It was a time that was never bettered throughout a session that was hit with
the odd rain shower, but failed to affect running too much.
Hamilton, 37 points adrift of championship leader Fernando Alonso in his
Ferrari, sneaked within half a second late on to depose the Spaniard from
second spot as he finished 0.775secs adrift.
Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher led the quintet of Germans on home soil, the
seven-times champion 0.787secs down on Button.
Behind Sauber’s Sergio Perez in fifth were another two Germans in Force
India’s Nico Hulkenberg and Nico Rosberg in his Mercedes, both over a second
off the pace.
A recently resurgent Felipe Massa was eighth quickest in his Ferrari ahead of
Williams’ Pastor Maldonado and Lotus’ Romain Grosjean who completed the top
10.
Red Bull, who seemingly have again become the team to beat given their pace of
late in Valencia and at Silverstone, had Sebastian Vettel down in 12th,
1.744secs down.
As for British Grand Prix winner Mark Webber, the Australian was 20th,
3.527secs adrift, seemingly suggesting he and Vettel were running high-fuel
loads.
In between, Williams’ reserve Valtteri Bottas was 13th, blotting his
previously unblemished copybook – as the Finn has run in the majority of
first practice sessions for Bruno Senna this season – with a late spin into
the gravel.
Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen spent most of his session testing Lotus’ new
‘double-DRS’ – pioneered by Mercedes – in a bid to find more straightline
speed when the system is allowed to be activated.
After a number of installation laps, Raikkonen finally raised himself up to
15th late on, but 2.236secs adrift.
Jules Bianchi was allowed another first practice outing for Force India, with
Paul di Resta standing down on this occasion, with the Frenchman 16th and
2.377secs down.
Another reserve in HRT’s Dani Clos brought up the rear, 5.145secs off of
Button’s pace, and more significantly 0.6secs behind team- mate Pedro de la
Rosa who was 23rd.