Practice 3: Vettel fastest from Alonso

30 July, 2011

Sebastian Vettel ended the final practice session top of the timing sheets

Jul.30 (PVM) In what was a clear dress rehearsal to the afternoon’s qualifying session, Sebastian Vettel ended the final practice session of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend at Hungaroring top of the timing screens under sunny skies.

Fernando Alonso was second quickest

The Red Bull crew broke curfew on Friday night as they set about getting back up to speed after a day of playing second fiddle to McLaren and Ferrari, in the first two practice sessions in Budapest, and the fruits of their labour appear to have done the trick for now.

Vettel’s time of 1 minute 21.168 seconds was 0.301 seconds up on next best Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari. The Red bull driver’s best was shy of Lewis Hamilton’s best time in FP2 a day earlier.

In fact if anyone had a subdued session it was Hamilton who, fresh from victory in Germany, stamped his authority on the opening day in his McLaren but ended the final practice session down in seventh. He over-shot his brake marker into Turn 1 and went wide at the start of his flying lap, on super soft option tyres, which compromised his time.

Jenson Button’s new found pace in the McLaren continued on the second day, with the Briton setting the third fastest time which was 0.471 seconds down on Vettel but onl1 0.170 off Alonso’s best.

Next up, fourth fastest, was Mark Webber in the Red Bull – the top quartet covered by 0.477 seconds.

Jenson Button having a strong weekend in Budapest

Fifth quickest was Ferrarii’s Felipe Massa from Nico Rosberg (sixth) who was again fastest of the Mercedes GP duo with Michael Schumacher eighth fastest.

Vitaly Petrov was fastest of the Renault boys with the ninth fastest time with team mate Nick Heidfeld 0.106 seconds slower 11^th best.

Fastest rookie and best of the Force India pair was Paul di Resta who ended the session 10^th while Adrian Sutil was down in 16^th.

Qualifying promises to be a slug-fest between the top two teams in modern Formula 1- Red bull, Ferrari and McLaren – and Vettel’s return to the top of the charts in the morning session makes him once again the man to beat while Hamilton has been in the zone since Nurburgring and will certainly feature when it matters.

And of course there is Alonso, Button and Webber all more than capable…

However it is fair to say that qualifying will be closely fought and predicting pole position a tougher ask than normal.

Saturday, 30 July – Practice 3

Related posts:

1. Practice 2: Hamilton owns day one in Hungary
2. Practice 1: Hamilton fastest as Webber shunts
3. Practice 3: Vettel fastest as Red Bulls charge
4. Practice 2: Webber fastest from Alonso
5. Practice 1: Alonso tops as Red Bull duo chase