Practice 3: Who can stop the Red Bulls?

Mark Webber ended the final free practice session in Budapest fastest of all

Jul.31 (YallaF1.com) If the truth be told Red Bull Racing should by now be on the final throes of crowning one of their drivers World Champion. Such has been the dominance of the Adrian Newey penned RB6 that had the team the experience in matters of title winning it would by now be a foregone conclusion.

Mark Webber readies for battle

Fortunately the fizzy drinks camp have allowed their rivals to keep in touch and a true championship battle is raging, however round 12 of the F1 World Championship, the Hungarian Grand Prix, alas appears to be a foregone conclusion.

Nothing comes close to the Red Bull pair around the tight twists of Hungaroring and the most likely man to stand on the top step of the Budapest podium on Sunday will be wearing a dark blue race suit. Which one, the German or the Australian? Is the million dollar question.

In the final free practice again the Red Bull duo hogged the top of the timing screens almost from the word go and stayed there with Vettel quickest early on and then Webber slapping down a marker late on, making him the first driver and only driver to dip into the 79 seconds zone. Thus Webber ended the session fastest of all, with Vettel 0.484 seconds adrift of his team mate despite being hindered by traffic during his final fast run.

Clearly it is going to be a case of who can stop the Re Bull duo this weekend? Themselves? Remember Turkey?

Fernando Alonso was third fastest

Best of the rest was again Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso who was a whopping 1.150 seconds off Webber’s pace, but nevertheless third fastest in the final free practice session. Team mate Felipe Massa spent the session trying out a bunch of upgrades including different wings. On his final run he managed the fifth fastest time.

Ferrari summed up the general sentiment, “Session finished. The Red Bulls look untouchable, but we’re behind them.”

Splitting the Ferrari’s was the Renault of Robert Kubica, driving a car with probably the least upgrades in recent races, yet managing to post the fourth best lap time, with rookie team mate Vitaly Petrov having an impressive weekend and setting the seventh best time.

Lewis Hamilton finished the final practice session 8th fastest

Championship points leader Lewis Hamilton was fastest of the Mercedes powered brigade with the eighth best time, his McLaren Mercedes nearly two seconds down on Webber’s best time. Ninth fastest was Jenson Button in the other McLaren Mercedes.

Eighth on the timing screens was Nico Rosberg fastest of the Mercedes GP pair  while Michale Schumacher ended the session 12th fastest.

Nico Hulkenberg was fastest of the Cosworth powered brigade, tenth fastest with team mate Rubens Barrichello up next 11th best.

Free Practice 3 – 31 July 2010