Sebastian Vettel bounced back from his problems yesterday to lead the final practice session for the Turkish Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver set a fastest lap of 1’26.037. Despite being held up by Vitantonio Liuzzi at the end of his lap he was one thousandth of a second faster than Michael Schumacher.
But Vettel did not enjoy a completely trouble-free session as he was forced to pit with an overheating KERS at one point.
The second Red Bull of Mark Webber was third ahead of Nico Rosberg.
The McLaren pair were fifth and sixth, with Jenson Button ahead of Lewis Hamillton, neither faster than Button’s best time from yesterday.
Behind Vitaly Petrov in seventh was Fernando Alonso, who had another troubled session in his Ferrari. He drove slowly to the pits during the session with a loss of power.
Team mate Felipe Massa and Sebastien Buemi completed the top ten. Buemi’s team mate Jaime Alguersuari lost time early in the session after a spin at turn four, but was able to return to the track later on.
Combined practice times
| Pos | Driver | Car | FP1 | FP2 | FP3 | Total laps |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1’44.954 | 1’26.037 | 21 | |
| 2 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 1’40.132 | 1’27.063 | 1’26.038 | 56 |
| 3 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1’42.564 | 1’27.149 | 1’26.404 | 52 |
| 4 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1’40.072 | 1’26.521 | 1’26.420 | 62 |
| 5 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 2’00.666 | 1’26.456 | 1’26.578 | 47 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’27.033 | 1’26.726 | 46 | |
| 7 | Vitaly Petrov | Renault | 1’40.401 | 1’27.517 | 1’26.755 | 67 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1’38.670 | 1’28.069 | 1’26.819 | 52 |
| 9 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1’40.697 | 1’27.340 | 1’26.883 | 63 |
| 10 | Sebastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’41.178 | 1’28.153 | 1’27.080 | 74 |
| 11 | Sergio Perez | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’55.791 | 1’27.844 | 1’27.121 | 65 |
| 12 | Pastor Maldonado | Williams-Cosworth | 1’42.597 | 1’28.828 | 1’27.255 | 44 |
| 13 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1’28.052 | 1’27.318 | 56 | |
| 14 | Nick Heidfeld | Renault | 1’40.338 | 1’28.475 | 1’27.379 | 61 |
| 15 | Rubens Barrichello | Williams-Cosworth | 1’43.913 | 1’28.946 | 1’27.528 | 44 |
| 16 | Paul di Resta | Force India-Mercedes | 1’43.525 | 1’27.725 | 1’27.644 | 66 |
| 17 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’28.765 | 1’27.724 | 47 | |
| 18 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’40.421 | 1’29.637 | 1’27.976 | 62 |
| 19 | Heikki Kovalainen | Lotus-Renault | 1’30.281 | 1’28.911 | 52 | |
| 20 | Jarno Trulli | Lotus-Renault | 1’43.986 | 1’29.409 | 1’29.697 | 62 |
| 21 | Jerome d’Ambrosio | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’45.237 | 1’31.035 | 1’31.097 | 64 |
| 22 | Timo Glock | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’45.183 | 1’31.221 | 1’31.175 | 56 |
| 23 | Narain Karthikeyan | HRT-Cosworth | 1’48.461 | 1’31.320 | 1’32.009 | 52 |
| 24 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | HRT-Cosworth | 1’44.787 | 1’31.989 | 1’31.375 | 69 |
| 25 | Daniel Ricciardo | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’41.094 | 18 | ||
| 26 | Nico Hulkenberg | Force India-Mercedes | 1’41.347 | 16 | ||
| 27 | Karun Chandhok | Lotus-Renault | 1’51.676 | 6 |
2011 Turkish Grand Prix
Image © Mercedes
Jim
7th May 2011, 10:11
Mercedes possibly fighting for the win this weekend?
Todfod (@todfod)
7th May 2011, 10:19
Looks like they could be fighting for a podium for sure. In FP3 they looked much stronger than both the Mclarens.. however, I do not know if the Mclarens set their times on the soft tyres.
This FP3 session has definitely altered my race predictions drastically…
BasCB (@bascb)
7th May 2011, 10:24
I think the McLarens did not push too much. Didn’t see them out in the dying stages there.
So Vettel for pole (some 1:24.7 I guess) but for the race its hard to tell, could be Webber, Vettel, Button, Hamilton and an shot mabye for Masssa or Rosberg?
Fixy (@)
7th May 2011, 10:24
They look certainly on par with McLaren, possibly with Red Bull.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
7th May 2011, 10:40
1/1000th is brilliant. But I guess it depends on just how much Vettel was held up by Liuzzi.
Mike
7th May 2011, 10:58
Despite being a massive Schumacher fan, sadly, I don’t think it’s likely.
I think Nico may, if lucky be able to scrape a podium, but to be honest I doubt they are ahead of Mclaren, let alone Red Bull.
Paulipedia
7th May 2011, 10:13
2 seconds covering the top 18 runners. Although would have been a couple of 10ths more if Vettel hadn’t of been blocked
Enigma (@enigma)
7th May 2011, 10:17
It’ll make race-strategy even more important.
Santi
7th May 2011, 10:18
I hope differences continue being this small. I was getting sick of Red Bull dominating so easily. I was starting to think this would be another boring season like the one Brawn won….
Icthyes (@icthyes)
7th May 2011, 10:19
Brawn won less than half the races that year. The season was boring because most of the races were boring.
Patrickl (@patrickl)
7th May 2011, 11:35
For Ferrari fans the whole season was boring though.
My Italian neighbour stopped watching F1 because Ferrari wasn’t winning.
gnvour (@)
7th May 2011, 10:18
Mercedes seem consistently fast in the free practice sessions, while Mc Larens seem to lost a bit of pace? I think the qualifying session might be the most interesting so far this season!
gnvour (@)
7th May 2011, 10:20
*have lost…
Dan Thorn (@dan-thorn)
7th May 2011, 10:19
That headline takes me right back. It’s been a while since the notion of Schu right up the sharp end has been a reality, even if it is only practice.
BasCB (@bascb)
7th May 2011, 10:26
That is, in FP3 where they really have a shot at fast laps. I think he topped FP1 or 2 twice last year.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
7th May 2011, 10:21
Anyone believe McLaren are 7 tenths slower than Mercedes?
Qualifying is going to be the same story. We could see a Merc challenging for the podium though,
BasCB (@bascb)
7th May 2011, 10:28
Agree with you.
Mercedes looks ahead of Ferrari and Renault in the fight for a good points or a podium
Scribe (@scribe)
7th May 2011, 10:57
Yeah thats as far as I’d go, biggest hint being that McLaren wern’t as fast as they were yesterday. Macca vs RBR in the race and qualifying.
Patrickl (@patrickl)
7th May 2011, 11:40
Keeping fresh tyres for the race is what F1 is about as China demonstrated.
This might have an impact already in FP3.
Shomir
7th May 2011, 10:26
Kobayashi looking awfully slow :(
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
7th May 2011, 10:41
I noticed that. However, it’s only practise. I’m guessing they would want Perez out on simulation runs to get suited to Istanbul Park in the C31.
Todfod (@todfod)
7th May 2011, 10:29
Things for Ferrari are just getting worse by the day. This weekend has disaster written all over it for Alonso.
ed24f1 (@ed24f1)
7th May 2011, 10:32
Their race pace seemed good yesterday, so I think they can make good progress in the race with the right strategy.
Ella
7th May 2011, 10:34
It’s looking like it. I had been so optimistic in the lead up to this gp…
Hard not to feel disheartened now. But who knows, anything could happen come race time.
Still, I have a feeling this isn’t going to be Ferrari’s year.
Todfod (@todfod)
7th May 2011, 11:10
completely agree. Very different situation from last year where they weren’t the quickest car on the grid, but always had the potential to take podiums and pick up wins when RB weren’t on the ball. Most of their poor performances were down to just bad luck last year and occasional driver errors. This year they just don’t have the potential, and I dont see any amount of good luck or driver brilliance changing the situation.
I guess I shouldn’t make the mistake of writing them off as yet.. but instinct tells me that their championship hopes are already over.
Mike
7th May 2011, 11:04
Don’t be disheartened yet, Ferrari have shown how much pace they have in the race before. With DRS, KERS and Alonso’s talent, I don’t think it is unlikely that he can’t pull something off.
Ella
7th May 2011, 11:09
It’s not unlikely, but I’m thinking it would be nothing short of a miracle on both his and the team’s part (they’d need to get strategy AND their pitstops in order, firstly) and with three teams now faster than Ferrari…
Still, he’s pulled things out of his hat before. And Massa seems to have improved from last season. I guess it’s too early to be writing them off :) Looking forward to quali.
Erik
7th May 2011, 10:31
Let’s not forget Vettel’s lap was compromised by an HRT in the final sector. He was up by about 3 tenths after S2, while at the end he only took P1 by 0.001 seconds.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
7th May 2011, 10:44
Brilliant stuff from Mercedes both today and yesterday. Hope they have managed to turn a corner. I’m sure if McLaren or Ferrari wanted to beat their times they would have already done it by now.
Williams have stretched out to a more comfortable 1.5s from Lotus.
Himmat S.
7th May 2011, 10:51
Lotus are in no mans land. Heikki a good second off the next best car, and more than 2 clear of the fastest Virgin. This, I hope, would be their last no-man’s-land race/qualifying as they’ve got this real big update slated for Catalunya.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
7th May 2011, 10:54
Ferrari are going to change Massa’s engine before qualifying. No penalty for that, of course. And Alonso’s will get a “careful check”.
d1sciple (@)
7th May 2011, 10:54
McLaren are clearly sandbagging. They were at almost identical times as yesterday. Watch for them and Red Bull to be challenging for the pole with Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault just behind.
Tim
7th May 2011, 10:58
How can a 42 years oldman (for F1…) get such lap as Schumcaher did?!
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
7th May 2011, 10:59
I don’t think his age is that big a deal.
Michel S. (@hircus)
7th May 2011, 11:01
Is Virgin still having problem tuning Glock’s upgraded car? He’s not even faster than d’Ambrosio, let alone catching the Lotuses!
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
7th May 2011, 11:04
Yeah, it’s a bit of a puzzle, that one.
Todfod (@todfod)
7th May 2011, 11:12
I think D’Ambrosio has shown that he can match Glock. It comes as no surprise to me..
Oliver
7th May 2011, 11:33
Perhaps D’Ambrosio is a bit underated. One could also look at it from the angle that the updates actually made Glock’s car slower. But whatever the truth is, I have a feeling Glock not feeling motivated at the moment.
Michel S. (@hircus)
7th May 2011, 17:56
Only way to know for sure is to see what happens once they both have been running the update for a couple of races…
A bit of a pity to see Glock so demotivated — at least he’s not blaming his power steering!
wasiF1
7th May 2011, 11:07
Is that the true pace of Mercedes? Well I will gamble & have Schumacher in the top 5 of my prediction championship.
Xenon2 (@xenon2)
7th May 2011, 11:16
Who will be brave enough to stay in the garage in Q3?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
7th May 2011, 11:29
What and not do a time at all? No chance.
Oliver
7th May 2011, 11:23
So what has changed? Vettel/Redbull still consistently over 6 tenths faster than the next car.
A stronger Mercedes can only help Redbull secure a championship, they will only steal points off Mclaren.
Nothing seperating HRT and Virgin. In my opinion, HRT are still suffering from a lac of testing. They are yet to refine the mechanical setup of their cars.
It would also appear that Ferrari have a fast but inconsistent car.