After a long agonizing wait, Formula 1 is finally back with Kamui Kobayashi setting the early pace in an extremely wet first free practice for the 2012 Belgium Grand Prix. Kobayashi banged a 2m17.705s lap which proved unbeatable as other drivers decided to go for installation runs only.
As usual, both Toro Rosso drivers went out for some laps and lead the way early in the session before being knocked off the top spot by Kobayashi and Williams driver Pastor Maldonado who went second quickest.
The most notable incident during the session was Felipe Massa’s who stopped on track with smoke coming out of his engine and could not complete more than two laps.
Mark Webber took fifth, ahead of Sauber’s Sergio Perez, Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg and Williams’ reserve driver Valtteri Bottas, with Michael Schumacher crossing the line in tenth after escaping a scary moment at Eau Rouge.
Pos Driver Car Time Gap 1. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 2m11.389s 2. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 2m11.941s + 0.552s 3. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 2m12.004s + 0.615s 4. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 2m12.824s + 1.435s 5. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 2m13.191s + 1.802s 6. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 2m13.861s + 2.472s 7. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 2m14.210s + 2.821s 8. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 2m14.660s + 3.271s 9. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 2m14.860s + 3.471s 10. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 2m15.402s + 4.013s 11. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 2m15.812s + 4.423s 12. Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth 2m16.409s + 5.020s 13. Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 2m16.786s + 5.397s 14. Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault 2m16.788s + 5.399s 15. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 2m16.827s + 5.438s 16. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 2m16.861s + 5.472s 17. Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth 2m17.519s + 6.130s 18. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault 2m18.199s + 6.810s 19. Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth 2m19.546s + 8.157s 20. Dani Clos HRT-Cosworth 2m19.689s + 8.300s 21. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 2m38.701s + 27.312s 22. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 2m40.749s + 29.360s 23. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 2m46.580s + 35.191s 24. Felipe Massa Ferrari