From GMM
Fernando Alonso was fastest in both of Friday's practice sessions at Spa-Francorchamps.
But after emerging from his Red Bull with the 18th quickest time in the afternoon, championship leader Mark Webber warned observers not to read too much into the first day's results.
Indeed, the track was wet for most of the running, and when the sun was shining at the end, the red flags were waving due to spectators climbing a perimeter fence.
But on a late dash on dry tyres, Alonso followed up his wet morning time with the best time of the day in the afternoon, causing HRT driver Karun Chandhok to describe Ferrari's pace as "ominious" on BBC radio.
The Italian team has another blown diffuser development in Belgium this weekend.
"I think we have improved the car over the last three grands prix, which means we now have a very competitive package," said Spaniard Alonso.
Sebastian Vettel's sixth place was the fastest Red Bull time on Friday afternoon, but Alonso said on Thursday that the Austrian-owned team is still favourite.
"I don't see how they would lose a one second advantage since Hungary, but this race and the next one at Monza requires special low downforce and it will be interesting to see who makes the best job of running this configuration," he said.
Norberg Haug on the wather forecast: "I suspect Saturday will be wet as well," he said, just as the GP2 race on Friday afternoon was stopped due to heavy rain.
Added Renault's chief engineer Alan Permane: "It's the same (forecast) for Sunday."
Free practice session 1, Friday morning:
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F10) - 2'00"797 – 17 laps
2 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 2'01"567 - 7
3 - Robert Kubica (Renault R30) - 2'02"081 - 14
4 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 2'02"450 – 11
5 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 2'02"646 - 14
6 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 2'02"913 - 6
7 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 2'02"926 – 6
8 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 2'03"401 - 17
9 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 2'03"424 – 7
10 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W01) - 2'03"489 - 9
11 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F10) - 2'03"601 - 17
12 - Nico Hulkenberg (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 2'03"649 - 17
13 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W01) - 2'03"654 - 6
14 - Pedro De La Rosa (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 2'03"851 - 17
15 – Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 2'04"145 - 12
16 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 2'04"250 - 16
17 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R30) - 2'04"690 – 15
18 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 2'05"680 - 6
19 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 2'05"697 - 18
20 - Lucas Di Grassi (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 2'06"695 - 14
21 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 2'07"189 - 15
22 - Bruno Senna (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 2'07"737 - 13
23 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 2'07"955 - 15
24 - Sakon Yamamoto (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 2'10"507 - 18
Free practice session 2, Friday afternoon:
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F10) - 1'49"032 – 25 laps
2 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'49"157 - 17
3 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'49"248 - 14
4 - Robert Kubica (Renault R30) - 1'49"282 – 20
5 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F10) - 1'49"588 - 23
6 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'49"689 – 19
7 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'49"755 – 20
8 - Pedro De La Rosa (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'50"081 - 27
9 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'50"128 – 22
10 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'50"200 - 24
11 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R30) - 1'50"251 – 24
12 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'50"341 - 23
13 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'50"382 - 21
14 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 1'50"682 – 25
15 - Nico Hulkenberg (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'50"831 - 20
16 – Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'51"520 - 17
17 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 1'51"520 - 17
18 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'51"636 – 19
19 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'53"480 - 15
20 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'53"639 - 21
21 - Lucas Di Grassi (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 1'54"325 - 17
22 - Bruno Senna (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'55"751 - 24
23 - Sakon Yamamoto (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'56"039 – 21
24 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 2'03"179 – 3
Unofficial timing
Fernando Alonso was fastest in both of Friday's practice sessions at Spa-Francorchamps.
But after emerging from his Red Bull with the 18th quickest time in the afternoon, championship leader Mark Webber warned observers not to read too much into the first day's results.
 |
| Fernando Alonso, Ferrari (Photo: WRI2) |
Indeed, the track was wet for most of the running, and when the sun was shining at the end, the red flags were waving due to spectators climbing a perimeter fence.
But on a late dash on dry tyres, Alonso followed up his wet morning time with the best time of the day in the afternoon, causing HRT driver Karun Chandhok to describe Ferrari's pace as "ominious" on BBC radio.
The Italian team has another blown diffuser development in Belgium this weekend.
"I think we have improved the car over the last three grands prix, which means we now have a very competitive package," said Spaniard Alonso.
 |
| Adrian Sutil, Force India (Photo: WRI2) |
Sebastian Vettel's sixth place was the fastest Red Bull time on Friday afternoon, but Alonso said on Thursday that the Austrian-owned team is still favourite.
"I don't see how they would lose a one second advantage since Hungary, but this race and the next one at Monza requires special low downforce and it will be interesting to see who makes the best job of running this configuration," he said.
Norberg Haug on the wather forecast: "I suspect Saturday will be wet as well," he said, just as the GP2 race on Friday afternoon was stopped due to heavy rain.
Added Renault's chief engineer Alan Permane: "It's the same (forecast) for Sunday."
Free practice session 1, Friday morning:
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F10) - 2'00"797 – 17 laps
2 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 2'01"567 - 7
3 - Robert Kubica (Renault R30) - 2'02"081 - 14
4 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 2'02"450 – 11
5 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 2'02"646 - 14
6 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 2'02"913 - 6
7 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 2'02"926 – 6
8 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 2'03"401 - 17
9 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 2'03"424 – 7
10 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W01) - 2'03"489 - 9
11 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F10) - 2'03"601 - 17
12 - Nico Hulkenberg (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 2'03"649 - 17
13 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W01) - 2'03"654 - 6
14 - Pedro De La Rosa (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 2'03"851 - 17
15 – Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 2'04"145 - 12
16 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 2'04"250 - 16
17 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R30) - 2'04"690 – 15
18 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 2'05"680 - 6
19 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 2'05"697 - 18
20 - Lucas Di Grassi (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 2'06"695 - 14
21 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 2'07"189 - 15
22 - Bruno Senna (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 2'07"737 - 13
23 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 2'07"955 - 15
24 - Sakon Yamamoto (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 2'10"507 - 18
Free practice session 2, Friday afternoon:
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F10) - 1'49"032 – 25 laps
2 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'49"157 - 17
3 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'49"248 - 14
4 - Robert Kubica (Renault R30) - 1'49"282 – 20
5 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F10) - 1'49"588 - 23
6 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'49"689 – 19
7 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/25-Mercedes) - 1'49"755 – 20
8 - Pedro De La Rosa (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'50"081 - 27
9 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'50"128 – 22
10 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C29-Ferrari) - 1'50"200 - 24
11 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R30) - 1'50"251 – 24
12 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'50"341 - 23
13 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W01) - 1'50"382 - 21
14 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 1'50"682 – 25
15 - Nico Hulkenberg (Williams FW32-Cosworth) - 1'50"831 - 20
16 – Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India VJM03-Mercedes) - 1'51"520 - 17
17 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR5-Ferrari) - 1'51"520 - 17
18 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB6-Renault) - 1'51"636 – 19
19 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'53"480 - 15
20 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T127-Cosworth) - 1'53"639 - 21
21 - Lucas Di Grassi (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 1'54"325 - 17
22 - Bruno Senna (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'55"751 - 24
23 - Sakon Yamamoto (Hispania F110-Cosworth) - 1'56"039 – 21
24 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR01-Cosworth) - 2'03"179 – 3
Unofficial timing