F1: Vettel Moves Ahead In Second Abu Dhabi Practice

Formula 1

F1: Vettel Moves Ahead In Second Abu Dhabi Practice

After clocking in just third in P1, Sebastian Vettel topped the leader board Friday in P2 at Yas Marina Circuit...

Jared Turner | Posted November 02, 2012 Abu Dhabi (ARE)

Sebastian Vettel didn't lead opening practice at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

That's about the only good news his competitors received on Friday.

Looking to make it five straight wins and all but put away the World Championship in the process, Vettel (1:41:751) returned to familiar position in P2 by pacing the 90-minute session ahead of the P1 leading McLarens of Lewis Hamilton (1:41:919) and Jenson Button (1:42:142).

Vettel's Red Bull teammate, Mark Webber, and the Lotus of Romain Grosjean completed the top five.

Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Pastor Maldonado and Sergio Perez filled out the rest of the top 10.

Vettel, a winner of four straight events, leads Alonso in the standings by 13 points with three races left on the 2012 Formula One calendar.

Raikkonen is third in points, 67 out of the lead, and will likely be mathematically eliminated from contention in Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

P2 concludes Friday's on-track activities in Abu Dhabi.

SPEED.com will carry live streaming of final practice at 6 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by SPEED's coverage of three rounds of knockout qualifying beginning at 9 a.m.

Jared Turner is an Associate Editor for SPEED.com, covering NASCAR and Formula One, and is an Editor for TruckSeries.com. His professional motorsports writing career began in 2005.