Formula One news
Webber leads opening practice in Germany
10 July 2009 / Results / PhotosMark Webber has set the fastest lap time in Friday's first practice session ahead of the German Grand Prix. The Australian lapped the Nürburgring circuit quickest ahead of championship leader Jenson Button, although second Red Bull driver of Sebastian Vettel had a disappointing start, hampered by technical problems.
F1 returns to the Nürburgring for the first time in two years this weekend, as the circuit hosts its first Grand Prix under the German title since 1985. After a break of three weeks, fans at the track were pleased to see Formula One cars back in action but no so pleased with the cool temperatures, which reached highs of only 12°C (54°F) and track temperatures rising to 20°C (68°F) by the end of the session.
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| This will be a weekend of thrills in spills, in more ways than one... |
The tarmac surface stayed at the chilly level of only 11°C (52°F) when the green pit exit light illuminated for the first practice session, however, which lasted for an hour and a half. After the customary sighter laps, a rain shower resulted in only two times being posted before the half an hour mark, as World Champion Lewis Hamilton experimented with Intermediate tyres.
Mark Webber was the man doing the running at the top of the timesheets of for most of the morning, as the Australian's Red Bull - which finished on the podium at the Nürburgring in 2007 - topped the timesheets with a lap time of 1.33.082. Championship leader Jenson Button finished second fastest, despite being just under four tenths of a second slower.
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| Thousands of fans began to flock to the circuit on Friday morning |
There was a bad start to the weekend for local favourite and second Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, however, who ground to a halt at Turn 1 with a suspected electrical problem, joining compatriot Adrian Sutil who stopped with gearbox woes in the same place. Other Germans Nico Rosberg, Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock finished in 7th, 11th and 19th places respectively. Sutil posted the slowest time with Vettel eventually rejoining in the last minutes and moving up to eighth.
Behind Webber and Button at the top was the Ferrari of Felipe Massa, with Italians Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella confirming five constructors in the top five places for Toyota and Force India, with a particularly impressive performance from the latter. Rubens Barrichello wound up 12th in the second Brawn car.
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| Webber is looking to kickstart a Red Bull Racing championship challenge at the Nürburgring |
The Nürburgring's usual challenges of a demanding circuit and possession of a micro climate have been increased further this year, with a new underpass at Turn 1 leaving a significant bump on the race track in the braking zone, which is overlooked by a brand-new rollercoaster - the fastest accelerating ride in the world.
Second practice in Germany begins at 2pm local time (BST + 1 / GMT + 2) and its progress can again be followed on GPUpdate.net.
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