Formula-1 news

The first day of Abu Dhabi practice saw the four title contenders to the fore, as everybody worked on setting their cars up and getting the best out of Bridgestone’s medium and super-soft tyres for the last time. Hamilton was quickest in what he felt was a much improved McLaren, but Vettel insisted there is more to come from Red Bull. We take a team-by-team look at Friday at Yas Marina

As many of their rivals suspected they would, Red Bull found a little bit more pace in Saturday afternoon’s final practice session in Abu Dhabi, and Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber set the fastest times of the weekend. The German lapped in 1m 40.696s, and the Australian was just 0.133s adrift with 1m 40.829s.

Lewis Hamilton was unable to match yesterday’s 1m 40.888s but was third fastest for McLaren on 1m 41.280s…

Four men could become world champion in Abu Dhabi this weekend. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton has only an outside chance, but Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’s Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel are all real contenders

For the four remaining title contenders, qualifying for this weekend’s title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a fraught affair. Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel was the quickest when it counted, taking pole position for the tenth time this season, but his team mate Mark Webber seemed to crumble under the pressure, managing just fifth on the grid. In between were the Red Bull duo’s remaining championship rivals McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, as well as 2009 title holder Jenson Button in the second MP4-25. The scene is thus set for a storming race. We take a team-by-team look at qualifying

McLaren’s Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton sandwiched Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel at the top of the times after Friday morning’s first free practice session at Monza.

The reigning world champion lapped in 1m 23.693s, just 0.097s faster than the German’s 1m 23.790s, with the 2008 title winner on 1m 23.967s in the second MP4-25. Nobody else breached 1m 24s, but Robert Kubica and Nico Rosberg got closest…

As expected, it rained in Spa on Friday morning. And rained. At one stage nobody was out on the track as a torrential downpour kept all 24 cars and drivers in their garages.

But everyone went out at one time or other as full wet Bridgestones remained the order of the day, and Fernando Alonso set the pace all the way through with Lewis Hamilton hot on his heels…

The Hungarian Grand Prix couldn’t have been more disappointing for McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton – not only did his race end in retirement but he lost the top spot in the standings. Hamilton, however, has already shaken off any feelings of regret and is now fully focused on recharging his batteries over the summer break and returning to the fray later this month with a renewed sense of purpose. He explains more in an interview on his official website

Sebastian Vettel was in a world of his own in qualifying as he thrust his Red Bull to a fastest time of 1m 18.773s, and his second-run lap of 1m 18.832s would have been sufficient to win him the pole too as team mate Mark Webber could not improve on his first effort of 1m 19.184s.

The only man to get anywhere near the Australian was Fernando Alonso with 1m 19.987s for Ferrari, then there was a big gap to Felipe Massa on 1m 20.331s in the other Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton who achieved McLaren’s dream with a top five time, 1m 20.499s.

Nobody could hold a candle to Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel on Saturday in Hungary – not even team mate Mark Webber, who took a distant second to the German’s dominant pole time. Together the duo look pretty invincible for Sunday’s race, but there’s no doubt Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa in third and fourth, and fifth-placed McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton will do all they can to stop Red Bull having it all their own way in Budapest. We take a team-by-team look at the pre-race form

Friday at Hockenheim was not the best of days for McLaren, with the weather and Lewis Hamilton’s crash making it tough for the team to accurately test their latest developments, including the blown floor and diffuser that were temporarily abandoned at Silverstone. It was left to Jenson Button to do the bulk of the running and the world champion came away quietly confident, even if he does admit beating Red Bull is still going to be tough this weekend