Hamilton sets Hockenheim pace

5:57pm Friday 18th July 2008

Lewis Hamilton blitzed Hockenheim to tee himself up for back-to-back grand prix victories.

The McLaren star is currently on a high since his win on home soil in the British Grand Prix 12 days ago to take over the lead of the Formula One World Championship - and it showed on Friday.

There was little his title rivals could do as Hamilton dominated both practice sessions, ultimately posting a hot lap that was a remarkable 0.7 seconds quicker than Felipe Massa.

It is fair to say the 23-year-old was on low fuel, but as markers go, it was one that will have the likes of Massa and Kimi Raikkonen on edge.

After being quickest in the initial 90-minute morning session by 0.122secs, Hamilton then put that in the shade in the afternoon.

In the dying moments Hamilton stopped the clock at 1:15.025, with Massa 0.697secs adrift, and Raikkonen a shade further back.

Hamilton's McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen was fourth quickest, followed by Mark Webber in his Red Bull, who was the only other driver to finish within a second of Hamilton such was his superiority.

Fernando Alonso was sixth fastest for Renault, followed by Nico Rosberg in his Williams, another of the title challengers in BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica and team-mate Nick Heidfeld.

David Coulthard completed the top 10 in his Red Bull, with Jenson Button 13th for Honda, again 1.5secs down on Hamilton as he was in the morning.

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