British Grand Prix 2012: Lotus’ Romain Grosjean sets early pace

Lotus’ Romain Grosjean topped the timesheets in the first practice session at a sodden Silverstone circuit ahead of Sunday’s British Grand Prix.

The Frenchman set the pace just before the weather worsened, with a time of 1:56.552.

Eighty-thousand fans watched as the bad weather turned practice 1 into a washout. The drivers edged round a soaking-wet Silverstone circuit, as lap times were over 20 seconds off the usual dry-weather pace.

Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo finished second fastest at 0.275 seconds off the pace, with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton just three tenths behind in third.

Only nine drivers did 10 laps or more and championship leader Fernando Alonso was one of three not to set a time in first practice.

British Grand Prix 2012: First Practice times

1 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Lotus F1 Team 1:56.552

2 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Scuderia Toro Rosso (+0.275)

3 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) McLaren (+0.622)

4 Sergio Perez (Mex) Sauber-Ferrari (+1.112)

5 Felipe Massa (Bra) Ferrari (+1.567)

6 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull (+1.911)

7 Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn) Sauber-Ferrari (+1.931)

8 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Mercedes GP (+1.941)

9 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes GP (+2.390)

10 Jean-Eric Vergne (Fra) Scuderia Toro Rosso (+2.524)

11 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull (+2.862)

12 Vitaly Petrov (Rus) Caterham (+3.062)

13 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) William Renault (+3.181)

14 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Caterham (+3.235)

15 Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Williams (+3.573)

16 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Lotus F1 Team (+3.701)

17 Jenson Button (Gbr) McLaren (+5.282)

18 Timo Glock (Ger) Marussia (+5.283)

19 Pedro de la Rosa (Spa) HRT-F1 (+7.789)

20 Daniel Clos (Spa) HRT Cosworth (+8.470)

21 Charles Pic (Fra) Marussia (+15.208)

Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari

Paul di Resta (Gbr) Force India

Jules Bianchi (Fra) Force India

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