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

Even if Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel doesn’t take the drivers’ title this weekend, one thing that will be remembered for years to come will be his qualifying successes during the 2010 season. And after clinching his tenth pole position in 19 races at Abu Dhabi, Vettel is certainly happy with his car around the Yas Marina circuit

When McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton won the 2008 drivers’ title, his entry into the record books was made all the more special as he became the sport’s youngest-ever world champion. Just two seasons later and Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel has outshone even Hamilton, clinching his maiden championship in Abu Dhabi at 23 years and four months-old – a full five months younger than Hamilton was back in ’08.

It’s a remarkable achievement, made even more remarkable because up until the Yas Marina race there were still four drivers in with a shout at the drivers’ crown. And not just any drivers – Hamilton, two-time champion Fernando Alonso and Vettel’s own team mate Mark Webber. To take a title at such a young age is an accomplishment, but to beat drivers of such calibre is a feat indeed.

Team principal Christian Horner has insisted Red Bull will not be favouring Mark Webber over Sebastian Vettel at the championship’s penultimate round in Brazil, despite the Australian’s points advantage following their Korea DNFs.

Webber is second in the table, trailing Fernando Alonso by 11 points, with Vettel a further 14 adrift. Horner says that with 50 still available, it’s too early to back one man…

Sebastian Vettel turned the tables on McLaren at Monza on Friday afternoon by setting the fastest time so far of 1m 22.839s, but the Red Bull driver was only 0.076s faster than Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and 0.222s ahead of Felipe Massa in the second F10. Soon after Massa had gone fastest with 1m 23.061s he was deposed by Alonso with 1m 22.915s, before Vettel displaced both.

Lewis Hamilton slipped in the fastest lap so far this weekend right at the end of Saturday morning’s final practice session.

The 2008 world champion opted for a low-downforce set-up on his McLaren, and beat Fernando Alonso’s late rush for Ferrari with a lap of 1m 22.498s. Sebastian Vettel also improved to 1m 22.545s to trail the Englishman by only 0.047s as he edged out Alonso’s 1m 22.644s…

For many F1 experts Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel is still the hottest candidate for the 2010 drivers’ title, despite his occasional mistakes – notably his safety-car lapse at the last race in Hungary. Spa-Francorchamps, venue for this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, puts intense pressure on car and driver and if Vettel can succeed here then his championship odds will shorten dramatically. But can he put those previous errors out of his mind and go on the offensive? The German believes so

1st Mark Webber (Red Bull), 1h41m05.571s; 2nd Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), 1h41m23.392s; 3rd Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), 1h41m24.823s.

Q: Mark, a commanding win by the end of 70 laps. But it was probably the 43 you managed in your first stint that really set it up.
Mark Webber: Yeah, that’s right. The start we always knew was going to be a little bit tricky on that side. Fernando got a good start…