McLaren-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton caused a major surprise in setting the fastest time of the two free practice sessions held at the Nurburging in preparation for the Grand Prix of Germany.
During the morning session, Australian Mark Webber was quickest in his Renault-powered Red Bull, beating Jenson Button of Brawn GP, Felipe Massa of Ferrari and Jarno Trulli in his Toyota.
Giancarlo Fisichella was impressive at the wheel of the humble Force India, setting the 5th time. Webber’s Red Bull was shod on Medium Bridgestone tires.
As it was the case in the morning, a brief shower damped the track just before the start of the second practice session. Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Button were both quick until Lewis Hamilton planted his McLaren in first place. All three cars ran on Bridgestone’s Super Soft tires.
Fourth was Webber, ahead of Trulli, Adrian Sutil (showing again the good form of the Force Indias) and Rubens Barrichello for Brawn GP.
Sutil’s teammate Fisichella lost control of his car and hit the barriers early in the session.
It was again a catastrophic day for the Scuderia Ferrari. Massa was quick in the morning but he dropped down to 12th in the afternoon while Kimi Raikkonen was 16th.
Much of the same for BMW-Sauber as Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica ranked similar places in both sessions, respectively 11th and 14th.
By the way, the air temperature was just 11 degrees C!
Friday morning, first free practice session*
1 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'33"082 - 19 laps
2 - Jenson Button (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'33"463 - 18
3 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F60) - 1'33"745 - 21
4 - Jarno Trulli (Toyota TF109) - 1'33"795 - 23
5 - Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'33"839 - 26
6 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F60) - 1'33"840 - 23
7 - Nico Rosberg (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'33"902 - 26
8 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'33"909 - 13
9 - Kazuki Nakajima (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'33"952 - 25
10 - Fernando Alonso (Renault R29) - 1'34"148 - 16
11 - Nick Heidfeld (BMW F1.09) - 1'34"221 - 25
12 - Rubens Barrichello (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'34"227 - 17
13 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'34"483 - 14
14 - Robert Kubica (BMW F1.09) - 1'34"694 - 23
15 - Nelson Piquet (Renault R29) - 1'34"738 - 24
16 - Sébastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'34"827 - 27
17 - Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'34"878 - 28
18 - Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'34"893 - 26
19 - Timo Glock (Toyota TF109) - 1'34"911 - 23
20 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'35"092 – 6
Friday afternoon, second free practice session*
1 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'32"149 – 23 laps
2 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'32"331 - 31
3 - Jenson Button (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'32"369 - 32
4 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'32"480 - 28
5 - Jarno Trulli (Toyota TF109) - 1'32"511 - 32
6 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'32"585 - 32
7 - Rubens Barrichello (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'32"664 - 26
8 - Fernando Alonso (Renault R29) - 1'32"774 - 24
9 - Kazuki Nakajima (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'32"872 - 32
10 - Nelson Piquet (Renault R29) - 1'32"992 - 29
11 - Nick Heidfeld (BMW F1.09) - 1'33"012 - 36
12 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F60) - 1'33"052 - 34
13 - Nico Rosberg (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'33"128 - 34
14 - Robert Kubica (BMW F1.09) - 1'33"161 - 28
15 - Timo Glock (Toyota TF109) - 1'33"172 - 34
16 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F60) - 1'33"182 - 29
17 - Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'33"724 - 27
18 - Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'33"903 - 30
19 - Sébastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'34"025 - 30
20 - Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'38"877 - 3
*Unofficial timing
photo:McLaren
During the morning session, Australian Mark Webber was quickest in his Renault-powered Red Bull, beating Jenson Button of Brawn GP, Felipe Massa of Ferrari and Jarno Trulli in his Toyota.
Giancarlo Fisichella was impressive at the wheel of the humble Force India, setting the 5th time. Webber’s Red Bull was shod on Medium Bridgestone tires.
As it was the case in the morning, a brief shower damped the track just before the start of the second practice session. Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Button were both quick until Lewis Hamilton planted his McLaren in first place. All three cars ran on Bridgestone’s Super Soft tires.
Fourth was Webber, ahead of Trulli, Adrian Sutil (showing again the good form of the Force Indias) and Rubens Barrichello for Brawn GP.
Sutil’s teammate Fisichella lost control of his car and hit the barriers early in the session.
It was again a catastrophic day for the Scuderia Ferrari. Massa was quick in the morning but he dropped down to 12th in the afternoon while Kimi Raikkonen was 16th.
Much of the same for BMW-Sauber as Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica ranked similar places in both sessions, respectively 11th and 14th.
By the way, the air temperature was just 11 degrees C!
Friday morning, first free practice session*
1 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'33"082 - 19 laps
2 - Jenson Button (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'33"463 - 18
3 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F60) - 1'33"745 - 21
4 - Jarno Trulli (Toyota TF109) - 1'33"795 - 23
5 - Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'33"839 - 26
6 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F60) - 1'33"840 - 23
7 - Nico Rosberg (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'33"902 - 26
8 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'33"909 - 13
9 - Kazuki Nakajima (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'33"952 - 25
10 - Fernando Alonso (Renault R29) - 1'34"148 - 16
11 - Nick Heidfeld (BMW F1.09) - 1'34"221 - 25
12 - Rubens Barrichello (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'34"227 - 17
13 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'34"483 - 14
14 - Robert Kubica (BMW F1.09) - 1'34"694 - 23
15 - Nelson Piquet (Renault R29) - 1'34"738 - 24
16 - Sébastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'34"827 - 27
17 - Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'34"878 - 28
18 - Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'34"893 - 26
19 - Timo Glock (Toyota TF109) - 1'34"911 - 23
20 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'35"092 – 6
Friday afternoon, second free practice session*
1 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'32"149 – 23 laps
2 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'32"331 - 31
3 - Jenson Button (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'32"369 - 32
4 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB5-Renault) - 1'32"480 - 28
5 - Jarno Trulli (Toyota TF109) - 1'32"511 - 32
6 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'32"585 - 32
7 - Rubens Barrichello (Brawn BGP001-Mercedes) - 1'32"664 - 26
8 - Fernando Alonso (Renault R29) - 1'32"774 - 24
9 - Kazuki Nakajima (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'32"872 - 32
10 - Nelson Piquet (Renault R29) - 1'32"992 - 29
11 - Nick Heidfeld (BMW F1.09) - 1'33"012 - 36
12 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F60) - 1'33"052 - 34
13 - Nico Rosberg (Williams FW31-Toyota) - 1'33"128 - 34
14 - Robert Kubica (BMW F1.09) - 1'33"161 - 28
15 - Timo Glock (Toyota TF109) - 1'33"172 - 34
16 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F60) - 1'33"182 - 29
17 - Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren MP4/24-Mercedes) - 1'33"724 - 27
18 - Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'33"903 - 30
19 - Sébastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso STR4-Ferrari) - 1'34"025 - 30
20 - Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India VJM02-Mercedes) - 1'38"877 - 3
*Unofficial timing
photo:McLaren