FP1: Vettel puts Red Bull top in India

Friday 26th October 2012, 07:35 by Ryan Wood 

© Red Bull Racing, Getty Images

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel continued his strong form in India with the fastest lap of the New Delhi circuit on Friday morning.

The German, who has won the last three races, moved to the top of the table toward the end of the session, to move three tenths clear of McLaren's Jenson Button.

Championship contendor Fernando Alonso split the McLarens, placing his Ferrari third, just two thousandths ahead of Lewis Hamilton who is looking to bounce back from a string of poor results.

Mark Webber completed the top five with Nico Rosbrg, Felipe Massa, Michael Schumacher, Daniel Ricciardo and Kimi Räikkönen the top ten.

Valtteri Bottas replaced Bruno Senna at Williams for the first session and impressed with the 11th quickest time, some two tenths faster than team-mate Pastor Maldonado.

Meanwhile, Esteban Guttierez replaced an unwell Sergio Perez, managing 29 almost error free laps to post the 20th quickest time behind Giedo van der Garde who sat in Heikki Kovalainen's seat for the hour and a half session.

FP1: 2012 Indian Grand Prix Times

#No.DriverTeamTimeGapLaps 
01 1 S. Vettel Red Bull 1:27.619   22
02 3 J. Button McLaren 1:27.929 0.310 22
03 5 F. Alonso Ferrari 1:28.044 0.425 24
04 4 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:28.046 0.427 25
05 2 M. Webber Red Bull 1:28.175 0.556 22
06 8 N. Rosberg Mercedes 1:28.447 0.828 25
07 6 F. Massa Ferrari 1:28.542 0.923 24
08 7 M. Schumacher Mercedes 1:28.993 1.374 23
09 16 D. Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1:29.204 1.585 24
10 9 K. Räikkönen Lotus 1:29.291 1.672 24
11 19 V. Bottas Williams 1:29.691 2.072 26
12 11 P. di Resta Force India 1:29.760 2.141 23
13 14 K. Kobayashi Sauber 1:29.802 2.183 18
14 12 N. Hulkenberg Force India 1:29.850 2.231 19
15 10 R. Grosjean Lotus 1:29.895 2.276 19
16 18 P. Maldonado Williams 1:30.041 2.422 26
17 17 J. Vergne Toro Rosso 1:30.401 2.782 23
18 21 V. Petrov Caterham 1:30.630 3.011 24
19 20 G. van der Garde Caterham 1:30.896 3.277 20
20 15 E. Gutierrez Sauber 1:31.212 3.593 29
21 25 C. Pic Marussia 1:31.903 4.284 22
22 23 N. Karthikeyan HRT 1:32.125 4.506 24
23 24 T. Glock Marussia 1:32.369 4.750 19
24 22 P. de la Rosa HRT 1:32.859 5.240 13

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