Vettel sits out rain-dominated session

Sebastian Vettel sat out a relatively meaningless first practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix in a bid to conserve engines.

Vettel’s championship challenge was dealt a bitter double blow last weekend in Valencia at the European Grand Prix with two failures of his Red Bull’s Renault powerplant.

In order to preserve engine life, and avoid a 10-place grid penalty should he use more than the permitted eight engines for the season, the team have decreed the German will now run less in practice.

It is far from ideal as it is certain to affect his opportunities of finding the perfect set-up.

But it is a chance he and they are willing to take as he only has two remaining for the final six races.

Arguably, Vettel, who did nothing more than conduct an installation lap, did not miss out in today’s opening 90-minute run as rain dominated proceedings.

The forecast yesterday had suggested a mix of sunshine and light cloud, but this is the Ardennes, renowned for the capricious nature of its weather.

After 30 minutes the rain started to fall and did not relent until the closing moments, forcing times over the two-minute mark for the 4.5-mile circuit.

Despite the conditions there were only three minor incidents, one of whom unsurprisingly involved Luca Badoer, fresh from his hapless outing in Valencia.

The 38-year-old Italian, likely to be replaced after this weekend if he fails to show any significant improvement, went for a spin at the highest point of the track at Les Combs, but was at least able to continue.

The next casualty was Sebastien Buemi, the Swiss putting a wheel of his Toro Rosso on the kerb at Pouhon where he spun across the run-off area before gently nuzzling the nose into a barrier.

Credit to Buemi as he managed to keep the engine running, allowing him to return to the garage for a replacement.

Romain Grosjean, still getting to grips with his Renault after making his debut in Valencia, was another who spun late on, that at the chicane leading onto the start-finish straight.

As for the times, they were largely irrelevant, underlined by the fact eight seconds separated 10th-placed Badoer from Giancarlo Fisichella in 11th in his Force India.

That was a clear indicator of those who had taken to the track when it was dry early on, and those who had clocked a time in the wet.

For the record, Toyota’s Jarno Trulli finished top with a time of one minute 49.675 seconds, followed by championship leader Jenson Button in his Brawn GP, with Renault’s Fernando Alonso third.

Along with Vettel, reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton was the only other driver who failed to post a time, primarily putting his feet up other than conducting four installation laps in his McLaren.