Monaco GP – Free Practice 1: Vettel Leads the Charge

As is often the case, it’s the smaller teams that are quickest to hit the track. Trulli, a former winner in Monaco, is the first to leave the pits, quickly followed by D’Ambrosio, Petrov, Buemi, Karthikeyan, and Vettel. The world champion is the first big name to get into his car. Many drivers perform a reconnaissance lap before returning to their pit.

After more than 15 minutes of calm, Narain Karthikeyan exits the pits, followed by Jenson Button in his McLaren. The British driver only completes an installation lap and returns to the pits as quickly as he had come out. Lewis Hamilton does the same. Karthikeyan is the first to set a timed lap with 1:28.772. Pérez and D’Ambrosio are also on track to learn this very particular circuit. The Belgian driver had won his first GP2 race on this circuit. They are joined by Pastor Maldonado, another rookie this year.

There is a small puddle of water in the pit straight while the thermometer shows 24 degrees in the air and a track at 29 degrees. This water seems to be coming from the pits.

Pastor Maldonado is the fastest on track with a time of 1:21.902, ahead of Kamui Kobayashi, as Mark Webber exits his pit. As we approach the halfway point of the session, the serious business is about to begin. The Australian returns to the pits due to an apparent technical problem. Massa in the Ferrari is the fastest with a time of 1:20.825. The Scuderia hopes for a better weekend than in Spain, given that Pirelli has brought the super-soft and soft tires for the Monaco round. Felipe Massa eagerly climbs the curbs at the Swimming Pool.

Adrian Sutil, often comfortable here, takes the top position on the timing sheet with a lap of 1:20.394. Felipe Massa immediately responds by clocking a 1:18.582. For now, all the drivers are equipped with hard tires (the soft ones from Barcelona).

Track marshals wave the red flag 40 minutes before the end of the session. It’s the puddle on the pit straight that’s the cause of this red flag. Race control deems repairs necessary and the cars return to the pits. The pause was brief – just enough time to close a valve – and the cars are allowed back on the track for the second part of this first free practice session.

There is a lot of traffic on track towards the end of the session. The drivers are starting to use their DRS. Nico Rosberg is the fastest with 27 minutes remaining. The Mercedes driver is lapping in 1:17.991. He is the first to go below the 1 minute 18 mark. Alonso, who is sporting a golden helmet for this Grand Prix, improves by 0.3 seconds. Jérôme D’Ambrosio also has a new design on his helmet. The session is over for Vitantonio Liuzzi, who leaves his HRT in the runoff area at the tunnel exit. The Italian hit the barrier at the chicane’s braking zone.

Vettel, who had been rather discreet in this session, reminded his opponents of his presence by setting the best time of 1:17.309 with 10 minutes remaining in the session. For now, no one has used the soft tires yet. The times are extremely close. The top five are within just two-tenths of a second.

The slightest mistake is fatal in Monaco, and Michael Schumacher bears the consequences as he goes off at the Sainte Dévote braking. His teammate Nico Rosberg takes the best time with 1:17.139 for the German driver. Time immediately beaten by Fernando Alonso with 1:17.109. The gaps remain very small. Sebastian Vettel goes under the 17-minute mark with a lap of 1:16.781. Fernando Alonso grabs the best time with 1:16.732, but Vettel is on a good lap as well. 1:16.619 for the German from Red Bull. Rosberg is third in this first session. Massa, Hamilton, Button, Maldonado, Sutil, Petrov, and Schumacher complete the top 10.

Free Practice 1 Results – 2011 Monaco Grand Prix: