Rosberg fastest in practice
Hamilton finishes second as Mercedes drivers excel ahead of Monaco GP.
Both Mercedes drivers put up an impressive show in the practice sessions in Monaco yesterday. PHOTO: AFP
MONACO:
Nico Rosberg maintained his and the Mercedes team’s utter domination of one-lap Formula One speeding by topping the times twice in yesterday’s first two free practice sessions for Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Rosberg, who was fastest in the morning’s opening session and who is seeking a third successive pole position, clocked one minute and 14.759 seconds to top the times three-tenths of a second ahead of his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
The Mercedes pair, who also clocked up high mileage – Hamilton did a race distance of 78 laps during the day’s work – proved they are the team to beat as they finished clear of nearest rivals Ferrari and left defending triple world champion German Sebastian Vettel struggling to keep pace.
Ferrari’s flying duo of two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Brazilian Felipe Massa were third and fourth fastest ahead of Vettel’s Red Bull teammate Australian Mark Webber in fifth.
Finn Kimi Raikkonen was sixth ahead of his Lotus teammate Frenchman Romain Grosjean, who suffered a major crash midway through the session in which his car was seriously damaged. He was unhurt. Grosjean, trying to avoid accidents and controversy, slid into the barriers at Sainte Devote on only his 11th lap.
Briton Jenson Button was eighth for McLaren ahead of ninth-placed Vettel and Briton Paul Di Resta in the leading Force India. His teammate German Adrian Sutil was 11th ahead of Button’s McLaren teammate Mexican Sergio Perez.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2013.
Nico Rosberg maintained his and the Mercedes team’s utter domination of one-lap Formula One speeding by topping the times twice in yesterday’s first two free practice sessions for Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Rosberg, who was fastest in the morning’s opening session and who is seeking a third successive pole position, clocked one minute and 14.759 seconds to top the times three-tenths of a second ahead of his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
The Mercedes pair, who also clocked up high mileage – Hamilton did a race distance of 78 laps during the day’s work – proved they are the team to beat as they finished clear of nearest rivals Ferrari and left defending triple world champion German Sebastian Vettel struggling to keep pace.
Ferrari’s flying duo of two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Brazilian Felipe Massa were third and fourth fastest ahead of Vettel’s Red Bull teammate Australian Mark Webber in fifth.
Finn Kimi Raikkonen was sixth ahead of his Lotus teammate Frenchman Romain Grosjean, who suffered a major crash midway through the session in which his car was seriously damaged. He was unhurt. Grosjean, trying to avoid accidents and controversy, slid into the barriers at Sainte Devote on only his 11th lap.
Briton Jenson Button was eighth for McLaren ahead of ninth-placed Vettel and Briton Paul Di Resta in the leading Force India. His teammate German Adrian Sutil was 11th ahead of Button’s McLaren teammate Mexican Sergio Perez.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2013.