Singapore: Defending world champion Sebastian Vettel set the early pace at the Singapore Grand Prix as he timed quickest in a damp first free practice session on Friday.
Two hours after a downpour, the Red Bull driver from Germany clocked 1min 50.566sec on the drying street circuit to overhaul McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton by 0.049sec.
Hamilton’s team-mate Jenson Button was third quickest ahead of Ferrari’s championship leader Fernando Alonso, Williams driver Pastor Maldonado and Red Bull’s Australian pilot, Mark Webber.
Nico Hulkenberg, Paul di Resta, Daniel Ricciardo and Sauber’s Sergio Perez rounded out the top 10 after the 90-minute session held in high humidity as dusk fell over the floodlit, downtown course.
In one of the few untoward incidents, Maldonado locked up a front wheel as he missed a sharp left-hander and ended up in a run-off area.
Ma Qinghua, who became the first Chinese driver to take part in Formula One during practice for this month’s Italian Grand Prix, finished slowest of the session for HRT.
With seven races to go, Alonso leads the standings by 37 points ahead of Hamilton, who has won two of the last three races. Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen and Vettel, bidding for a third straight title, are both close behind.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription