Button takes over as Vettel crashes out

Wet conditions trouble drivers in Turkish GP practice.

ISTANBUL:

World champion Sebastian Vettel was unfazed about his prospects after a major crash during practice ahead of tomorrow’s Turkish Grand Prix.

On a day of heavy rain followed by dry conditions, Briton Jenson Button, topped the afternoon times for McLaren after two-time champion Fernando Alonso dominated the rain-hit morning for Ferrari.

Button clocked a best lap of one minute and 26.456 seconds to outpace German Nico Rosberg of Mercedes and the 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton in the second McLaren.

But it was the sight of current leader Vettel, 23, in his jeans and watching from the sidelines that overshadowed the day, his shunt in the final 15 minutes of morning practice having wrecked his Red Bull car. Vettel, winner of the opening two races of the season, lost control on a kerb at Turn Eight and went into the barriers at high speed, tearing off the front wing of his car and damaging all four wheels and other parts.

He was completely uninjured and walked away, later saying that he was not at all upset at sitting out the afternoon session. “It makes it a bit more difficult, no doubt, but I don’t think it will be a problem [for the race],” said Vettel before adding that he had apologised to his mechanics for the damage he caused, but stressed the most important thing was that he was not hurt.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2011.