F1 FOLLOWER: Monaco GP_FP1 - Vettel fastest from all again!!

27/5/11,

The German driver was again in the first position of the rankings!!

Sebastian Vettel started brilliantly the four days of the Grand Prix of Monaco. But this time, he seems to not be enjoying the same advantage over the competition, which had in the previous races. Indeed, the first position had many suitors in the first free trial period.

The champion made a time of 1.16.619, placing his name at the top of the rankings, displacing Fernando Alonso who was second with 0.113 slower. Another four tenths behind was Nico Rosberg who had temporarily put the Mercedes in top times, just like Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton did earlier(with Ferrari and McLaren respectively) who followed by the final ranking.

Lewis Hamilton tried to join in but was delayed by traffic in the middle of the lap after setting the fastest time through the first sector. Alonso hit back with a 1’16.732 to go fastest. But Vettel had some more time in hand and took the fastest time by a tenth of a second.

The winner of 2009, Jenson Button, had the sixth best performance and was the last person who moved within seconds of the first. The top ten was completed by Pastor Maldonado (Williams), who took advantage of his experience in the narrow streets of the principality, Adrian Sutil (Force India), Vitaly Petrov (Lotus Renault GP) and Michael Schumacher, who had an exit just before the finale process.

Vitantonio Liuzzi’s session came to an end when he crashed. He lost control of his car at the exit of the tunnel and hit the barrier on the inside approaching the chicane, damaging the front of the HRT. Also Michael Schumacher had a touch with the barriers in the first turn of the circuit trying but managed to take part in the FP2.

Mark Webber never completed a timed lap. He appeared to be stuck in gear as he drove slowly into the pits after just three laps.

The session was also disrupted by a red flag due to a water leak on the start/finish straight, but resumed after a brief delay.

Lap times, positions, differences, laps and drivers!!