the flyin' scotsman

Practice 1:

SV leads by 1/2 sec followed by MW then the McLarens..............FA blew up an apparent high mileage engine.

A.Wayne

Then why did they not arrest him in 2007 ..............



Vettel leads Webber in opening practice


By Steven English Friday, November 5th 2010, 13:32 GMT

Sebastian Vettel lapped quickest as Red Bull set the pace in the opening free practice session of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.

More than half of the session had passed by the time the front runners ventured out for some meaningful track time, and once they were going Vettel and Webber led quite comfortably.

Vettel, Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton were the only drivers to break into the 1m12s, though the latter two were half a second away from the German's pace.

Ferrari was well off the pace, so the McLarens of Hamilton and Jenson Button filled third and fourth spots. Hamilton spent much of the session sampling different front wing set-ups, while Button pledged to gamble at any opportunity due to his slim title chances and had his rear wing changed during the 90 minutes.

Robert Kubica and Nico Rosberg were once again the best of the rest in fifth and sixth, with the session's early pace setters Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher seventh and eighth. The Saubers of Nick Heidfeld and Kamui Kobayashi rounded out the top 10, though the Japanese finished the session in the wall after spinning on his last lap.

Behind Nico Hulkenberg's Williams, championship leader Fernando Alonso was only 12th with Ferrari apparently electing to take it easy this early in the weekend.

Alonso parked his car out on track in the final minute of the session due to concerns over the engine, though the team had already stated that it will change the engine in his car before this afternoon's FP2.

Home hero Felipe Massa was one of the first front runners to go out, but he scurried back to the pits to try to chase understeer out of his car and never really got up to speed after that - ending up behind his team-mate in 14th.

Vitaly Petrov's best time left him 15th but, like Kobayashi, his practice ended in the wall at the Ferradura right hander after spinning off.

Jarno Trulli's Lotus was the quickest of the new teams, quarter of a second ahead of Timo Glock. Jerome D'Ambrosio was 22nd in the second Virgin, while Christian Klien - in at HRT for Sakon Yamamoto - was half a second faster than Bruno Senna.

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:12.328 23
2. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:12.810 + 0.482 27
3. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:12.845 + 0.517 24
4. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:13.267 + 0.939 23
5. Kubica Renault 1:13.370 + 1.042 23
6. Rosberg Mercedes 1:13.516 + 1.188 25
7. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:13.546 + 1.218 25
8. Schumacher Mercedes 1:13.643 + 1.315 24
9. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:13.918 + 1.590 25
10. Heidfeld Sauber-Ferrari 1:14.000 + 1.672 22
11. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:14.004 + 1.676 23
12. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:14.155 + 1.827 28
13. Alonso Ferrari 1:14.246 + 1.918 20
14. Massa Ferrari 1:14.267 + 1.939 25
15. Petrov Renault 1:14.370 + 2.042 23
16. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:14.487 + 2.159 25
17. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:14.618 + 2.290 29
18. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:14.734 + 2.406 28
19. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:15.603 + 3.275 24
20. Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:15.860 + 3.532 20
21. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:16.057 + 3.729 25
22. d'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1:16.707 + 4.379 27
23. Klien HRT-Cosworth 1:16.839 + 4.511 18
24. Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:17.360 + 5.032 29

All Timing Unofficial

TwentySix

Thursday press conference Massa

When quizzed over the possibility of aiding his team-mate’s run to the crown, as he has done in the past with Kimi Räikkönen, Massa replied: “I have already, no? I did in 2007, don't you remember? I’m a professional driver.

“But, for sure, it’s always important when you can be taking points away from other drivers who are fighting for the championship. He (Alonso) is first in the championship, so for sure he can do it and the focus is to win the championship.

“If he wins here, it’s good for the team, but the focus is that he can win the championship.”

TwentySix

‘Vettel is Red Bull’s number one’ – Webber
5 November 2010

Mark Webber has rekindled word surrounding team orders at Red Bull by claiming that it is ‘obvious’ that the Milton Keynes-based team supports team-mate Sebastian Vettel over himself, despite the squad having continued to insist that both drivers are treated equally.

Red Bull tension was first seen at the Turkish Grand Prix earlier this year, with the cars having collided and lost what looked to be a 1-2 result for the team. More controversy followed at Silverstone, with Vettel having been given Webber’s newer front wing prior to qualifying, with this being followed by the Australian’s ‘Not bad for a number two driver’ comment after winning Sunday’s race.

“It's obvious, isn't it?” Webber said in Brazil. “Of course, when young and new chargers come onto the block that's where the emotion is…that's the way it is, which is absolutely fine because I've had a great opportunity and a great car to go and do some great things this year.

“I've got favourites in life, I've got people I like to be with and that's how it is. It's just human nature.” With Mark being Fernando Alonso’s closest challenger in the title battle this weekend and Vettel sitting 25 points in arrears of the Spaniard’s lead, many onlookers argue that Red Bull should now back Webber.

“It's certainly not my decision - you'd need to ask the people who run the team,” Webber continued.” Asked if he would be willing to support Vettel, were the positions reversed, the Queanbeyan man answered: “It's a tough question and a tough situation, knowing how you would do things.”

Larry Herman

Because everyone likes Kimi?

Alonso, not so much.

A.Wayne

Yeah .. Even the Finn has amnesia when it comes to Kimi's 2007 bailout ....

TwentySix

Well, it's been an interesting season no matter who you are pulling for anything can happen, this season coming down to 5 guys, 2 races from the end of the championship has been fun to watch. Waiting for practice on Speed, nice to be in the right time zone for a change

the flyin' scotsman

Is the pressure getting to Webber? Is he out of RB next year?

If the comments he made as stated in ITV and Planet F1 sites are accurate he's not increasing his support base within the team.

A.Wayne

Still waiting for Lewis to throw around his "kablamoo" wand ....

TwentySix

Hearing Vettel say stuff like this probably doesn't help, either... I think he has a year left on his contract?

Vettel not giving up title dream

But an engine failure brought his race to an abrupt halt and handed the initiative in the title race to the grateful Ferrari driver, leaving Vettel fourth in the standings behind Alonso, Webber and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton. "It was such a hard moment," stated Vettel. "With Mark's crash it was hard for us as a team, but when I look at myself I know the reason for the failure was not my fault, it was nothing to do with my performance or speed.

A.Wayne

Webber has no future at RB , he is 2 fast and a threat to Vettel , as he was for Rosberg when he was at Williams .....


Sad.....

TwentySix

Since Vettel is the superstar to emerge from their driver search, they have a soft spot for him... I agree and think that this is as good as it will get for Mark Webber, unless he wins WDC. Who else came out of the Red Bull Driver Search? Danny Sullivan, U.S. director of the program, 2 time driver steward, including Germany?

A.Wayne

Vettel, Webber stay on top in Brazil



By Steven English Friday, November 5th 2010, 17:33 GMT

Red Bull continued its dominance of Friday's running at Interlagos, with Sebastian Vettel quickest again in second practice.

Vettel and team-mate Mark Webber had the edge over their McLaren and Ferrari rivals all the way through, but extended their advantage once everyone switched to give the super soft tyres a try.

While Webber was the quicker of the two earlier in the 90-minute session, Vettel found an extra tenth on his quickest lap on the softer compound tyre and dipped into the 1m11s.

Webber was quarter of a second clear of championship leader Fernando Alonso, who was at least back at the sharp end of the time sheet following his engine problem in FP1.

Lewis Hamilton pronounced himself happy with the modifications McLaren has made to its floor and set the fourth quickest time, while team-mate Jenson Button was still complaining of a lack of rear grip and could only manage seventh.

Felipe Massa set the fifth quickest time as both Ferraris vastly improved on their morning's pace, but the Brazilian's session ended half an hour early when he reported a problem with the clutch and stopped on the back straight.

Robert Kubica was sixth, with Nick Heidfeld, Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher completing the top 10 behind Button.

Jarno Trulli was fastest of the new cars again in 19th, just four tenths slower than Alguersuari's Toro Rosso. Lucas di Grassi was 21st after reclaiming his car from Jerome D'Ambrosio, while Bruno Senna this time pipped Christian Klien to 22nd - both HRTs beating Timo Glock.

The track was packed in the closing minutes with all 24 cars on track at once. Michael Schumacher and Alguersuari touched as they turned into Turn 1 together, Kamui Kobayashi survived a scare as dart almost lost control darting out of Heikki Kovalainen's Lotus and Alguersuari then spun on his way back to the pits.



Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:11.968 28
2. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:12.072 + 0.104 34
3. Alonso Ferrari 1:12.328 + 0.360 36
4. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:12.656 + 0.688 33
5. Massa Ferrari 1:12.677 + 0.709 19
6. Kubica Renault 1:12.882 + 0.914 37
7. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:13.206 + 1.238 33
8. Heidfeld Sauber-Ferrari 1:13.222 + 1.254 40
9. Rosberg Mercedes 1:13.333 + 1.365 34
10. Schumacher Mercedes 1:13.346 + 1.378 36
11. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:13.520 + 1.552 37
12. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:13.610 + 1.642 41
13. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:13.725 + 1.757 39
14. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:13.741 + 1.773 32
15. Petrov Renault 1:13.818 + 1.850 26
16. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:14.045 + 2.077 37
17. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:14.304 + 2.336 33
18. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:14.578 + 2.610 37
19. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:14.984 + 3.016 47
20. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:15.101 + 3.133 43
21. di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:15.433 + 3.465 35
22. Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:16.070 + 4.102 42
23. Klien HRT-Cosworth 1:16.082 + 4.114 38
24. Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:16.150 + 4.182 35

All Timing Unofficial

Nizer

It'll be interesting to see how teams handle the weather for qualifying and race set-up. Currently forecasting 90% probability of precipitation for qualifying and zero precipitation for race day (although this is Sao Paulo so the forecast will likely change a half dozen times by race day).

RajDatta

You mean, you and a few others on rennlist? C'mon, you guys barely comprise "everyone".