Vettel pips Hamilton by tiny margin

2016 Mexican Grand Prix second practice

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Sebastian Vettel put Ferrari on top of the times by a tiny margin in the second practice session.

He pipped Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes by just four-thousandths of a second after their runs on the super-soft tyre. Hamilton did two laps within 13 thousandths of Vettel’s best.

2016 Mexican Grand Prix practice pictures
Hamilton had a comfortable four-tenths of a second in hand over Nico Rosberg and Kimi Raikkonen, fourth, was almost half a second quicker than his team mate.

Daniel Ricciardo completed the top five, all of which used the super-soft tyres. However Nico Hulkenberg took a strong sixth for Force India on the soft tyre compound, a few hundredths quicker than Valtteri Bottas managed in his Williams on the softest rubber. The pair were separated by the second Red Bull of Max Verstappen.

Carlos Sainz Jnr and Fernando Alonso completed the top ten, followed by their two team mates. Daniil Kvyat stopped with a fault at the pit lane entrance as the chequered flag came out.

The Haas drivers had a difficult session. Esteban Gutierrez ended practice at the bottom of the times, while Romain Grosjean missed much of the running due to a fault on his hybrid system.

Pos.No.DriverCarBest lapGapLaps
15Sebastian VettelFerrari1’19.79047
244Lewis HamiltonMercedes1’19.7940.00437
36Nico RosbergMercedes1’20.2250.43546
47Kimi RaikkonenFerrari1’20.2590.46937
53Daniel RicciardoRed Bull-TAG Heuer1’20.4480.65843
627Nico HulkenbergForce India-Mercedes1’20.5740.78443
733Max VerstappenRed Bull-TAG Heuer1’20.6190.82942
877Valtteri BottasWilliams-Mercedes1’20.6290.83941
955Carlos Sainz JnrToro Rosso-Ferrari1’20.9741.18446
1014Fernando AlonsoMcLaren-Honda1’21.0031.21325
1126Daniil KvyatToro Rosso-Ferrari1’21.1931.40339
1222Jenson ButtonMcLaren-Honda1’21.1981.40839
1319Felipe MassaWilliams-Mercedes1’21.3261.53645
1420Kevin MagnussenRenault1’21.4421.65239
1511Sergio PerezForce India-Mercedes1’21.5791.78941
1630Jolyon PalmerRenault1’21.7851.99544
1794Pascal WehrleinManor-Mercedes1’21.9802.19042
189Marcus EricssonSauber-Ferrari1’21.9972.20742
1912Felipe NasrSauber-Ferrari1’22.0372.24743
208Romain GrosjeanHaas-Ferrari1’22.1052.31514
2131Esteban OconManor-Mercedes1’22.2982.50844
2221Esteban GutierrezHaas-Ferrari1’22.4082.61833

Second practice visual gaps

Sebastian Vettel – 1’19.790

+0.004 Lewis Hamilton – 1’19.794

+0.435 Nico Rosberg – 1’20.225

+0.469 Kimi Raikkonen – 1’20.259

+0.658 Daniel Ricciardo – 1’20.448

+0.784 Nico Hulkenberg – 1’20.574

+0.829 Max Verstappen – 1’20.619

+0.839 Valtteri Bottas – 1’20.629

+1.184 Carlos Sainz Jnr – 1’20.974

+1.213 Fernando Alonso – 1’21.003

+1.403 Daniil Kvyat – 1’21.193

+1.408 Jenson Button – 1’21.198

+1.536 Felipe Massa – 1’21.326

+1.652 Kevin Magnussen – 1’21.442

+1.789 Sergio Perez – 1’21.579

+1.995 Jolyon Palmer – 1’21.785

+2.190 Pascal Wehrlein – 1’21.980

+2.207 Marcus Ericsson – 1’21.997

+2.247 Felipe Nasr – 1’22.037

+2.315 Romain Grosjean – 1’22.105

+2.508 Esteban Ocon – 1’22.298

+2.618 Esteban Gutierrez – 1’22.408

Drivers more then ten seconds off the pace omitted.

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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49 comments on “Vettel pips Hamilton by tiny margin”

  1. Vettel needs to stop crying. Constantly moaning and whining on team radio. His attitude is questionable.

    1. I don’t think there’s any question… he’s hating being in that Ferrari this year.

      1. The car might not be the best, but that is no excuse to be immature calling other drivers names, and being disrespectful. I’m fed up with his attitude.

        1. Nobody says anything when mr. Colgate yaps. Like in monaco for instance his language about kimi was disgusting.

          1. What Ricciardo said on that day was equally rude and wrong. I’m a Ricciardo fan but that was not good from him. The difference is, he’s only done it once or twice. Vettel does it every weekend, and is not going to stop anytime soon. It’s annoying.

        2. Cant forget he also did a mark webber and flipped his finger at Kimi And that was only in practice.

        3. All winners have questionable attitudes to us normal people. Hamilton is the same as was Schumacher, Senna et al. Its a side effect of the best people of their era in all sports.

      2. Think Ferarri have hated him being their car.

      3. @textuality
        “I don’t think there’s any question… he’s hating being in that Ferrari this year.”

        true.

    2. Why dont you be a role model and show him how to stop crying….

      1. @ultimateuzair – perhaps what you call moaning and whining is actually just your inability to understand how a perfectionist does their job?

        1. So you’re OK with a driver just immaturely calling other drivers idiots for doing their own job. I’ll just leave you to it then. Keep joking…

          1. I’m ok with Seb and a handful of others being in a different league than the other “employees” they are forced to share the track with….

            If you’re not, that only compounds evidence of your inability to understand perfectionism.

            Which i think we’ve already had enough evidence of btw.

          2. No, it’s your inability to understand that you can’t just call people things like that when you feel like that. You excuses are getting more pathetic, carry on…

        2. You can be a perfectionist without being plain rude. They are not mutually inclusive.

          1. @John-h – as a long time contributer to the site, you’ve made it clear you dont understand perfectionist mentality.

            Please show me one world conquering perfectionist who hasnt annoyed more than a handful of people… (hint: you cant)

            Uzair’s comments above demonstrate he does not understand perfectionism, neither do you. Vettel was FAR FROM RUDE. If you think thats rude, I’m not surprised you dont understand perfectionism, those things ARE mutually inclusive.

    3. I also think it was poor. Just to mouth off like that at your peers in practice is not great behaviour. Everyone was on race pace runs. Stay in the garage if you don’t like it.

      1. Agreed. I’m surprised that I’m getting so much hate for stating something correct. I guess that the Seb fans are not happy with me. Oh well…

        1. You agree he should have ‘stayed in the garage’? Lol

          Keep hatin

          1. I’m not hating. I never said that he should stay in the garage. I just don’t understand why he feels the need to complain all the time about other drivers. It’s just not right. It’s nothing personal from me against him, it’s just that his complaining is repetitive and annoying.

          2. @ultimateuzair – I haven’t watched this practice session, but even as a fan of Vettel’s I wish he’d not complain as much. I prefer the content 2015 Vettel over the grumpy 2016 Vettel.

          3. @ultimateuzair – I haven’t watched this practice session, but even as a fan of Vettel’s I wish he’d not complain as much. I prefer the content 2015 Vettel over the grumpy 2016 Vettel.

          4. Agreed @david-a I liked Vettel in 2015, and I thought that he had changed as a person. It seems that the Vettel from Red Bull is returning…

        2. I agree. I don’t get that ‘perfectionist’ excuse that Seb fans are throwing out.
          If Seb was such a perfectionist, he should start with beating Kimi.
          LMAO

  2. Maybe he rather cry and moan and whine rather than drive around :)

  3. I have lost respect for that guy (Vettel)… What if someone calls his an ‘Idiot’ or a ‘Dumb-ass’?

    1. Verstappen already did.

      1. Max Verstappen is best for Sebastian Vettel. He should kick his butt like a football ⚽.

        I will try to urge all the teams on Twitter, not to ‘HIRE’ Vettel in their teams for the next 3 yrs. When he doesn’t get any good team he has to settle with the low teams and I want someone like Max Verstappen call Vettel names when he’s been lapped or going to be lapped.

        In Short, Vettel should get to taste his own medicine.

        Tit For Tat

        1. That bit about twitter supposed to be funny or what?
          I’m quite sure that Verstappen is the same or even worse than Vettel… Just give him more time to show us his true colors.

        2. Verstappen is even worse than Vettel to be honest. And his fanbase is the worst in F1, which doesn’t help.

  4. Great lap from Seb though!

  5. I think Seb is wishing he wouldn’t have called Alonso an idiot. He is under immense pressure from Ferrari to perform better and the Italian press is not helping by slamming him and claiming Ferrari are still mourning Alonso’s departure.
    But his name calling today may help his cause. I’m sure Alonso will hear of the outburst which will hurt him deeply. He will surely give Seb a free pass should cross they cross paths on Sunday.

    1. Vettel cant hurt Alonso, he achieved that in 2010,11,12,13. Why do you think Alonso despises Vettel. Remember last years race in a abu dhabi when Alonso held up Vettel out of poor spite. Vettel got on the radio and said ” that man must really hate me” lol

    2. Besides alonso is too busy mocking his own team, has been for years. Called Ferari idiots at monza, lets not forget his outbursts last year against mclaren. Oh boy, lets not even mention 2007.

    3. Vettel is not under ANY pressure to perform. Ferrari is under pressure to deliver a car capable of winning a race. If you think that has anything to do with Seb, then we can contribute 5 years of Ferrari’s failures to Alonso. Which do you prefer?

      1) Seb deserves a better car?

      2) Ferrari deserves a better driver? (hint: impossible)

      1. Yes he IS under pressure to perform. He has screwed more this season than Alonso did in his 5 years at Ferrari. Alonso was within a whisker of beating him twice while at Ferrari with a inferior car.
        I always thought Seb was a great driver until RIC gutted him. He isn’t exactly thrashing Kimi. Fact is he had the luxury of having a car better than the rest for 4 years. He has to prove he can outperform the car like Alonso. Good luck with that.

        1. Italian press at it’s finest. I think (or rather hope) that Seb knew what he get himself into.

      2. You are such an unbelievably biased Vettel fan. Your driver has been average this year. He doesn’t deserve a Ferrari seat if he continues with this kind of performance. Ferrari should be looking to get Ricciardo or Verstappen, maybe even Sainz to replace him. Or partner him. Repeat of 2014 would be probable.

        1. You must really hate Riccardo if you want him in such…team as Ferrari.

      3. Don’t make me laugh. Kimi has been better than Sebastian for this second half of the season. If Seb isn’t under pressure, then he’s more delusional than his fans.

  6. Alonso’s reply (with the Spanish press) is worthy of his class: “I forgive him, I understand his frustration”…puuum!

    1. Beautiful:)

    2. At least Fernando Alonso is mature not acting like a child (Vettel) 😕

      1. Fernando mature? Haha, good one. I could write an essay on his immaturity.

        1. I could write several on Vettel’s

      2. You have short memory.

  7. Didn’t Max call him an idiot recently? Anyway I personally think what is said in the cockpit during racing should stay there. I have no problem with expletives especially in high pressure and stressful situations and think that drivers statements to their mechanics in race should be respected. And I say this as an Alonso fan.

  8. Why is Sebs name (it’s the only one) further away from the pipe-symbol? Everyone is very close to it but Seb is 3x as far from it

Comments are closed.