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Just three months after Sebastian Vettel was crowned world champion at the final race of 2012 in Brazil, the first practice session of the 2013 Formula 1 season began at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit at 12:30 pm local time.
Almost 40 had minutes had elapsed until (one of) the local heroes, Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo claimed 2013's first recorded lap time with a 1:36.09. The first of the ‘top five teams' to record a flying lap was Kimi Raikkonen with a 1.29.029 in his black and gold Lotus. Unsurprisingly however, it was Vettel in the Red Bull who assumed his regular position at the top of the timing sheets with a 1:27.211; just ahead a second ahead of the two Ferraris of Felipe and Fernando Alonso.
Lewis Hamilton put in a good performance on his first outing as a Mercedes driver, as he outpaced team-mate Rosberg by half a second and finished the session in fourth. The other Aussie favourite Mark Webber was fifth, and Raikkonen rounded out the top six. Formula 1's latest comeback kid Adrian Sutil returned in style by finishing eighth ahead of Jenson Button's McLaren, Romain Grosjean's and McLaren newcomer, Sergio Perez in 10th.
Whilst the ‘who is fastest in 2013' question still remains unanswered, the session indicated that following an inconclusive winter testing, the teams still have yet to fully understand the 2013 Pirelli tyres as cars returned to the pits after ten laps with grained or ‘mozzarella effect' tyres.
Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Guiterrez finished the session in 15th and 16th respectively and staked their claim as the best of the newcomers. Jules Bianchi impressed by finishing just 3/10ths behind Ricciardo, making him the best of the back markers ahead of the two Caterhams and team-mate Max Chilton who ended the session last of the 22 runners.
The only notable incident of the session was Paul Di Resta beaching his Sahara Force India after spinning on the approach to turn five. However, the car was undamaged in the incident.
Australian Grand Prix
Friday March 15, 2013
First Practice session 1 - Results*
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'27"211 - 16 laps
2 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 1'27"289 - 17
3 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 1'27"547 - 16
4 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 1'27"552 - 18
5 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'27"668 - 18
6 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'27"877 - 17
7 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 1'28"013 - 17
8 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'28"426 - 19
9 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'28"440 - 19
10 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'28"520 - 15
11 - Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'28"597 - 19
12 - Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'28"786 - 19
13 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'28"910 - 18
14 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'29"443 - 20
15 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'29"928 - 19
16 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'30"203 - 17
17 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'30"729 - 17
18 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'30"969 - 19
19 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'31"263 - 24
20 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'32"176 - 23
21 - Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'32"274 - 21
22 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'32"388 - 18
*Unofficial results
Almost 40 had minutes had elapsed until (one of) the local heroes, Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo claimed 2013's first recorded lap time with a 1:36.09. The first of the ‘top five teams' to record a flying lap was Kimi Raikkonen with a 1.29.029 in his black and gold Lotus. Unsurprisingly however, it was Vettel in the Red Bull who assumed his regular position at the top of the timing sheets with a 1:27.211; just ahead a second ahead of the two Ferraris of Felipe and Fernando Alonso.
Lewis Hamilton put in a good performance on his first outing as a Mercedes driver, as he outpaced team-mate Rosberg by half a second and finished the session in fourth. The other Aussie favourite Mark Webber was fifth, and Raikkonen rounded out the top six. Formula 1's latest comeback kid Adrian Sutil returned in style by finishing eighth ahead of Jenson Button's McLaren, Romain Grosjean's and McLaren newcomer, Sergio Perez in 10th.
Whilst the ‘who is fastest in 2013' question still remains unanswered, the session indicated that following an inconclusive winter testing, the teams still have yet to fully understand the 2013 Pirelli tyres as cars returned to the pits after ten laps with grained or ‘mozzarella effect' tyres.
Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Guiterrez finished the session in 15th and 16th respectively and staked their claim as the best of the newcomers. Jules Bianchi impressed by finishing just 3/10ths behind Ricciardo, making him the best of the back markers ahead of the two Caterhams and team-mate Max Chilton who ended the session last of the 22 runners.
The only notable incident of the session was Paul Di Resta beaching his Sahara Force India after spinning on the approach to turn five. However, the car was undamaged in the incident.
Australian Grand Prix
Friday March 15, 2013
First Practice session 1 - Results*
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'27"211 - 16 laps
2 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 1'27"289 - 17
3 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 1'27"547 - 16
4 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 1'27"552 - 18
5 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'27"668 - 18
6 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'27"877 - 17
7 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 1'28"013 - 17
8 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'28"426 - 19
9 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'28"440 - 19
10 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'28"520 - 15
11 - Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'28"597 - 19
12 - Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'28"786 - 19
13 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'28"910 - 18
14 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'29"443 - 20
15 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'29"928 - 19
16 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'30"203 - 17
17 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'30"729 - 17
18 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'30"969 - 19
19 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'31"263 - 24
20 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'32"176 - 23
21 - Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'32"274 - 21
22 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'32"388 - 18
*Unofficial results