Alonso, Sutil fastest in German GP practice

Spaniard Alonso clocked the fastest time of the day during second practice for tomorrow’s German Grand Prix.

PARIS: Spaniard Fernando Alonso clocked the fastest time of the day during second practice for tomorrow’s German Grand Prix. The 28-year-old Ferrari driver, 19th fastest in the morning, posted a time of one minute and 16.265 seconds with just over half an hour remaining of the session as the Hockenheimring began to dry and drivers were able to remove their wet weather tyres.

Home favourite Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull was second quickest, the German just 0.02 seconds slower. He was followed by Brazilian Felipe Massa, a further 0.2 seconds adrift in the second Ferrari. Australian Mark Webber was fourth quickest in the second Red Bull ahead of Mercedes drivers Germans Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher who were fifth and sixth quickest respectively. McLaren driver Briton Lewis Hamilton sat most of the session out while his team repaired his car after he crashed in the first free practice session, but rejoined the session late on and wound up seventh fastest. Pole Robert Kubica of Renault was eighth fastest ahead of Williams drivers Brazilian Rubens Barichello and German Nico Hulkenberg.

Lotus driver Jarno Trulli was forced to retire towards the end of the session with what is believed to have been an engine failure and Force India driver German Adrian Sutil wound up 14th. Defending drivers’ champion Jenson Button was well off the pace, clocking the 15th fastest time.

First session

Sutil topped the times in a very wet opening free practice. The Force India driver posted a time of one minute and 25.701 seconds with less than four minutes remaining of the session. Massa seemed to struggle more than most with the slippery conditions but wound up second fastest towards the end of the session as the track began to dry out.

Button was third fastest ahead of Barichello. Russian Vitaly Petrov of Renault was fifth followed by Rosberg. Swiss Sebastien Buemi of Toro Rosso posted the seventh quickest time ahead of German Nico Hulkenberg in the second Williams. Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi was ninth fastest in the second Force India followed by Sauber driver Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa.

Hamilton crashes

The most shocking moment of the sessions was seeing drivers’ championship leader Hamilton, struggling throughout the opening session in his McLaren, sliding into the wall after losing control at the exit of turn three. The 2008 champion escaped unhurt, but there was extensive damage, in particular, to the rear of his car sporting their new rear-blown diffuser.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2010.