Saturday, 11 June 2011

Alonso Leads Montreal Friday Times


Two-times world champion Fernando Alonso topped the times for Ferrari after Friday's incident and crash-hit practice sessions for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix. 

The 29-year-old Spaniard was fastest with a best lap of one minute and 15.107 seconds, ahead of nearest rival and defending champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull. 

Vettel, 23, showed remarkable speed and resilience in the afternoon session after walking away unhurt from a 120 kph crash during the morning session.

His was the first of three accidents that brought out the red flags to halt the action during the day as the drivers struggled to come to terms with the demands of the challenging Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. 

Vettel lost control of his car over the kerbs at the final chicane where he flew off into the 'wall of champions', so called because it has been the scene of accidents for an illustrious list of drivers. 

He severely damaged the front right wheel of his car, but it was not to be a novel sight as Japanese Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber and Belgian Jerome D'Ambrosio of Virgin similarly damaged their machines in collisions with the barriers at turn four. 

Adrian Sutil of Force India also suffered a heavy collision, but like the others was able to walk away unhurt. 

Alonso's Ferrari team-mate Brazilian Felipe Massa was third-fastest, endorsing the competitive speed the team has on this circuit this weekend, ahead of the two McLarens of Britons Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 champion, and Jenson Button, champion of 2009. 

Another rookie Paul di Resta of Force India was an impressive sixth ahead of Vettel's Red Bull team-mate Australian Mark Webber and Russian Vitaly Petrov of Renault. 

Nick Heidfeld was ninth behind Petrov in the second Renault and Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello 10th for Williams on a day when his former Ferrari partner seven-times champion German Michael Schumacher, 42, was left behind in 20th position for Mercedes.

Mexican rookie Sergio Perez, 21, who crashed heavily at the Monaco Grand Prix two weeks ago, did 27 laps in the morning session, but then pulled out saying he felt unwell. 

He had suffered severe concussion in Monte Carlo and the team decided not to take any risks with his health and promptly replaced him with McLaren's test and reserve driver Spanish veteran Pedro de la Rosa in the afternoon.



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