Vettel suffers practice shunt

Sebastian Vettel
12 April 2012

Sebastian Vettel paid the penalty for a rare mistake in what has so far been a near-perfect season for the Formula One world champion.

Two wins and a second from three poles in the opening three races of the new campaign has seen Vettel open up a 21-point lead in the drivers' standings in his bid for back-to-back titles.

But in first practice ahead of Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix, the 23-year-old German blotted his copybook with a heavy shunt.

For the first time since the inaugural race at the Istanbul Park in 2005, rain proliferated the session, with Vettel the big casualty.

Emerging out of the infamous Turn Eight, a triple-apex left-hander that exerts severe g-forces on the body, Vettel did nothing more than run a little wide on the exit.

But that was enough to send the Red Bull star spinning across the track before slamming into a barrier, severely damaging the front and right-hand side of his car. Dubbed 'Kinky Kylie' - as Vettel enjoys giving his cars unusual names - she will need some work in the garage if he is to make it out for session two later today.

Vettel, who brought out a red flag, eventually finished 17th, just over six seconds adrift of Fernando Alonso in his Ferrari, albeit with times irrelevant given the conditions.

Vettel was not the only driver to suffer a spin, although he was the only one to sustain damage, as compatriot Michael Schumacher twice lost control of his Mercedes.

The seven-times champion ultimately finished third quickest behind Alonso and team-mate Nico Rosberg, the Mercedes duo 1.4secs down, with the Renaults of Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov fourth and fifth.

Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi and Felipe Massa in his Ferrari finished sixth and seventh, with Toro Rosso reserve Daniel Ricciardo - in for Jaime Alguersuari - then narrowly ahead of team-mate Sebastien Buemi. Another reserve driver in Force India's Nico Hulkenberg completed the top 10, finishing 2.2secs quicker than Paul di Resta in 13th.

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