Brazil – Free Practice 1: Hamilton by a whisker

It’s with a helmet in Brazilian colors and displaying the message “Thank you McLaren” that Lewis Hamilton is preparing to complete his final laps with his historic team. He is not the only one in this situation, as Charles Pic will leave Marussia, just as Kamui Kobayashi will leave Sauber following the announcement of Esteban Gutierrez’s appointment, and Michael Schumacher will retire and thus leave Mercedes after this race.

The weather is currently perfect in Interlagos, with 23°C in the air and 34°C on the track. The track will be tested by the 2013 prototype tires that Pirelli has brought to give the teams a preview before the first tests of the 2013 season next February.

**The practice sessions are open** and it is Force India’s Paul di Resta who takes to the track first. Bottas sets the first time of this session at 1:21.218. The Finn is in pole position to succeed Bruno Senna, an announcement that will likely and logically not take place in Brazil. As the dirtiness of the Sao Paulo track is evident, the drivers complete their installation laps and return to the pits. On the Mercedes side, Nico Rosberg’s car is equipped with Pitot probes: the German team has decided to use these last Grand Prix races as a launch pad for next season.

After 10 minutes, Sergio Pérez sets the fastest provisional time at 1:17.750 with the 2013 tires, a mark he improves by over six-tenths on the next lap. The Mexican continues and clocks in at 1:15.869. His predecessor at McLaren, Hamilton, takes the lead with 1:14.374.

After 20 minutes, Lewis Hamilton strengthens his first position with the 2013 tires in 1:14.131, ahead of Pérez, Maldonado, Schumacher, and Grosjean. It is noteworthy that at Caterham, Heikki Kovalainen has given his place to Giedo Van der Garde for this session. Meanwhile, the double reigning world champion, Sebastian Vettel, takes second place, three tenths behind Hamilton, also on prototype tires. The McLaren driver also indicated to his pit that these tires were overheating. Kimi Räikkönen, who still hasn’t set a time, indicated over his radio that the engine made a slightly funny noise.

**After 30 minutes**, Hamilton is still leading Vettel, but only by 34 thousandths, followed by Button, Massa, and Maldonado. Few errors at this early stage of the weekend, as no driver has made a mistake yet, except for slight wheel locks at the end of the pit straight. Fernando Alonso finally comes out of his shell and temporarily takes fourth place, four-tenths behind Hamilton.

After 40 minutes, Hamilton leads Vettel, Button, Alonso, and Massa. Räikkönen is still in the pits, just like Button who is struggling with issues at the front of his car. Meanwhile, Hamilton continues to notice the overheating of the 2013 version tires provided by Pirelli. Maldonado is the first to make a mistake by going wide at the Subida do Lago (turn 4), without any consequences. He is followed shortly after by Timo Glock at the same spot. This first part of the session is mainly dedicated to testing the 2013 tires.

Forty minutes from the end of this first practice session, Hamilton is still leading ahead of Vettel, Button, Alonso, and Massa. Vettel is closing in within nine-thousandths of Hamilton, on 2012 hard tires this time. Räikkönen goes back out but once again indicates over the radio that there is still a problem with the engine. He comes back in after completing only four laps in total.

Half an hour before the end of the session, the order of the top five remains the same as Vettel claims the fastest absolute time in the final sector. His teammate records the third fastest time, just 67 milliseconds behind Hamilton. The top four drivers are provisionally within 86 milliseconds of each other. On-track activity is quite significant even if there are few improvements to note. Time, therefore, to admire Michael Schumacher’s helmet which bears the message « Life is about passions. Thank you for sharing mine. »

Twenty minutes from the end of FP1, Hamilton leads ahead of Vettel (+0.009), Webber (+0.067), Button (+0.086), and Alonso (+0.474). Next are Massa, Grosjean, Di Resta, Maldonado, and Hülkenberg. On the Mercedes side, both drivers are lagging: Rosberg is fifteenth and Schumacher 19th. Meanwhile, Räikkönen is on track: the Lotus driver is significantly delayed as he has missed almost 1h15 of practice due to engine problems.

Only 10 minutes left in this session, and Hamilton is still ahead of Vettel, Webber, Button, and Alonso. Felipe Massa makes a mistake in the inner part of the Interlagos circuit and spins. No harm done as the Brazilian, wearing a helmet with orange instead of the usual yellow-green in homage to his former amateur driver father, immediately gets back on track. Vettel, on the other hand, complains of vibrations on his set of tires, perhaps too worn. Alonso improves his best time at the very end of the session, at 1:14.415, less than three-tenths behind Hamilton.

The checkered flag comes down on the straight at the Interlagos circuit, and it is the most recent Grand Prix winner, Lewis Hamilton, who takes the best time, ahead of the championship leader, Sebastian Vettel.

Free Practice 3 Standings of the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix: