Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso claimed since the beginning of the season that the F10 is quite a good car. He proved it Friday afternoon by setting the fastest lap around the Hockenheimring in preparation for the Grand Prix of Germany.
The first free practice session was held on a wet track. There was drama when Lewis Hamilton crashed his McLaren towards the end of the session. His mechanics spent the following hours repairing the car, and Hamilton returned in action late in the afternoon session.
The tricky conditions also caused many drivers to spin or run off the German track.
Adrian Sutil of Force India emerged quickest in the grueling conditions, beating Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, McLaren’s Jenson Button and Williams’ Rubens Barrichello.
The afternoon session was largely held on dry pavement. Alonso set the pace, but saw his time beaten by Mark Webber of the Red Bull team.
Shortly after, Alonso regained first place. Webber’s teammate, local hero Sebastian Vettel, tried hard to beat Alonso’s time but failed to do so.
Massa had a good run to finish the day in third place head of Webber and Nico Rosberg who was forced to pit after he damaged the front wing of his Mercedes on the high kerbs of the Hockenheimring.
Michael Schumacher, finally racing in front of his fans, set the 6th fastest time ahead of Lewis Hamilton who sat out during 74 minutes of the session, waiting for this MP4-25 to be fixed.
Hamilton’s teammate, World Champion leader Jenson Button, was 15th, having performed a very long run in race trim.
Another German, Timo Glock, was quickest of the drivers of the new teams. The Virgin Racing driver was 19th in front of Jarno Trulli of Lotus.
German Grand Prix, Friday morning free practice session
1 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'25"701 - 20 laps
2 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F10) - 1'26"850 - 27
3 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'26"936 - 15
4 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'26"947 - 21
5 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R30) - 1'26"948 - 21
6 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'27"448 - 20
7 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 1'28"114 - 31
8 - Nico Hulkenberg (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'28"193 - 24
9 - Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'28"300 - 19
10 - Pedro De La Rosa (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'28"486 - 23
11 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'28"735 - 21
12 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 1'28"735 - 21
13 - Robert Kubica (Renault R30) - 1'28"903 - 20
14 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'29"048 - 13
15 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'29"280 - 17
16 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR5-Cosworth) - 1'29"366 - 34
17 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'29"429 - 8
18 - Lucas Di Grassi (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 1'29"500 - 19
19 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F10) - 1'29"684 - 15
20 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'29"690 - 17
21 - Fairuz Fauzy (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'30"938 - 27
22 - Bruno Senna (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'31"720 - 23
23 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'32"450 - 13
24 - Sakon Yamamoto (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'32"791 - 26
German Grand Prix, Friday afternoon free practice session
1. Alonso Ferrari 1:16.265 35 laps
2. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:16.294 26
3. Massa Ferrari 1:16.438 37
4. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:16.585 40
5. Rosberg Mercedes 1:16.827 32
6. Schumacher Mercedes 1:16.971 20
7. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.004 10
8. Kubica Renault 1:17.009 37
9. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:17.056 37
10. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:17.204 44
11. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:17.336 44
12. Petrov Renault 1:17.547 35
13. de la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari 1:17.573 39
14. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:17.701 38
15. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.739 36
16. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:17.871 33
17. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:18.147 45
18. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:19.327 48
19. Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:19.553 30
20. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:20.008 34
21. di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:20.106 31
22. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:20.377 37
23. Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:21.988 37
24. Yamamoto HRT-Cosworth 1:23.066 37
Unofficial timing
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| The damaged McLaren of Lewis Hamilton. (Photo: WRI2) |
The first free practice session was held on a wet track. There was drama when Lewis Hamilton crashed his McLaren towards the end of the session. His mechanics spent the following hours repairing the car, and Hamilton returned in action late in the afternoon session.
The tricky conditions also caused many drivers to spin or run off the German track.
Adrian Sutil of Force India emerged quickest in the grueling conditions, beating Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, McLaren’s Jenson Button and Williams’ Rubens Barrichello.
 |
| Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull in the pit lane. (Photo: WRI2) |
The afternoon session was largely held on dry pavement. Alonso set the pace, but saw his time beaten by Mark Webber of the Red Bull team.
Shortly after, Alonso regained first place. Webber’s teammate, local hero Sebastian Vettel, tried hard to beat Alonso’s time but failed to do so.
Massa had a good run to finish the day in third place head of Webber and Nico Rosberg who was forced to pit after he damaged the front wing of his Mercedes on the high kerbs of the Hockenheimring.
Michael Schumacher, finally racing in front of his fans, set the 6th fastest time ahead of Lewis Hamilton who sat out during 74 minutes of the session, waiting for this MP4-25 to be fixed.
Hamilton’s teammate, World Champion leader Jenson Button, was 15th, having performed a very long run in race trim.
Another German, Timo Glock, was quickest of the drivers of the new teams. The Virgin Racing driver was 19th in front of Jarno Trulli of Lotus.
German Grand Prix, Friday morning free practice session
1 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'25"701 - 20 laps
2 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F10) - 1'26"850 - 27
3 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'26"936 - 15
4 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'26"947 - 21
5 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R30) - 1'26"948 - 21
6 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'27"448 - 20
7 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 1'28"114 - 31
8 - Nico Hulkenberg (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'28"193 - 24
9 - Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'28"300 - 19
10 - Pedro De La Rosa (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'28"486 - 23
11 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'28"735 - 21
12 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 1'28"735 - 21
13 - Robert Kubica (Renault R30) - 1'28"903 - 20
14 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'29"048 - 13
15 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'29"280 - 17
16 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR5-Cosworth) - 1'29"366 - 34
17 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'29"429 - 8
18 - Lucas Di Grassi (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 1'29"500 - 19
19 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F10) - 1'29"684 - 15
20 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'29"690 - 17
21 - Fairuz Fauzy (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'30"938 - 27
22 - Bruno Senna (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'31"720 - 23
23 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'32"450 - 13
24 - Sakon Yamamoto (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'32"791 - 26
German Grand Prix, Friday afternoon free practice session
1. Alonso Ferrari 1:16.265 35 laps
2. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:16.294 26
3. Massa Ferrari 1:16.438 37
4. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:16.585 40
5. Rosberg Mercedes 1:16.827 32
6. Schumacher Mercedes 1:16.971 20
7. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.004 10
8. Kubica Renault 1:17.009 37
9. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:17.056 37
10. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:17.204 44
11. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:17.336 44
12. Petrov Renault 1:17.547 35
13. de la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari 1:17.573 39
14. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:17.701 38
15. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.739 36
16. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:17.871 33
17. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:18.147 45
18. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:19.327 48
19. Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:19.553 30
20. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:20.008 34
21. di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:20.106 31
22. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:20.377 37
23. Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:21.988 37
24. Yamamoto HRT-Cosworth 1:23.066 37
Unofficial timing