Webber dominates Malaysian practice

Vettel focuses on KERS speed boost, ends up 17th

SEPANG:

Red Bull’s Mark Webber went quickest in both Malaysian Grand Prix practice sessions which raised hopes he can erase a disappointing start to the season.

Webber, who finished fifth two weeks ago in Melbourne, bettered McLaren’s Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, while his teammate and 2010 champion Sebastian Vettel focused on testing Red Bull’s misfiring Kinetic Energy Regeneration System (KERS).

Button and Hamilton were second and third quickest on the day, ahead of Vettel  and his German compatriot Michael Schumacher in a Mercedes.

The top four were separated by just a quarter of a second, suggesting McLaren have emerged as the main rivals to last year’s top team. Vettel spent much of the day checking Red Bull’s KERS speed boost, which went unused during his Melbourne win but which is expected to be vital on the long straights of the Sepang circuit.

“We’re all pretty close, give or take a couple of tenths [of a second]: who got traffic, who didn’t, how their KERS worked. So far, so good, I’m towards the front somewhere.”

Brazilian Felipe Massa was sixth quickest for Ferrari and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso was back in ninth place.

“I am not expecting miracles — it is going to be very difficult for us here,” warned Alonso, who finished fourth in Melbourne.

Webber’s fastest lap was one minute and 36.88 seconds around Sepang, where tyre-wear and possible heavy rainstorms are likely to be major factors in today’s qualifying and tomorrow’s race.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th,  2011.