Vettel tops night and day

Manama : Championship leader Sebastian Vettel topped the times again for Ferrari in yesterday’s  hotly-contested second free practice ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

Having lapped quickest to top the opening session in very hot conditions, the four-time champion remained the man to beat in cooler temperatures in the floodlit session at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) where the sport’s former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone made his first appearance at a race since new owners Liberty Media took over the sport. 

Vettel clocked an early best lap in one minute and 31.310 seconds during a run on super-soft tyres, a time that left him 0.041 seconds ahead of nearest rival Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes. The Finn, who replaced retired 2016 champion Nico Rosberg in the champion team, was second 0.025 seconds clear of third placed Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull, the front three all separated by just 0.066 seconds.

Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 champion, was fourth quickest in the second Ferrari ahead of Mercedes’ three-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who shares the title race lead with Vettel after two races so far this season. The Briton was unable to clock a truly competitive lap on his super-soft runs and had to take evasive action when he came upon Nico Hulkenberg idling on the racing line in Turn One. “These drivers are so dangerous, man,” said Hamilton, as he backed off and aborted his lap.