Formula One: Practice session hit by rain at Hockenheim
Formula One 2010 season’s 10th race is this weekend at Hockenheim circuit in Germany. The practice sessions for the Grand Prix are underway.
There was an unfortunate incident at the rain affected practice session. Current championship leader, Lewis Hamilton lost control of his car while making a turn and slipped into the tyre wall during the first practice session.
The 2008 Champion though thankfully emerged unhurt from the accident, by then he had completed 8 laps. Hamilton was having some problems gripping the surface due to excessive water on the tracks. In the first 8 laps he did have a minor slip or two but managed to get hold of the car. When he was coming out from turn 3 he turned too sharply and the front wheels of his McLaren swerved away making him lose control of the car. Hamilton’s car kept going left and eventually smashed into the tyre wall. The crash did cause some serious damage to the car.
Adrian Sutil, from Force India on his home track was looking good in the early session and set the fastest time. He was one of 6 German drivers on the track trying to earn the applause of the home crowd.
Ferrari’s Brazilian driver Felipe Massa was also not finding it easy to handle the wet conditions. He had a number of minor slips but managed to hold on and set the 2nd fastest time. Later, current World champion Jenson Button got into his own and showed great control in tough conditions setting the fastest lap ahead of Massa.
The two British drivers from McLaren were the last to go out on the tracks, the duo waited for the weather to get better but eventually had to go out with time running out. Hamilton did not find it easy and crashed out. Button though was smooth and despite his complaints of an unstable rear end, Button outpaced the rest in the final stages of the session.
Earlier at the British Grand Prix for the 2 McLaren drivers, the team had decided to trail the new blown diffuser.
The upgrade that did not work so well for the British team at the home Grand Prix, was once again in question and the team was keen on checking if it would do them any good in Germany. The 2 drivers though went out quite late and with so little time it was difficult to judge if the diffuser did aide the drivers in any manner to increase the down-force.
Meanwhile the 2 fastest cars on the circuit, the Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber were not able to find the pace they are known for. Sebastian Vettel could only finish 3 seconds behind the Force India driver Adrian Sutil and his team mate Mark Webber followed him with a difference of 0.3 seconds.
The Red Bull duo were on their old front wings, and Vettel was not given the front wing that created a lot of controversy at Silverstone, when it was taken from Webber’s car and added to Vettel’s. The team though expect to put in new front wings for both drivers before the final practice session of the day, and definitely before the Qualifying sessions on Saturday.
Williams driver, Rubins Barichello was the 4th fastest and was looking good, his team mate Nico Hulkenberg finished 8th fastest overall (3rd fastest of 6 Germans on the track).
Nico Rosberg, from Mercedes, was 6th quickest and the 2nd fastest German, but it was another disappointing session for the 4 time German Grand Prix winner. Michael Schumacher got only the 2nd slowest lap of the day. While two time world champion Fernando Alonso was quite disappointing and finished 19th overall.
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