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Vettel fastest in practice for Brazilian GP
Source: Agencies |
November 6, 2010, Saturday
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RED Bull set the pace in the first day of practice for the Brazilian Grand Prix, with Sebastian Vettel leading teammate Mark Webber yesterday.
Championship leader Fernando Alonso was third, followed by Lewis Hamilton of McLaren.
Vettel clocked 1 minute, 11.968 seconds after two practice sessions at the 4.3-kilometer (2.6-mile) Interlagos track, 0.104 ahead of Webber and 0.360 in front of Alonso. Hamilton was 0.688 behind the fastest time.
Five drivers remain in contention for the title - Alonso, Webber, Hamilton, Vettel and Jenson Button of McLaren. Alonso has an 11-point lead over Webber and can clinch his third F1 title at the Brazilian GP. The season finale is on Nov. 14 in Abu Dhabi.
"Overall we can be confident going into the weekend," Alonso said. "It's difficult to evaluate with the Friday times, but at the end Red Bull is still very competitive. Behind them I think we can fight with McLaren, we'll see. It's important to be as close as possible."
Red Bull seems to be a step ahead of the rest of the field, as it has been in nearly every race this year even though it has struggled to capitalize on its chances during the races.
"We're pretty quick and the car works well in all conditions, so we should be set for a good result," Webber said.
Vettel also had been the fastest in the first practice, ahead of Webber, Hamilton and Button.
"It's a good start, the car feels all right," Vettel said. "I'm not 100 percent happy with the balance and think we can improve it, but it's looking OK."
Alonso had been only 13th in the morning session and had an engine failure just before time expired. He was using an older engine and Ferrari said it was already planning to make a change in his car for the rest of the weekend.
The team has been trying to save power because Alonso used his last new engine back at the Italian GP in September and he won't be able to switch into a new unit without losing 10 starting positions.
"We should be OK," the Spaniard said. "Everything is still according to plan."
Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa was only the 14th fastest in the morning but improved to fifth in the second session in front of his home crowd, 0.709 behind Vettel.
He wasn't able to finish the session, however, because of a clutch problem, making him stop by the track with about 30 minutes left. Massa, who is on his ninth engine, had nearly crashed after going off the track exiting the back straight.
"The engine is not a problem," Massa said. "It was a clutch failure."
The Red Bulls have been ahead in practice and qualifying throughout the year but several driver mistakes and mechanical failures have cost them victories. Vettel has been on pole position nine times but won only three races, while Webber has started up front five times and won four races.
"At the moment we are still a good half a second off the pace of the Red Bulls," Hamilton said. "I'm getting everything I can out of the car, but when you have such a big gap, those guys can relax just a bit more."
Rain is in the forecast for qualifying today, which could take some of the advantage off the Red Bulls.
Alonso can lift the trophy if he wins tomorrow's race and Webber finishes fifth or worse. The Spaniard can also clinch the title if he finishes second and Webber places eighth or worse, Hamilton is fourth or worse, and Vettel is second or worse.
Both practice sessions took place under clear skies and high temperatures in South America's biggest city.
Renault driver Vitaly Petrov skidded off the track and crashed into the tire barriers outside Turn 6 near the end of the first session, and Jaime Alguersuari of Toro Rosso and Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber also went off the track. Nico Rosberg of Mercedes went wide in the second session, and seven-time champion Michael Schumacher - the 10th fastest in the day - later touched wheels with another driver while making a pass but was able to continue.
It was at Interlagos that Alonso won his first two titles, in 2005 and '06, with Renault. He is debuting with Ferrari after a brief stint with McLaren and two seasons with Renault before replacing Kimi Raikkonen in the Italian team.
Championship leader Fernando Alonso was third, followed by Lewis Hamilton of McLaren.
Vettel clocked 1 minute, 11.968 seconds after two practice sessions at the 4.3-kilometer (2.6-mile) Interlagos track, 0.104 ahead of Webber and 0.360 in front of Alonso. Hamilton was 0.688 behind the fastest time.
Five drivers remain in contention for the title - Alonso, Webber, Hamilton, Vettel and Jenson Button of McLaren. Alonso has an 11-point lead over Webber and can clinch his third F1 title at the Brazilian GP. The season finale is on Nov. 14 in Abu Dhabi.
"Overall we can be confident going into the weekend," Alonso said. "It's difficult to evaluate with the Friday times, but at the end Red Bull is still very competitive. Behind them I think we can fight with McLaren, we'll see. It's important to be as close as possible."
Red Bull seems to be a step ahead of the rest of the field, as it has been in nearly every race this year even though it has struggled to capitalize on its chances during the races.
"We're pretty quick and the car works well in all conditions, so we should be set for a good result," Webber said.
Vettel also had been the fastest in the first practice, ahead of Webber, Hamilton and Button.
"It's a good start, the car feels all right," Vettel said. "I'm not 100 percent happy with the balance and think we can improve it, but it's looking OK."
Alonso had been only 13th in the morning session and had an engine failure just before time expired. He was using an older engine and Ferrari said it was already planning to make a change in his car for the rest of the weekend.
The team has been trying to save power because Alonso used his last new engine back at the Italian GP in September and he won't be able to switch into a new unit without losing 10 starting positions.
"We should be OK," the Spaniard said. "Everything is still according to plan."
Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa was only the 14th fastest in the morning but improved to fifth in the second session in front of his home crowd, 0.709 behind Vettel.
He wasn't able to finish the session, however, because of a clutch problem, making him stop by the track with about 30 minutes left. Massa, who is on his ninth engine, had nearly crashed after going off the track exiting the back straight.
"The engine is not a problem," Massa said. "It was a clutch failure."
The Red Bulls have been ahead in practice and qualifying throughout the year but several driver mistakes and mechanical failures have cost them victories. Vettel has been on pole position nine times but won only three races, while Webber has started up front five times and won four races.
"At the moment we are still a good half a second off the pace of the Red Bulls," Hamilton said. "I'm getting everything I can out of the car, but when you have such a big gap, those guys can relax just a bit more."
Rain is in the forecast for qualifying today, which could take some of the advantage off the Red Bulls.
Alonso can lift the trophy if he wins tomorrow's race and Webber finishes fifth or worse. The Spaniard can also clinch the title if he finishes second and Webber places eighth or worse, Hamilton is fourth or worse, and Vettel is second or worse.
Both practice sessions took place under clear skies and high temperatures in South America's biggest city.
Renault driver Vitaly Petrov skidded off the track and crashed into the tire barriers outside Turn 6 near the end of the first session, and Jaime Alguersuari of Toro Rosso and Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber also went off the track. Nico Rosberg of Mercedes went wide in the second session, and seven-time champion Michael Schumacher - the 10th fastest in the day - later touched wheels with another driver while making a pass but was able to continue.
It was at Interlagos that Alonso won his first two titles, in 2005 and '06, with Renault. He is debuting with Ferrari after a brief stint with McLaren and two seasons with Renault before replacing Kimi Raikkonen in the Italian team.
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