Singapore GP 2011

SEPTEMBER 23, 2011

Practice 1 Report - Hamilton tops first Singapore session

Lewis Hamilton, Singapore GP 2011
© The Cahier Archive

Lewis Hamilton (1:48.599) topped a shortened first session of free practice for the Singapore Grand Prix, ahead of Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull (1:49.005).

The session was delayed half an hour and reduced from 90 minutes to an hour's duration after work on the circuit kerbing was required. The session was then later red-flagged for a second time when the temporary kerbing on the exit of Turn 7 became dislodged.

The first red flag was caused when Heikki Kovalainen suffered a gearbox problem and, upon pulling over, had his Lotus's brakes catch fire. This was a year on from Kovalainen's fire during last year's race, which he put out himself, earning the presentation of his own personal helmet from the Finnish fire services....

There was early contact between Mark Webber and Timo Glock as Webber looked to go inside the MaRussia Virgin car as Glock turned in. Webber needed to pit for repairs to a damaged nose, while Glock's session ended early, the team preferring to save its remaining set of prime tyres for FP2.

Webber (1:50.066) ended the session third quickest, ahead of Fernando Alonso's Ferrari (1:50.596) and Jenson Button's McLaren (1:50.952).

Felipe Massa was sixth with the second Ferrari (1:52.043), ahead of Adrian Sutil's Force India (1:52.416), Michael Schumacher's Mercedes (1:52.416), Paul Di Resta's Force India (1:52.435) and Nico Rosberg's Mercedes (1:52.815).