Button fastest in final F1 European Grand Prix practice

VALENCIA, Spain (AFP) –

Formula One driver Jenson Button at the Valencia Street Circuit on June 23. Button topped the times for McLaren during Saturday morning’s final practice for Sunday’s European Grand Prix. The 32-year-old, 12th fastest on Friday, clocked a time of one minute 38.562 seconds towards the end of the session closely followed by Lotus duo Frenchman Romain Grosjean and Finn Kimi Raikkonen.

Jenson Button topped the times for McLaren during Saturday morning’s final practice for Sunday’s European Grand Prix.

The 32-year-old, 12th fastest on Friday, clocked a time of one minute 38.562 seconds towards the end of the session closely followed by Lotus duo Frenchman Romain Grosjean and Finn Kimi Raikkonen.

Grosjean set the pace early on and looked likely to end the session on top before the 2009 champion, hoping to revive his world championship title bid after a string of disappointing results, shaved 0.093 seconds off his best time.

Nico Hulkenberg of Williams was fourth fastest ahead of Paul Di Resta of Force India and Sauber driver Sergio Perez.

Veteran Michael Schumacher was seventh fastest followed by Canadian race winner Lewis Hamilton in the second McLaren.

A more encouraging performance from Ferrari‘s Felipe Massa saw him finish the session ninth quickest while his team-mate double champion Fernando Alonso could only climb as high as 12th.

Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado was tenth fastest.

Last year’s Valencia race-winner Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull could only manage the 13th best time while his team-mate Mark Webber ended up 19th fastest after spending most of the session in the pits, his car in pieces and his team frantically trying to fix his car ahead of qualifying.