British driver Jenson Button set the fastest lap of the day in his McLaren-Mercedes during Friday's two free practice sessions at Barcelona.
In perfect weather conditions, local hero Fernando Alonso pleased the crowd by setting the fastest time in the morning's session. Alonso was driving the F2012 fitted with the aerodynamic and mechanical upgrades.
Sebastian Vettel put his Red Bull-Renault in second place although he was quickest during the first part of the session.
Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi was third in his Sauber-Ferrari ahead of Jenson Button in a McLaren and the highly surprising Williams test driver Valtteri Bottas, driving Bruno Senna's car this morning. McLaren's practice activities included evaluating its new, higher nose.
The picture was quite different in the afternoon session however.
After Vettel put his Red Bull on top of the timing sheets, Button reacted by beating his time after the team solved understeering issues.
Button used Pirelli's soft tires to set a best time of 1m23.399.
Like this morning, Vettel ended up in second place, ahead of Nico Rosberg in the best placed Mercedes AMG W03. Button's teammate Lewis Hamilton was fourth and Kimi Raikkonen, in a Lotus, completing the top five, but over half a second off the pace.
Then came Romain Grosjean in the second Lotus, Mark Webber in the other Red Bull (who went off the track at one point), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), Kobayahsi and Nico Hulkenberg in the Sahara Force India.
This morning's pacesetter Fernando Alonso had to settle for 14th position in the Ferrari, three sports down to his teammate, Felipe Massa.
Grand Prix of Spain, Barcelona
Friday's first practice session*:
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'24"430 - 20 laps
2 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'24"808 - 18
3 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'24"912 - 28
4 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'24"996 - 24
5 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'25"120 - 24
6 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'25"187 - 15
7 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'25"217 - 16
8 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'25"252 - 20
9 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'25"285 - 29
10 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'25"339 - 24
11 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'25"367 - 22
12 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'25"433 - 21
13 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'25"539 - 23
14 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'25"607 - 20
15 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'25"918 - 19
16 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'26"226 - 24
17 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'26"297 - 18
18 - Jules Bianchi (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'26"630 - 21
19 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'27"475 - 20
20 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'28"267 - 21
21 - Alexander Rossi (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'28"448 - 25
22 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'28"633 - 22
23 - Pedro de la Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'29"107 - 19
24 - Dani Clos (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'31"616 - 19
Friday's second practice session*:
1 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'23"399 - 38 laps
2 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'23"563 - 38
3 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'23"771 - 41
4 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'23"909 - 32
5 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'23"918 - 32
6 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'23"964 - 37
7 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'24"065 - 34
8 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'24"080 - 36
9 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'24"214 - 41
10 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'24"365 - 22
11 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'24"418 - 35
12 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'24"422 - 32
13 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'24"468 - 40
14 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'24"600 - 33
15 - Paul di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'24"688 - 30
16 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'24"733 - 34
17 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'24"769 - 37
18 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'25"047 - 42
19 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'26"296 - 36
20 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'26"740 - 35
21 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'27"314 - 27
22 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'27"664 - 30
23 - Pedro de la Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'28"335 - 26
24 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - no timed lap - 2
*Unofficial timing
 |
| The new nose of the McLaren. (Photo: WRI2) |
In perfect weather conditions, local hero Fernando Alonso pleased the crowd by setting the fastest time in the morning's session. Alonso was driving the F2012 fitted with the aerodynamic and mechanical upgrades.
 |
| Fernando Alonso, Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2) |
Sebastian Vettel put his Red Bull-Renault in second place although he was quickest during the first part of the session.
Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi was third in his Sauber-Ferrari ahead of Jenson Button in a McLaren and the highly surprising Williams test driver Valtteri Bottas, driving Bruno Senna's car this morning. McLaren's practice activities included evaluating its new, higher nose.
 |
| Alexander Rossi, Caterham. (Photo: WRi2) |
The picture was quite different in the afternoon session however.
After Vettel put his Red Bull on top of the timing sheets, Button reacted by beating his time after the team solved understeering issues.
Button used Pirelli's soft tires to set a best time of 1m23.399.
 |
| Jenson Button, McLaren. (Photo: WRi2) |
Like this morning, Vettel ended up in second place, ahead of Nico Rosberg in the best placed Mercedes AMG W03. Button's teammate Lewis Hamilton was fourth and Kimi Raikkonen, in a Lotus, completing the top five, but over half a second off the pace.
Then came Romain Grosjean in the second Lotus, Mark Webber in the other Red Bull (who went off the track at one point), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), Kobayahsi and Nico Hulkenberg in the Sahara Force India.
 |
| Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull. (Photo: WRi2) |
This morning's pacesetter Fernando Alonso had to settle for 14th position in the Ferrari, three sports down to his teammate, Felipe Massa.
Grand Prix of Spain, Barcelona
Friday's first practice session*:
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'24"430 - 20 laps
2 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'24"808 - 18
3 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'24"912 - 28
4 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'24"996 - 24
5 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'25"120 - 24
6 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'25"187 - 15
7 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'25"217 - 16
8 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'25"252 - 20
9 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'25"285 - 29
10 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'25"339 - 24
11 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'25"367 - 22
12 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'25"433 - 21
13 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'25"539 - 23
14 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'25"607 - 20
15 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'25"918 - 19
16 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'26"226 - 24
17 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'26"297 - 18
18 - Jules Bianchi (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'26"630 - 21
19 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'27"475 - 20
20 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'28"267 - 21
21 - Alexander Rossi (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'28"448 - 25
22 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'28"633 - 22
23 - Pedro de la Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'29"107 - 19
24 - Dani Clos (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'31"616 - 19
Friday's second practice session*:
1 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'23"399 - 38 laps
2 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'23"563 - 38
3 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'23"771 - 41
4 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'23"909 - 32
5 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'23"918 - 32
6 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'23"964 - 37
7 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'24"065 - 34
8 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'24"080 - 36
9 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'24"214 - 41
10 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'24"365 - 22
11 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'24"418 - 35
12 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'24"422 - 32
13 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'24"468 - 40
14 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'24"600 - 33
15 - Paul di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'24"688 - 30
16 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'24"733 - 34
17 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'24"769 - 37
18 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'25"047 - 42
19 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'26"296 - 36
20 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'26"740 - 35
21 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'27"314 - 27
22 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'27"664 - 30
23 - Pedro de la Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'28"335 - 26
24 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - no timed lap - 2
*Unofficial timing