Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull have set the fastest times in Friday practice ahead of this weekend’s Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit.
Reigning world champion Vettel and team-mate Mark Webber headed the times in the faster second session, comfortably sitting over half a second ahead of Ferrari’s title contender Fernando Alonso.
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg improved in Practice 2, finishing fourth ahead of Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen and the McLaren duo of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.
Nico Hulkenberg (Force India), Romain Grosjean (Lotus) and Bruno Senna (Williams) all endured minor offs in the second practice session, but managed to finish with the eighth, ninth and 10th fastest times of the day respectively.
Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo was impressive, finishing the two sessions in ninth and 14th.
A final practice session will be held tomorrow ahead of qualifying.
Practice 1
Pos | No | Driver | Team | Time/Retired | Gap | Laps |
1 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing-Renault | 1:27.619 | 22 | |
2 | 3 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:27.929 | 0.310 | 22 |
3 | 5 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1:28.044 | 0.425 | 24 |
4 | 4 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:28.046 | 0.427 | 25 |
5 | 2 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing-Renault | 1:28.175 | 0.556 | 22 |
6 | 8 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:28.447 | 0.828 | 25 |
7 | 6 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1:28.542 | 0.923 | 24 |
8 | 7 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 1:28.993 | 1.374 | 23 |
9 | 16 | Daniel Ricciardo | STR-Ferrari | 1:29.204 | 1.585 | 24 |
10 | 9 | Kimi Räikkönen | Lotus-Renault | 1:29.291 | 1.672 | 24 |
11 | 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Williams-Renault | 1:29.691 | 2.072 | 26 |
12 | 11 | Paul di Resta | Force India-Mercedes | 1:29.760 | 2.141 | 23 |
13 | 14 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber-Ferrari | 1:29.802 | 2.183 | 18 |
14 | 12 | Nico Hulkenberg | Force India-Mercedes | 1:29.850 | 2.231 | 19 |
15 | 10 | Romain Grosjean | Lotus-Renault | 1:29.895 | 2.276 | 19 |
16 | 18 | Pastor Maldonado | Williams-Renault | 1:30.041 | 2.422 | 26 |
17 | 17 | Jean-Eric Vergne | STR-Ferrari | 1:30.401 | 2.782 | 23 |
18 | 21 | Vitaly Petrov | Caterham-Renault | 1:30.630 | 3.011 | 24 |
19 | 20 | Giedo van der Garde | Caterham-Renault | 1:30.896 | 3.277 | 20 |
20 | 15 | Esteban Gutierrez | Sauber-Ferrari | 1:31.212 | 3.593 | 29 |
21 | 25 | Charles Pic | Marussia-Cosworth | 1:31.903 | 4.284 | 22 |
22 | 23 | Narain Karthikeyan | HRT-Cosworth | 1:32.125 | 4.506 | 24 |
23 | 24 | Timo Glock | Marussia-Cosworth | 1:32.369 | 4.750 | 19 |
24 | 22 | Pedro de la Rosa | HRT-Cosworth | 1:32.859 | 5.240 | 13 |
Practice 2
Pos | No | Driver | Team | Time/Retired | Gap | Laps |
1 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing-Renault | 1:26.221 | 35 | |
2 | 2 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing-Renault | 1:26.339 | 0.118 | 33 |
3 | 5 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1:26.820 | 0.599 | 34 |
4 | 8 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:27.022 | 0.801 | 38 |
5 | 9 | Kimi Räikkönen | Lotus-Renault | 1:27.030 | 0.809 | 40 |
6 | 4 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:27.131 | 0.910 | 38 |
7 | 3 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:27.182 | 0.961 | 24 |
8 | 12 | Nico Hulkenberg | Force India-Mercedes | 1:27.233 | 1.012 | 37 |
9 | 10 | Romain Grosjean | Lotus-Renault | 1:27.397 | 1.176 | 36 |
10 | 19 | Bruno Senna | Williams-Renault | 1:27.738 | 1.517 | 36 |
11 | 11 | Paul di Resta | Force India-Mercedes | 1:28.004 | 1.783 | 32 |
12 | 15 | Sergio Perez | Sauber-Ferrari | 1:28.178 | 1.957 | 39 |
13 | 7 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 1:28.222 | 2.001 | 37 |
14 | 16 | Daniel Ricciardo | STR-Ferrari | 1:28.239 | 2.018 | 37 |
15 | 6 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1:28.296 | 2.075 | 23 |
16 | 14 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber-Ferrari | 1:28.455 | 2.234 | 40 |
17 | 18 | Pastor Maldonado | Williams-Renault | 1:28.596 | 2.375 | 38 |
18 | 17 | Jean-Eric Vergne | STR-Ferrari | 1:29.167 | 2.946 | 35 |
19 | 20 | Heikki Kovalainen | Caterham-Renault | 1:29.320 | 3.099 | 43 |
20 | 21 | Vitaly Petrov | Caterham-Renault | 1:29.606 | 3.385 | 22 |
21 | 22 | Pedro de la Rosa | HRT-Cosworth | 1:30.950 | 4.729 | 37 |
22 | 24 | Timo Glock | Marussia-Cosworth | 1:31.113 | 4.892 | 35 |
23 | 23 | Narain Karthikeyan | HRT-Cosworth | 1:31.372 | 5.151 | 20 |
24 | 25 | Charles Pic | Marussia-Cosworth | 1:31.493 | 5.272 | 31 |