +5.166s 20
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