Scheider fastest in first practice

Date published : 23 Apr 2010 - 15:29:00

Timo Scheider set the pace for Audi in the opening practice session of the first round of the season at Hockenheim today.The reigning champion produced a late effort to topple his Abt team-mate Martin Tomczyk from the top spot, after Tomczyk had been on top throughout most of the session.It was only in the final third of the 90-minute session that rivals started to get close to Tomczyk's time, which was 0.6s clear until then.Scheider's best lap moved him out front by nearly half a second, with Mattias Ekstrom and the leading Mercedes of Jamie Green slotting in behind Tomczyk.Mike Rockenfeller and Bruno Spengler completed the top six, with Oliver Jarvis ending the session seventh after lying second for most of it.There were seven Audis in the top nine as Alexandre Premat and Markus Winkelhock followed Jarvis, while Paul di Resta rounded out the top 10 in the first 2009-spec Mercedes.Series newcomer David Coulthard was 13th quickest, but just half a tenth behind expected front runner Gary Paffett, while fellow former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher was 17th.Pos Driver Car Time Gap Laps 1. Timo Scheider Audi 1m33.691s 31 2. Martin Tomczyk Audi 1m34.122s +0.431 26 3. Mattias Ekstrom Audi 1m34.457s +0.766 30 4. Jamie Green Mercedes 1m34.549s +0.858 13 5. Mike Rockenfeller Audi 1m34.679s +0.988 29 6. Bruno Spengler Mercedes 1m34.712s +1.021 28 7. Oliver Jarvis Audi 1m34.731s +1.040 24 8. Alexandre Premat Audi 1m34.795s +1.104 20 9. Markus Winkelhock Audi 1m34.867s +1.176 2810. Paul di Resta Mercedes 1m34.953s +1.262 19 11. Maro Engel Mercedes 1m35.063s +1.372 20 12. Gary Paffett Mercedes 1m35.083s +1.392 30 13. David Coulthard Mercedes 1m35.140s +1.449 23 14. Miguel Molina Audi 1m35.329s +1.638 2215. Franky Cheng Mercedes 1m35.369s +1.678 21 16. Susie Stoddart Mercedes 1m35.520s +1.829 18 17. Ralf Schumacher Mercedes 1m35.596s +1.905 27 18. Katharine Legge Audi 1m36.587s +2.896 15