Sebastian Vettel kept Red Bull teammate and title rival Mark Webber off the top of the timesheets in the last practice session of the Formula One season yesterday.
German Vettel, 23, who can become the youngest champion if results go his way in today’s closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, lapped the Yas Marina circuit in 1 minute, 40.696 seconds, with Australian Webber 0.133 seconds slower.
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, who remains in the four-way title battle by the skin of his teeth, was third fastest — but 0.584 seconds slower than Vettel — with championship leader Fernando Alonso fourth for Ferrari.
Photo: EPA
Spaniard Alonso, who is hoping to become the sport’s youngest triple champion at the age of 29, leads Webber by eight points and Vettel by 15. Hamilton is 24 points off the pace with 25 remaining to be won.
Hamilton and Alonso were unhappy teammates at McLaren in 2007, with the Briton picking up more enemies in Spain when he won the title the following year, but they have patched up matters since.
Alonso, who would be happy to see anyone take points off the Red Bull pairing, expected to be strong in the season-ender and who finished one-two in Abu Dhabi last year, has even said he would like to see Hamilton on pole.
“Red Bull are still favorites and hopefully McLaren can do a good job here and be on pole, but I guess Red Bull were not 100 percent,” he said after Hamilton was fastest in Friday practice.
Alonso was watched by Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.
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