British GP 2011

JULY 9, 2011

Practice 3 Report - Vettel tops Silverstone FP3. Just...

Sebastian Vettel
© The Cahier Archive

As the blown diffuser controversy rumbles on at Silverstone, Sebastian Vettel (1:31.401) set the quickest time in the final session of free practice for the British GP.

In a new directive issued this morning, the FIA has gone back to Technical Directive 26, issued on Thursday, meaning that Renault has lost the 50% throttle-opening concession when the driver is off the throttle. Mercedes-engined cars, however, are still allowed to fuel on the over-run.

In the first dry track running of the weekend, Red Bull's typical Silverstone advantage does not appear to be there, as yet, with Fernando Alonso's Ferrari (1:31.464) only six hundredths of a second off the world champion's pace.

Mark Webber (1:31.829) was third quickest, having spent much of the session delayed by an engine bay leak. Felipe Massa (1:32.169) was fourth quickest, from Pastor Maldonado's Williams (1:32.496). Jenson Button, running McLaren's new rear wing while team mate Lewis Hamilton was down in 12th place with the old one, ended up sixth fastest (1:32.954).

Kamui Kobayashi's Sauber (1:33.014), Nico Rosberg's Mercedes (1:33.044), Sergio Perez's Sauber (1:33.264) and Paul Di Resta's Force India (1:33.423) completed the top 10.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and technical director Adrian Newey spent much of the session in race control with race director Charlie Whiting. The pair emerged stony-faced, with Horner saying only "no comment' when questioned about the morning's developments.