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FP1: Vettel flies over slippery Circuit of the Americas

FP1: Vettel flies over slippery Circuit of the Americas

  • Published on 16 Nov 2012 19:06
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel stamped his mark on proceedings as the first free practice session at the Circuit of The Americas drew to a close in the crisp morning air of Texas on Friday.

Lewis Hamilton had set the pace throughout for McLaren, finding grip on a surface that was still very green, and seemed to have set the benchmark with a lap of 1m 39.543, but then Vettel banged in a 1m 38.692s and followed that up immediately as the chequered flag fell with 1m 38.125s.

It was a great start for the German, and for the new home of the US Grand Prix, which has drawn a sizable crowd for a Friday.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso chased Hamilton enthusiastically all morning, taking third place with 1m 40.337s from Jenson Button on 1m 40.528s in the other McLaren, Red Bull’s Mark Webber on 1m 40.650s and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa on 1m 40.966s.

Nico Hulkenberg was a promising seventh for Force India on 1m 41.023s despite being the first man to spin here, closely pursued by Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi on 1m 41.036s, Nico Rosberg on 1m 41.159s for Mercedes and Sauber's Sergio Perez on 1m 41.473s. The Mexican naturally has a big following here.

Behind them, Paul di Resta was 11th in the second Force India on 1m 41.783s from the very closely matched Toro Rossos of Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne on 1m 41.825s and 1m 41.833s respectively. Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean just played themselves in without trying overly hard for times, with 1m 41.880s and 1m 41.998s apiece in their Lotuses.

Pastor Maldonado was 16th for Williams on 1m 42.539s ahead of Mercedes' Michael Schumacher on 1m 42.588s, while Charles Pic made a big impression with 18th fastest 1m 43.288s for Marussia which put him ahead of the Caterhams of Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov on 1m 43.443s and 1m 43.522s. Kovalainen was another spinner. Timo Glock was next with 1m 44.464s in the second Marussia ahead of Bruno Senna who recorded 1m 44.548s for Williams, as Pedro de la Rosa and Friday stand-in Ma Qing Hua brought up the rear for HRT with 1m 46.917s and 1m 48.559s. (Formula1.com)
F1 News Fernando Alonso Jenson Button Felipe Massa Romain Grosjean Pastor Maldonado Daniel Ricciardo Lewis Hamilton Nico Rosberg Sebastian Vettel Sergio Perez Mercedes Williams Force India McLaren Ferrari Sauber Marussia HRT

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Pos
Team
Points
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Red Bull Racing
224
2
Aston Martin
102
3
Mercedes
96
4
Ferrari
78
5
McLaren
14
6
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Haas F1
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Williams
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia
Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco
Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria
Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy
Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
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United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
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ES Fernando Alonso 14
Fernando Alonso
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  • Points 371
  • Podiums 5
  • Grand Prix 127
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (41)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
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