Force india F1 driver Paul Di Resta fastest in 1st Canadian Grand Prix practice…
Paul Di Resta posted the fasted lap on a wet track Friday in the first practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Di Resta completed the 4.361-kilometre Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in one minute 21.020 seconds, relatively slow due to the wet conditions.
Jenson Button’s McLaren was second in 1:21.108 with Romain Grosjean third in Lotus at 1:21.258.
A second 90-minute practice session is set for Friday afternoon.
The asphalt was still wet from morning rain when the 90-minute session opened but after a half hour the handful of early starters had established a dry racing line.
The top times were set in the frantic final laps when with nearly all the cars on the track.
Several teams tried out Pirelli’s new prototype tires, but only for a few laps.
Nico Rosberg, gunning for a fourth straight pole position, set the early pace for Mercedes but ended up seventh.
Fernando Alonso was fourth, Formula One driver’s championship leader Sebastian Vettel was ninth with his Red Bull teammate Mark Webber 10th. Defending champion Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes was 16th.
Pastor Maldonado hit a wall late in the session and damaged his front wing, while Jules Bianchi’s Marissia stopped on a slip road after 41 minutes, ending his session. Several others, including Button and Hamilton, had minor slides but kept going.
Qualifying is on Saturday with the race on Sunday.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m21.020s 10 2. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m21.108s + 0.088s 20 3. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m21.258s + 0.238s 21 4. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m21.308s + 0.288s 16 5. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m21.608s + 0.588s 22 6. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m22.068s + 1.048s 18 7. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m22.402s + 1.382s 22 8. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m22.587s + 1.567s 17 9. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m23.047s + 2.027s 26 10. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m23.131s + 2.111s 16 11. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m23.341s + 2.321s 13 12. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m23.352s + 2.332s 17 13. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m23.3e6s + 2.366s 19 14. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m23.417s + 2.397s 19 15. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m23.957s + 2.937s 33 16. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m25.054s + 4.034s 21 17. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m25.354s + 4.334s 22 18. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m25.753s + 4.733s 21 19. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m25.821s + 4.801s 19 20. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m27.143s + 6.123s 20 21. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m27.522s + 6.502s 11 22. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m29.306s + 8.286s 8