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The first day of action at the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi saw Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel set the best times in the first two free practice sessions.
The McLaren-Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button dominated the first practice session at the Yas Marina circuit.
Hamilton set a time of 1m43.285 in very hot temperatures to beat his teammate Button, Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, and Ferrari man Fernando Alonso.
Several drivers experienced wheel lock-ups under braking, as well as off-course excursions, without any harm.
Red Bull's other driver, Mark Webber, ended up fifth ahead of Michael Schumacher (Mercedes AMG), Pastor Maldonado (Williams), Valtteri Bottoas (driving Bruno Senna's Williams) and Kimi Raikkonen in the fastest Renault-engined Lotus.
In the second practice session (held at sunset), Hamilton set the early pace, but Vettel ran a strong lap on the softer Pirelli compound to beat his time.
Interestingly, Hamilton was not able to run a quicker lap on a set of softer tires, suggesting that he was simulating race conditions and had a lot of fuel onboard his McLaren.
Button ranked third in front of Mark Webber who lost a great deal of time when the crew members needed to investigate a problem with the front splitter of his Red Bull.
Lotus' Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen finished 5th and 6th, respectively.
Vettel's main rival in the title chase, Fernando Alonso, was 7th in his Ferrari, followed by his teammate Felipe Massa, Pastor Maldonado and Sergio Pérez in the best-placed Sauber.
Tire degradation proved to be minimal (on both compounds), and experts suspect that most drivers will only do one tire change during Sunday's race.
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi, Friday first free practice session*:
1 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'43"285 - 20 laps
2 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'43"618 - 18
3 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'44"050 - 21
4 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'44"366 - 20
5 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'44"542 - 21
6 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'44"694 - 21
7 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'45"115 - 25
8 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'45"194 - 19
9 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'45"347 - 24
10 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'45"422 - 15
11 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'45"567 - 23
12 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'45"587 - 19
13 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'45"722 - 20
14 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'45"743 - 19
15 - Jules Bianchi (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'45"789 - 21
16 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'45"811 - 22
17 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'46"649 - 23
18 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'46"708 - 25
19 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'47"418 - 23
20 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'47"891 - 20
21 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'48"354 - 22
22 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'48"887 - 22
23 - Qing Hua Ma (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'50"487 - 20
24 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT01-Renault) - no time - 3 installation laps
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi, Friday second free practice session*:
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'41"751 - 33 laps
2 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'41"919 - 33
3 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'42"412 - 35
4 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'42"466 - 21
5 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'42"500 - 33
6 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'42"532 - 27
7 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'42"587 - 30
8 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'42"823 - 32
9 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'42"998 - 36
10 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'43"106 - 35
11 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'43"191 - 33
12 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'43"200 - 35
13 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'43"255 - 33
14 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'43"267 - 31
15 - Paul di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'43"578 - 33
16 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'43"689 - 31
17 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'44"260 - 26
18 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'45"073 - 18
19 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'45"245 - 35
20 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'45"782 - 32
21 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'46"589 - 34
22 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'46"671 - 30
23 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'46"707 - 25
24 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'47"406 - 34
*Unofficial timing
The McLaren-Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button dominated the first practice session at the Yas Marina circuit.
Hamilton set a time of 1m43.285 in very hot temperatures to beat his teammate Button, Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, and Ferrari man Fernando Alonso.
 |
| Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull. (Photo: WRi2) |
Several drivers experienced wheel lock-ups under braking, as well as off-course excursions, without any harm.
Red Bull's other driver, Mark Webber, ended up fifth ahead of Michael Schumacher (Mercedes AMG), Pastor Maldonado (Williams), Valtteri Bottoas (driving Bruno Senna's Williams) and Kimi Raikkonen in the fastest Renault-engined Lotus.
In the second practice session (held at sunset), Hamilton set the early pace, but Vettel ran a strong lap on the softer Pirelli compound to beat his time.
Interestingly, Hamilton was not able to run a quicker lap on a set of softer tires, suggesting that he was simulating race conditions and had a lot of fuel onboard his McLaren.
 |
| Lewis Hamilton, McLaren. (Photo: WRi2) |
Button ranked third in front of Mark Webber who lost a great deal of time when the crew members needed to investigate a problem with the front splitter of his Red Bull.
Lotus' Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen finished 5th and 6th, respectively.
Vettel's main rival in the title chase, Fernando Alonso, was 7th in his Ferrari, followed by his teammate Felipe Massa, Pastor Maldonado and Sergio Pérez in the best-placed Sauber.
Tire degradation proved to be minimal (on both compounds), and experts suspect that most drivers will only do one tire change during Sunday's race.
 |
| Fernando Alonso, Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2) |
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi, Friday first free practice session*:
1 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'43"285 - 20 laps
2 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'43"618 - 18
3 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'44"050 - 21
4 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'44"366 - 20
5 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'44"542 - 21
6 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'44"694 - 21
7 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'45"115 - 25
8 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'45"194 - 19
9 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'45"347 - 24
10 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'45"422 - 15
11 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'45"567 - 23
12 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'45"587 - 19
13 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'45"722 - 20
14 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'45"743 - 19
15 - Jules Bianchi (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'45"789 - 21
16 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'45"811 - 22
17 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'46"649 - 23
18 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'46"708 - 25
19 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'47"418 - 23
20 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'47"891 - 20
21 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'48"354 - 22
22 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'48"887 - 22
23 - Qing Hua Ma (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'50"487 - 20
24 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT01-Renault) - no time - 3 installation laps
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi, Friday second free practice session*:
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'41"751 - 33 laps
2 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'41"919 - 33
3 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'42"412 - 35
4 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'42"466 - 21
5 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'42"500 - 33
6 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'42"532 - 27
7 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'42"587 - 30
8 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'42"823 - 32
9 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'42"998 - 36
10 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'43"106 - 35
11 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'43"191 - 33
12 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'43"200 - 35
13 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'43"255 - 33
14 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'43"267 - 31
15 - Paul di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'43"578 - 33
16 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'43"689 - 31
17 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'44"260 - 26
18 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'45"073 - 18
19 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'45"245 - 35
20 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'45"782 - 32
21 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'46"589 - 34
22 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'46"671 - 30
23 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'46"707 - 25
24 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'47"406 - 34
*Unofficial timing