Mark Webber went fastest in the final practice session of 2013 after he timed his lap on intermediate tyres to perfection.
The session started in conditions even worse than those of yesterday, with very few cars electing to set lap times in the first half an hour of running. The rain abated just enough in the last few moments with several drivers setting competitive times.
One of those was Webber. The Australian, who is in his final Grand Prix weekend, was on the track at just the right moment to end the session fastest. The order was mixed up behind him however, with the two Lotuses of Romain Grosjean and Heikki Kovalainen completing the top three.
Valtteri Bottas showed good pace to set the fourth fastest time ahead of Nico Hulkenberg and Jean Eric Vergne. Esteban Gutierrez, Pastor Maldonado, and the two Force Indias of Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil completed the top ten.
Lewis Hamilton was the best of the Mercedes cars in eleventh, after yesterday’s pace setter, Nico Rosberg, elected not to set a time. Additionally, neither Ferrari nor Jenson Button registered lap times either.
Sebastian Vettel did set a time, but was not on circuit at the end of the session. He was therefore seventeenth fastest, only ahead of McLaren’s Sergio Perez.
Conditions are expected to remain the same for qualifying, which commences at 4pm UK time.
