Publications
Partners
YEONGAM, South Korea - Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel limbered up for qualifying with an ominous burst of pace in the final free practice session ahead of the Korean Grand Prix.
Vettel, who will regain the championship lead from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso if he wins, lapped the southern Yeongam circuit with a best time of one minute 37.642 seconds on a cloudy but dry morning.
Vettel is four points behind Alonso, who was sixth fastest, with five races remaining including the Korean GP. Vettel is was also fastest in during second practice.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who qualified on pole in 2011 for a race won by Vettel, was second fastest but half a second off Vettel's pace with a lap of 1m38.169.
Team mate Jenson Button was third quickest.
The Lotus duo of Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen, who has a radical new exhaust system on his car, were fourth and fifth.
Red Bull's Mark Webber suffered some electrical problems and was seventh.
Stay with Wheels24 for the Korean F1 GP weekend
Third practice times from the 2012 Korean Grand Prix:
1. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min37.642
2. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min38.169
3. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min38.511
4. Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min38.582
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min38.666
6. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min38.705
7. Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min38.766
8. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min38.791
9. Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min38.833
10. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min38.932
11. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min38.954
12. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min39.010
13. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min39.150
14. Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min39.156
15. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari 1min39.345
16. Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min39.448
17. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min39.537
18. Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min39.706
19. Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min41.114
20. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min41.437
21. Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min41.684
22. Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min42.062
23. Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min42.845
24. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min42.882
Second practice session from the 2012 Korean GP
1. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min38.832
2 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min38.864
3 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min39.160
4 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min39.219
5 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min39.330
6 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min39.422
7 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min39.584
8 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min39.717
9 Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min39.739
10 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min39.839
11 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min39.957
12 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min40.089
13 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India - Mercedes 1min40.112
14 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min40.445
15 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min40.745
16 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min40.789
17 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min40.997
18 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min41.200
19 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min41.602
20 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min42.596
21 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min43.066
22 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min43.067
23 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min43.869
24 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min44.533
First free practice session
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min39.148sec
2 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min39.450
3 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min39.575
4 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min39.854
5 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min40.088
6 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min40.221
7 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min40.396
8 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min40.422
9 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min40.440
10 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min40.480
11 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min40.929
12 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min41.048
13 Jules Bianchi (France) Force India 1min41.140
14 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min41.220
15 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min41.514
16 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min41.596
17 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min42.021
18 Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams 1min42.027
19 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min42.104
20 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min42.175
21 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min42.706
22Giedo van der Garde (Netherlands) Caterham 1min42.820
23 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min44.517
24 Dani Clos (Spain) HRT 1min45.735
Vettel, who will regain the championship lead from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso if he wins, lapped the southern Yeongam circuit with a best time of one minute 37.642 seconds on a cloudy but dry morning.
Vettel is four points behind Alonso, who was sixth fastest, with five races remaining including the Korean GP. Vettel is was also fastest in during second practice.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who qualified on pole in 2011 for a race won by Vettel, was second fastest but half a second off Vettel's pace with a lap of 1m38.169.
Team mate Jenson Button was third quickest.
The Lotus duo of Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen, who has a radical new exhaust system on his car, were fourth and fifth.
Red Bull's Mark Webber suffered some electrical problems and was seventh.
Stay with Wheels24 for the Korean F1 GP weekend
Third practice times from the 2012 Korean Grand Prix:
1. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min37.642
2. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min38.169
3. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min38.511
4. Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min38.582
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min38.666
6. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min38.705
7. Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min38.766
8. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min38.791
9. Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min38.833
10. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min38.932
11. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min38.954
12. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min39.010
13. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min39.150
14. Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min39.156
15. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari 1min39.345
16. Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min39.448
17. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min39.537
18. Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min39.706
19. Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min41.114
20. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min41.437
21. Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min41.684
22. Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min42.062
23. Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min42.845
24. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min42.882
Second practice session from the 2012 Korean GP
1. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min38.832
2 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min38.864
3 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min39.160
4 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min39.219
5 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min39.330
6 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min39.422
7 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min39.584
8 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min39.717
9 Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min39.739
10 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min39.839
11 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min39.957
12 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min40.089
13 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India - Mercedes 1min40.112
14 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min40.445
15 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min40.745
16 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min40.789
17 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min40.997
18 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min41.200
19 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min41.602
20 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min42.596
21 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min43.066
22 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min43.067
23 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min43.869
24 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min44.533
First free practice session
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min39.148sec
2 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min39.450
3 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min39.575
4 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min39.854
5 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min40.088
6 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min40.221
7 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min40.396
8 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min40.422
9 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min40.440
10 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min40.480
11 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min40.929
12 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min41.048
13 Jules Bianchi (France) Force India 1min41.140
14 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min41.220
15 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min41.514
16 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min41.596
17 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min42.021
18 Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams 1min42.027
19 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min42.104
20 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min42.175
21 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min42.706
22Giedo van der Garde (Netherlands) Caterham 1min42.820
23 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min44.517
24 Dani Clos (Spain) HRT 1min45.735