Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Motor racing: Rosberg fastest in Austrian GP practice

Published 07/01/2016, 10:01 AM
Updated 07/01/2016, 10:01 AM
© Reuters. Mercedes Formula One driver Rosberg poses in a Mercedes W196 R during the Mercedes Benz media day at the Hockenheim racing circuit

© Reuters. Mercedes Formula One driver Rosberg poses in a Mercedes W196 R during the Mercedes Benz media day at the Hockenheim racing circuit

By Alan Baldwin

SPIELBERG, Austria (Reuters) - World champions Mercedes dominated Austrian Grand Prix practice on Friday, Formula One leader Nico Rosberg setting a record pace around the scenic Red Bull Ring with the fastest lap in both sessions.

The German set a best time of one minute 07.373 seconds, 0.357 quicker than team mate and triple world champion Lewis Hamilton on a bright but cloudy morning and he was again top in the afternoon with a 1:07.967.

The second session was punctuated by heavy rain that sent waves of water rippling down the pit straight before the sun returned.

Hamilton, 24 points behind Rosberg after eight of 21 races, was second in both.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who is set for a five-place grid penalty in Sunday's race for an unscheduled gearbox change, was third and fourth respectively after spinning off in the afternoon.

Fellow German Nico Hulkenberg was third in the second session for Mercedes-powered Force India.

Since Austria returned to the calendar in 2014, after an 11-year absence, Rosberg has won both races and Mercedes-engined cars have swept the podium.

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, celebrating his 27th birthday, was fifth fastest in each of the two practice sessions.

Rosberg's fastest lap on Friday, using the quickest ultrasoft tires on a resurfaced track, compared to the 2015 pole position of 1:08.455 and the race lap record of 1:08.337 set by compatriot Michael Schumacher for Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) in 2003.

It was also three seconds quicker than his own fastest lap of 1:10.401 in first practice last year and easily the fastest lap yet of the circuit.

While Rosberg had a clean first session, Hamilton spun into the gravel and triggered the virtual safety car at turn eight. Frenchman Romain Grosjean, in the Haas, also spun off as he avoided the Mercedes.

The circuit's revised kerbs also caused problems for Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who called them 'unbelievable' and 'dangerous' after two incidents.

The Dutch 18-year-old ended up in the gravel half an hour before the end of the session with a damaged suspension after earlier smashing his car's front wing on the kerb at the penultimate corner.

"The yellow kerbs in the fast corners are really dangerous," he said over the car radio.

© Reuters. Mercedes Formula One driver Rosberg poses in a Mercedes W196 R during the Mercedes Benz media day at the Hockenheim racing circuit

The new kerbs have been introduced to force drivers to respect the track limits.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.