Brazil – Free Practice 3: Button Confirms the McLaren’s Form

The conditions have slightly changed since yesterday because even though the temperatures are still quite high (28°C in the air, 36°C on the track), it is the clouds and wind that greet the drivers for this third free practice session.

Heikki Kovalainen, in the Caterham, leads the way for installation laps as the drivers head out on hard tires (silver sidewalls). The first driver to set a time is Nico Rosberg, at 1:20.153, before improving to 1:15.308. The Mercedes cars are very active at this early stage of the session, as they have already completed six laps each while the others have only done two.

After ten minutes, Schumacher leads with a time of 1:15.034, ahead of Kobayashi and Rosberg. The latter takes the lead as the track gradually fills up. Smoke is then seen at the rear of Räikkönen’s Lotus: engine problem for the Finn who pulls off behind the safety barriers. Bad news for the English team that had installed the race engine for this morning session. Shortly after, the McLarens appear, with Button taking the first place in 1:14.419, followed by Hamilton at 133 milliseconds. Button also sets, a few laps later, the best time of the weekend in 1:13.917.

After twenty minutes, Button leads Hamilton, Grosjean, Hülkenberg, and Vettel. Hamilton gets within 43 thousandths before Button improves again to 1:13.858. Alonso, meanwhile, settles into his car. The two Ferraris still haven’t completed a single lap. Vettel takes advantage of a relatively clear lap to slot his name just below Button’s, at 66 thousandths, but secures the best second sector. On the Ferrari side, Alonso is on track with hard tires and gradually moves up the standings, like his teammate.

**Half an hour from the end**, Button leads ahead of Vettel, Hamilton, Webber, and Maldonado. No driver has yet fitted the medium tires (white flanks), which are the softest brought this weekend by Pirelli. Button is trying to find a clean lap but is unable to do so. Meanwhile, Massa sets the fourth fastest provisional time, less than two-tenths behind Button.

Twenty minutes from the end, Button, Vettel, Hamilton, Massa, and Webber make up the top 5. Schumacher is one of the first drivers to switch to medium tires. He attempts a fast lap but in the final sector, he is held up by Senna, who spins in front of him after going too wide. The German narrowly avoids him. The Brazilian can continue. The track is now very calm, with Rosberg being the only one breaking the relative silence that had fallen over the Brazilian circuit.

Ten minutes before the end of the final free practice session of the season, Button is leading, ahead of Vettel (+0.066), Hamilton (+0.102), Massa (+0.156), and Webber (+0.213). No one is on the track, which isn’t quite right for a luxury spectator, Kimi Räikkönen, who has decided to stay seated where he left his Lotus, in a garden chair. Vergne, Grosjean, Hülkenberg, and Pérez take it upon themselves to liven up the end of Free Practice 3 before being joined by the front runners. Hülkenberg takes the lead with a 1:13.623, then di Resta surpasses him by six-thousandths, but Button regains his position with a 1:13.192. Attempts to dislodge the Brit multiply, but with traffic, it’s difficult to find a clear lap. Button continues to improve, posting a lap four-thousandths faster than his previous one. An interesting juxtaposition of images: while Vettel, signaling his return to the pits to the drivers behind him, extends his arm from the cockpit, Petrov does the same to make a less diplomatic gesture toward Hülkenberg, guilty of hindering him at the braking of the penultimate corner. Vettel fails by just 57-thousandths to Button and has to settle for second time as the checkered flag waves.

Jenson Button therefore sets the best time of the weekend and confirms the good form of the McLarens, closely followed by the Red Bulls.

Free Practice 3 Results of the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix: