British driver and former Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button put his Mercedes-powered McLaren MP4-26 on top of the timing sheets during the first day of practice for the Grand Prix of Turkey.
But the talk of the day was certainly Sebastian Vettel's crash during P1 in the morning.
Vettel crashed heavily at Istanbul's daunting Turn 8 corner during the wet session. The incident caused the 90-minute session to be red-flagged with just over 17 minutes to run.
The car was so heavily damaged that Vettel did not turn a lap in P2. "The car is badly damaged and from a safety point of view we need to check everything," team boss Christian Horner told German broadcaster Sky.
"Trying to get the car to ride the bumps well into Turn 12 has been difficult, but we improved it through the session. Turn 12 is really bumpy, it's like they put a motocross jump in there!" said Button.
"Turn Eight's quite tough too because, depending on your balance, it can damage the front and rear tires. It's about getting the balance right, which we concentrated on today," Button explained.
"Happily, this afternoon's session turned out drier than we'd imagined, and we were able to pack the majority of our day's run-programme into P2. Indeed, both drivers' long-run pace looks extremely promising," said Martin Whitmarsh, Team principal, McLaren Mercedes.
Nico Rosberg set the second fastest time of the day in his Mercedes W02.
"I didn't have too many problems with the tires on the long run and I was quite surprised by the grip levels, which were higher than I expected. The wet tires had a lot of grip this morning too. I'm happy with what we learned and expecting a very interesting time tomorrow and on Sunday," said Rosberg.
"We had a nice dry session this afternoon and completed a lot of work on low and high fuel. The balance of the car isn't there yet and there is a lot of work ahead, but the team and drivers have worked very well today," said team boss Ross Brawn.
Grand Prix of Turkey*, Istanbul, Friday P1
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari 150) - 1'38"670 - 13 laps
2 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W02) - 1'40"072 - 14
3 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W02) - 1'40"132 - 18
4 - Nick Heidfeld (Renault R31) - 1'40"338 - 9
5 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R31) - 1'40"401 - 10
6 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - 1'40"421 - 16
7 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari 150) - 1'40"697 - 14
8 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'41"094 - 18
9 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'41"178 - 22
10 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'41"374 - 16
11 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 1'42"564 - 5
12 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'42"597 - 7
13 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'43"525 - 11
14 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'43"913 - 5
15 - Karun Chandhok (Lotus T128-Renault) - 1'43"986 - 6
16 - Vitantonio Liuzzi (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 1'44"787 - 20
17 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 1'44"954 - 4
18 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'45"183 - 15
19 - Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'45"237 - 11
20 - Narain Karthikeyan (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 1'48"461 - 8
21 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T128-Renault) - 1'51"676 - 6
22 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - 1'55"791 - 13
23 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - 2'00"666 - 4
24 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - no time - 1
Grand Prix of Turkey*, Istanbul, Friday P2
1 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - 1'26"456 - 26 laps
2 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W02) - 1'26"521 - 29
3 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - 1'27"033 - 31
4 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W02) - 1'27"063 - 21
5 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 1'27"149 - 31
6 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari 150) - 1'27"340 - 37
7 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R31) - 1'27"517 - 37
8 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'27"725 - 37
9 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - 1'27"844 - 32
10 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'28"052 - 37
11 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari 150) - 1'28"069 - 27
12 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'28"153 - 36
13 - Nick Heidfeld (Renault R31) - 1'28"475 - 35
14 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'28"765 - 32
15 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'28"828 - 19
16 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'28"946 - 20
17 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T128-Renault) - 1'29"409 - 39
18 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - 1'29"673 - 27
19 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T128-Renault) - 1'30"281 - 37
20 - Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'31"035 - 28
21 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'31"221 - 22
22 - Narain Karthikeyan (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 1'31"320 - 29
23 - Vitantonio Liuzzi (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 1'31"989 - 3
24 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - no time - 0
*Unofficial timing
But the talk of the day was certainly Sebastian Vettel's crash during P1 in the morning.
Vettel crashed heavily at Istanbul's daunting Turn 8 corner during the wet session. The incident caused the 90-minute session to be red-flagged with just over 17 minutes to run.
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| Photo: Red Bull |
The car was so heavily damaged that Vettel did not turn a lap in P2. "The car is badly damaged and from a safety point of view we need to check everything," team boss Christian Horner told German broadcaster Sky.
"Trying to get the car to ride the bumps well into Turn 12 has been difficult, but we improved it through the session. Turn 12 is really bumpy, it's like they put a motocross jump in there!" said Button.
"Turn Eight's quite tough too because, depending on your balance, it can damage the front and rear tires. It's about getting the balance right, which we concentrated on today," Button explained.
"Happily, this afternoon's session turned out drier than we'd imagined, and we were able to pack the majority of our day's run-programme into P2. Indeed, both drivers' long-run pace looks extremely promising," said Martin Whitmarsh, Team principal, McLaren Mercedes.
Nico Rosberg set the second fastest time of the day in his Mercedes W02.
"I didn't have too many problems with the tires on the long run and I was quite surprised by the grip levels, which were higher than I expected. The wet tires had a lot of grip this morning too. I'm happy with what we learned and expecting a very interesting time tomorrow and on Sunday," said Rosberg.
"We had a nice dry session this afternoon and completed a lot of work on low and high fuel. The balance of the car isn't there yet and there is a lot of work ahead, but the team and drivers have worked very well today," said team boss Ross Brawn.
Grand Prix of Turkey*, Istanbul, Friday P1
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari 150) - 1'38"670 - 13 laps
2 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W02) - 1'40"072 - 14
3 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W02) - 1'40"132 - 18
4 - Nick Heidfeld (Renault R31) - 1'40"338 - 9
5 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R31) - 1'40"401 - 10
6 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - 1'40"421 - 16
7 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari 150) - 1'40"697 - 14
8 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'41"094 - 18
9 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'41"178 - 22
10 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'41"374 - 16
11 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 1'42"564 - 5
12 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'42"597 - 7
13 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'43"525 - 11
14 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'43"913 - 5
15 - Karun Chandhok (Lotus T128-Renault) - 1'43"986 - 6
16 - Vitantonio Liuzzi (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 1'44"787 - 20
17 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 1'44"954 - 4
18 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'45"183 - 15
19 - Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'45"237 - 11
20 - Narain Karthikeyan (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 1'48"461 - 8
21 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T128-Renault) - 1'51"676 - 6
22 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - 1'55"791 - 13
23 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - 2'00"666 - 4
24 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - no time - 1
Grand Prix of Turkey*, Istanbul, Friday P2
1 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - 1'26"456 - 26 laps
2 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W02) - 1'26"521 - 29
3 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - 1'27"033 - 31
4 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W02) - 1'27"063 - 21
5 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 1'27"149 - 31
6 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari 150) - 1'27"340 - 37
7 - Vitaly Petrov (Renault R31) - 1'27"517 - 37
8 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'27"725 - 37
9 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - 1'27"844 - 32
10 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'28"052 - 37
11 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari 150) - 1'28"069 - 27
12 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'28"153 - 36
13 - Nick Heidfeld (Renault R31) - 1'28"475 - 35
14 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'28"765 - 32
15 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'28"828 - 19
16 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'28"946 - 20
17 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T128-Renault) - 1'29"409 - 39
18 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - 1'29"673 - 27
19 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T128-Renault) - 1'30"281 - 37
20 - Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'31"035 - 28
21 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'31"221 - 22
22 - Narain Karthikeyan (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 1'31"320 - 29
23 - Vitantonio Liuzzi (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 1'31"989 - 3
24 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - no time - 0
*Unofficial timing
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