Indian Grand Prix 2012: Sebastian Vettel sets fastest time in opening practice session to boost title hopes Sauber's Sergio Perez sat out the session with flu-like symptoms, but the team expected him to be fit to take part in the second practice later Friday. He was replaced by Mexican compatriot Esteban Gutierrez, who is widely expected to take the seat permanently next season when Perez moves to McLaren. Vettel's string of three successive wins in the Asian swing of the season has seen him overtake Alonso in the drivers' championship standings, six points ahead of the Ferrari driver who has now gone half a dozen races without a win. Ferrari is using new front and rear wings this race weekend, having supposedly cured problems in its wind tunnel development program. Alonso is in turn, 42 points clear of third-placed Raikkonen with four races to go, indicating the season will boil down to a head-to-head contest between the Spaniard and Vettel.