Lewis Hamilton fastest in 1st practice at Abu Dhabi GP

Lewis Hamilton fastest in 1st practice at Abu Dhabi GP

Hamilton clocked 1 minute, 43.285 seconds on the 5.6-kilometer (3.5-mile), 0.333 seconds quicker than Button. (AFP Photo)

ABU DHABI: Lewis Hamilton boosted his slim title hopes when he clocked the fastest time in the opening practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix followed by his McLaren teammate Jenson Button on Friday.

Hamilton clocked 1 minute, 43.285 seconds on the 5.6-kilometer (3.5-mile) Yas Marina circuit, 0.333 seconds quicker than Button.

Two-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel, who leads the drivers' championship, was third followed by title rival Fernando Alonso of Ferrari. Vettel's Red Bull teammate, Mark Webber, who still has a mathematical chance to contend for the title, was fifth.

The other remaining challenger, Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus, was 10th.

The practice in dry conditions was largely uneventful though several drivers briefly left the track. Among them was seven-time world champ Michael Schumacher of Mercedes, who still managed to finish sixth.

While five drivers are still in the hunt, most eyes are on Vettel and Alonso, who trails by 13 points.

Vettel has won the past four races to overtake Alonso at the top, and by all accounts has the fastest car on the circuit. Alonso, for his part, has admitted that Ferrari must be faster this weekend to give him any chance of winning the title. He lamented the fact he finished 10 seconds behind Vettel at the Indian Grand Prix.

Hamilton, who won last year's race in Abu Dhabi, was a favorite for the drivers' title after winning the Italian GP on Sept. 9. But he has struggled ever since, failing to reach the podium in the past four races including the Singapore GP where he retired after leading for almost half the race.

Critics have contended his poor performance might be due to the distraction of his much-publicized announcement that he's switching to Mercedes next year.