The Red Bull-Renaults of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber took the two first spots in the two free practice sessions of the Grand Prix of Brazil held Friday on the circuit of Interlagos.
In the morning, only Vettel, Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) broke the 1:12 mark. Jenson Button of team McLaren was fourth.
Robert Kubica (Renault) and Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) were the best of the rest in fifth and sixth, with the session's early pace setters Rubens Barrichello (Williams) and Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) seventh and eighth.
In the afternoon session, the Red Bull guys again set the quickest times, edging their McLaren and Ferrari rivals all the way through, but extended their advantage once everyone switched to give the super soft tires a try.
Fernando Alonso was a happy third in his Ferrari. 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.
Grand Prix of Brazil, Friday morning free practice session:
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'12"328 - 23 laps
2 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'12"810 - 28
3 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'12"845 - 24
4 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'13"267 - 24
5 - Robert Kubica (Renault R30) - 1'13"370 - 24
6 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'13"516 - 26
7 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'13"546 - 26
8 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'13"643 - 25
9 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'13"918 - 26
10 - Nick Heidfeld (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'14"000 - 23
11 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'14"004 - 23
12 - Nico Hulkenberg (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'14"155 - 29
13 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F10) - 1'14"246 - 20
14 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F10) - 1'14"267 - 26
15 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R30) - 1'14"370 - 23
16 - Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'14"487 - 26
17 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 1'14"618 - 30
18 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 1'14"734 - 29
19 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'15"603 - 25
20 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 1'15"860 - 20
21 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'16"057 - 26
22 - Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 1'16"707 - 28
23 - Christian Klien (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'16"839 - 18
24 - Bruno Senna (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'17"360 – 30
Grand Prix of Brazil, Friday afternoon free practice session:
1 - Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:11.968 28 laps
2 - Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:12.072 34
3 - Alonso Ferrari 1:12.328 36
4 - Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:12.656 33
5 - Massa Ferrari 1:12.677 19
6 - Kubica Renault 1:12.882 37
7 - Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:13.206 33
8 - Heidfeld Sauber-Ferrari 1:13.222 40
9 - Rosberg Mercedes 1:13.333 34
10 - Schumacher Mercedes 1:13.346 36
11 - Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:13.520 37
12 - Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:13.610 41
13 - Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:13.725 39
14 - Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:13.741 32
15 - Petrov Renault 1:13.818 26
16 - Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:14.045 37
17 - Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:14.304 33
18 - Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:14.578 37
19 - Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:14.984 47
20 - Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:15.101 43
21 - di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:15.433 35
22 - Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:16.070 42
23 - Klien HRT-Cosworth 1:16.082 38
24 - Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:16.150 35
All timing unofficial
In the morning, only Vettel, Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) broke the 1:12 mark. Jenson Button of team McLaren was fourth.
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| Vitaly Petrov crashed his Renault in the morning. (Photo: WRI2) |
Robert Kubica (Renault) and Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) were the best of the rest in fifth and sixth, with the session's early pace setters Rubens Barrichello (Williams) and Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) seventh and eighth.
In the afternoon session, the Red Bull guys again set the quickest times, edging their McLaren and Ferrari rivals all the way through, but extended their advantage once everyone switched to give the super soft tires a try.
Fernando Alonso was a happy third in his Ferrari. 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.
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| Fernando Alonso, points' leader, Ferrari. (Photo: WRI2) |
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.
Grand Prix of Brazil, Friday morning free practice session:
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'12"328 - 23 laps
2 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'12"810 - 28
3 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'12"845 - 24
4 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'13"267 - 24
5 - Robert Kubica (Renault R30) - 1'13"370 - 24
6 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'13"516 - 26
7 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'13"546 - 26
8 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'13"643 - 25
9 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'13"918 - 26
10 - Nick Heidfeld (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'14"000 - 23
11 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'14"004 - 23
12 - Nico Hulkenberg (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'14"155 - 29
13 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F10) - 1'14"246 - 20
14 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F10) - 1'14"267 - 26
15 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R30) - 1'14"370 - 23
16 - Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'14"487 - 26
17 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 1'14"618 - 30
18 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 1'14"734 - 29
19 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'15"603 - 25
20 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 1'15"860 - 20
21 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'16"057 - 26
22 - Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 1'16"707 - 28
23 - Christian Klien (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'16"839 - 18
24 - Bruno Senna (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'17"360 – 30
Grand Prix of Brazil, Friday afternoon free practice session:
1 - Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:11.968 28 laps
2 - Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:12.072 34
3 - Alonso Ferrari 1:12.328 36
4 - Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:12.656 33
5 - Massa Ferrari 1:12.677 19
6 - Kubica Renault 1:12.882 37
7 - Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:13.206 33
8 - Heidfeld Sauber-Ferrari 1:13.222 40
9 - Rosberg Mercedes 1:13.333 34
10 - Schumacher Mercedes 1:13.346 36
11 - Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:13.520 37
12 - Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:13.610 41
13 - Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:13.725 39
14 - Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:13.741 32
15 - Petrov Renault 1:13.818 26
16 - Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:14.045 37
17 - Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:14.304 33
18 - Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:14.578 37
19 - Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:14.984 47
20 - Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:15.101 43
21 - di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:15.433 35
22 - Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:16.070 42
23 - Klien HRT-Cosworth 1:16.082 38
24 - Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:16.150 35
All timing unofficial