Sebastian Vettel took up his usual place at the top of the times in final practice for his home race.
The Red Bull driver beat Fernando Alonso by two-tenths of a second in a late flurry of laps as the track dried out at the end of the hour’s running.
Another Hockenheim rain shower at the start of the session meant the drivers used a mix of wet weather and intermediate tyres to begin with.
Adrian Sutil’s session came to an early end with a suspected clutch failure after just two laps.
Once again the track proved particularly slippery in certain places, with the recently-resurfaced hairpin catching out many drivers including Michael Schumacher, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Nico Rosberg and Vitaly Petrov.
The first driver to risk a run on slick tyres was Sebastien Buemi, which moved him to the top of the times. That led to a series of quick laps as the rest of the field bolted on hard tyres and then super-softs.
Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber and Alonso each took turns to set the fastest time at the end of the session but Vettel put the mark beyond their reach with a 1’15.103.
Alonso reflected Ferrari’s progress with second fastest time ahead of Webber and Felipe Massa in the other Ferrari.
But the Virgin duo missed out on much of the session with more gearbox problems.
Pos. | Car | Driver | Car | Best lap | Laps | |
1 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1’15.103 | 18 | |
2 | 8 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1’15.387 | 0.284 | 21 |
3 | 6 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1’15.708 | 0.605 | 16 |
4 | 7 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1’15.854 | 0.751 | 20 |
5 | 4 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1’16.046 | 0.943 | 20 |
6 | 2 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’16.207 | 1.104 | 13 |
7 | 3 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 1’16.473 | 1.37 | 16 |
8 | 9 | Rubens Barrichello | Williams-Cosworth | 1’16.481 | 1.378 | 23 |
9 | 11 | Robert Kubica | Renault | 1’16.646 | 1.543 | 20 |
10 | 10 | Nico Hulkenberg | Williams-Cosworth | 1’16.743 | 1.64 | 17 |
11 | 23 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’16.882 | 1.779 | 19 |
12 | 16 | Sebastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’16.990 | 1.887 | 21 |
13 | 1 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’17.037 | 1.934 | 15 |
14 | 12 | Vitaly Petrov | Renault | 1’17.148 | 2.045 | 20 |
15 | 22 | Pedro de la Rosa | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’17.220 | 2.117 | 19 |
16 | 17 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’17.341 | 2.238 | 21 |
17 | 15 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Force India-Mercedes | 1’17.538 | 2.435 | 22 |
18 | 19 | Heikki Kovalainen | Lotus-Cosworth | 1’19.193 | 4.09 | 11 |
19 | 18 | Jarno Trulli | Lotus-Cosworth | 1’19.607 | 4.504 | 10 |
20 | 21 | Bruno Senna | HRT-Cosworth | 1’20.533 | 5.43 | 9 |
21 | 20 | Sakon Yamamoto | HRT-Cosworth | 1’21.538 | 6.435 | 14 |
22 | 25 | Lucas di Grassi | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’23.444 | 8.341 | 10 |
23 | 24 | Timo Glock | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’23.873 | 8.77 | 7 |
24 | 14 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 2 |
Drivers’ ultimate laps
A driver’s ultimate lap is his best time in each sector added together.
Pos. | Car | Driver | Car | Ultimate lap | Gap | Deficit to best |
1 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1’15.103 | 0.000 | |
2 | 8 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1’15.260 | 0.157 | 0.127 |
3 | 2 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’15.705 | 0.602 | 0.502 |
4 | 6 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1’15.708 | 0.605 | 0.000 |
5 | 7 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1’15.854 | 0.751 | 0.000 |
6 | 4 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1’16.046 | 0.943 | 0.000 |
7 | 3 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 1’16.356 | 1.253 | 0.117 |
8 | 9 | Rubens Barrichello | Williams-Cosworth | 1’16.481 | 1.378 | 0.000 |
9 | 11 | Robert Kubica | Renault | 1’16.588 | 1.485 | 0.058 |
10 | 10 | Nico Hulkenberg | Williams-Cosworth | 1’16.631 | 1.528 | 0.112 |
11 | 1 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’16.783 | 1.680 | 0.254 |
12 | 23 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’16.839 | 1.736 | 0.043 |
13 | 12 | Vitaly Petrov | Renault | 1’16.933 | 1.830 | 0.215 |
14 | 16 | Sebastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’16.961 | 1.858 | 0.029 |
15 | 22 | Pedro de la Rosa | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’17.115 | 2.012 | 0.105 |
16 | 15 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Force India-Mercedes | 1’17.191 | 2.088 | 0.347 |
17 | 17 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’17.341 | 2.238 | 0.000 |
18 | 19 | Heikki Kovalainen | Lotus-Cosworth | 1’19.193 | 4.090 | 0.000 |
19 | 18 | Jarno Trulli | Lotus-Cosworth | 1’19.499 | 4.396 | 0.108 |
20 | 21 | Bruno Senna | HRT-Cosworth | 1’20.205 | 5.102 | 0.328 |
21 | 20 | Sakon Yamamoto | HRT-Cosworth | 1’21.069 | 5.966 | 0.469 |
22 | 25 | Lucas di Grassi | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’22.787 | 7.684 | 0.657 |
23 | 24 | Timo Glock | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’23.406 | 8.303 | 0.467 |
24 | 14 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 17’27.713 | 972.610 | -875.713 |
Complete practice times
Pos | Driver | Car | FP1 | FP2 | FP3 | Total laps |
1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1’28.735 | 1’16.294 | 1’15.103 | 65 |
2 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1’29.684 | 1’16.265 | 1’15.387 | 71 |
3 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1’29.048 | 1’16.585 | 1’15.708 | 69 |
4 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1’26.850 | 1’16.438 | 1’15.854 | 84 |
5 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1’27.448 | 1’16.827 | 1’16.046 | 72 |
6 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’29.429 | 1’17.004 | 1’16.207 | 31 |
7 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 1’32.450 | 1’16.971 | 1’16.473 | 49 |
8 | Rubens Barrichello | Williams-Cosworth | 1’26.947 | 1’17.056 | 1’16.481 | 81 |
9 | Robert Kubica | Renault | 1’28.903 | 1’17.009 | 1’16.646 | 77 |
10 | Nico Hulkenberg | Williams-Cosworth | 1’28.193 | 1’17.204 | 1’16.743 | 85 |
11 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’29.690 | 1’17.336 | 1’16.882 | 80 |
12 | Sebastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’28.114 | 1’18.147 | 1’16.990 | 97 |
13 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’26.936 | 1’17.739 | 1’17.037 | 67 |
14 | Vitaly Petrov | Renault | 1’26.948 | 1’17.547 | 1’17.148 | 76 |
15 | Pedro de la Rosa | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’28.486 | 1’17.573 | 1’17.220 | 81 |
16 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’29.366 | 1’19.327 | 1’17.341 | 103 |
17 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Force India-Mercedes | 1’28.300 | 1’17.871 | 1’17.538 | 74 |
18 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1’25.701 | 1’17.701 | 60 | |
19 | Heikki Kovalainen | Lotus-Cosworth | 1’20.377 | 1’19.193 | 48 | |
20 | Timo Glock | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’28.735 | 1’19.553 | 1’23.873 | 58 |
21 | Jarno Trulli | Lotus-Cosworth | 1’29.280 | 1’20.008 | 1’19.607 | 61 |
22 | Lucas di Grassi | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’29.500 | 1’20.106 | 1’23.444 | 60 |
23 | Bruno Senna | HRT-Cosworth | 1’31.720 | 1’21.988 | 1’20.533 | 69 |
24 | Sakon Yamamoto | HRT-Cosworth | 1’32.791 | 1’23.066 | 1’21.538 | 77 |
25 | Fairuz Fauzy | Lotus-Cosworth | 1’30.938 | 27 |
2010 German Grand Prix
16 comments on “Vettel tops final practice session”
Comments are closed.
rok
24th July 2010, 11:15
Looks like this one is gonna be tougher for the Bulls
Younger Hamilton
24th July 2010, 11:24
Ferrari looking very close and competitive right now but the Redbulls and McLarens have got something in hand,Ferrari are showing their true qualifying pace in third practice while McLaren and Redbull have clearly something extra.Still expecting Lewis to have a good shot of pole but the favourites as usual are the redbulls.
Steven
24th July 2010, 11:42
And what makes you think all that? Clearly its the other way around?
Younger Hamilton
24th July 2010, 12:02
@Steven Ferrari Fanboy here!!! its being the story of the season.I admitting this, im a McLaren fan and a Ferrari disliker but its true Alonso and Massa are just throwing every inch of qualifying pace in third practice while McLaren and Redbull are just leaving it until the third part of qualifying,you watch.
rampante (@rampante)
24th July 2010, 12:09
Thats why Mclaren who have for most of the season have topped practice and then been off the pace in quali. Just because you don’t like a team it does not make them slower.
F1iLike
24th July 2010, 12:36
Yeah that’s correct.. Mclaren seems to have topped especially the friday practices all season until recently. And also, who got second pole (3rd, 1st after red bull) in silverstone? Alonso. clearly their car ks more competetive now. Button seems to struggle a lot with the EBD
Steven
24th July 2010, 16:05
So qually has come and gone.
Told you so.
There, I said it.
Dr. Gonzo
24th July 2010, 12:06
He’s obviously been drinking Whitmarsh’s Kool-Aid!
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85485
In the last 12 years:
Ferrari – 8 Constructor’s Championships
McLaren – 1
Todfod
24th July 2010, 11:47
I think its going to be Fernando splitting both the RBs after quali. Vettel 1st, Alonso 2nd, Webber 3rd followed by Lewis and Massa. Im guessing another Q2 exit for Jenson.
Adam
24th July 2010, 11:56
Hamilton was on pace to match Vettel for the first 2 sectors before pitting at the end of the session.
Younger Hamilton
24th July 2010, 12:07
thus he did do less laps than Vettel,Webber,Alonso and Massa.
Staffan
24th July 2010, 11:57
if it’s going to be dry run on Q its going to be last driver-pole lap i think.
Should be nice.. come on Ferrari you can make it! make the bulls hunt you.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
24th July 2010, 12:22
I have to say, I feel for Petrov. He was up close to Kubica for most of the session, and then Kubica pulls half a second out of nowhere in the last two minutes.
Dr. Gonzo
24th July 2010, 12:27
Why feel sorry for him now? Save it for next year when he’s driving for Virgin!
goose
25th July 2010, 11:05
if it rains you can count massa out,he`s no good in rain,alonso complains to much,vetel and webber will colide so that leaves hamilton,button and shumacher who are great in the rain,i think nico will do well today,but i have a feeling the brits are gonna pull this one out of the bag
goose
25th July 2010, 11:07
oh,does anyone know where i could find senna`s last race