A heavy crash in first practice for Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix has put a dent in Sebastian Vettel's near perfect start to the season.
World champion spins on wet track during first practice
A heavy crash during first practice for Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix has put a dent in Sebastian Vettel's near perfect start to the season.
The world-champion holds a 21-point lead in the drivers' standings after securing two wins and a second from three poles in the opening three races of the new campaign.
But the 23-year-old German's bid to increase the gap on his rivals suffered a setback when he span out in wet conditions at Istanbul Park.
Vettel and his Red Bull came to grief when he ran wide at the notorious Turn Eight, a triple-apex left-hander that exerts severe g-forces on the drivers.
His car span across the slippery track before slamming into a barrier, causing severe damage to the front and right-hand side and giving his mechanics a major challenge to repair the car in time for session two later on Friday.
Vettel finished 17th of the 23 drivers who did set a time, coming in just over six seconds adrift of Fernando Alonso who was quickest in his Ferrari.
Miserable
Lewis Hamilton was the exception in his McLaren along with Finn Heikki Kovalainen of Lotus.
Hamilton completed just one installation lap before the 90-minutes expired to finish behind team-mate and fellow Brit Jenson Button, who posted a lap time of two minutes in the dying seconds and in the worst of the conditions.
Vettel's compatriot Michael Schumacher twice lost control of his Mercedes in the miserable weather before finishing third quickest behind Alonso and team-mate Nico Rosberg.
Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov ended the session fourth and fifth in their Renaults with Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi and Felipe Massa in his Ferrari coming in sixth and seventh.
Force India's reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg completed the top 10 and Scot Paul di Resta finished in 13th after suffering two minor spins.
Leading final positions after First Practice: 1. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 1:38.670, 2. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes GP 1:40.072, 3. Michael Schumacher (GER) Mercedes GP 1:40.132, 4. Nick Heidfeld (GER) Lotus-Renault 1:40.338, 5. Vitaly Petrov (RUS) Lotus-Renault 1:40.401, 6. Kamui Kobayashi (JPN) Sauber 1:40.421, 7. Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 1:40.697, 9. Sebastien Buemi (SWI) Toro Rosso 1:41.178, 10. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India 1:41.347, 11. Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull 1:42.564, 12. Pastor Maldonado (VEN) Williams F1 1:42.597, 13. Paul di Resta (SCO) Force India 1:43.525, 14. Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Williams F1 1:43.913, 15. Jarno Trulli (ITA) Lotus 1:43.986, 16. Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA) Hispania 1:44.787, 17. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull 1:44.954, 18. Timo Glock (GER) Virgin Racing 1:45.183, 19. Jerome d'Ambrosio (BEL) Virgin Racing 1:45.237, 20. Narain Karthikeyan (IND) Hispania 1:48.461, 21. Sergio Perez (MEX) Sauber 1:55.791, 22. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren 2:00.666, 23. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren, 24. Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) Lotus
