Valencia: Red Bull's world champion Sebastian Vettel laid down a marker with a fastest lap well inside his 2010 pole position time in final practice for the European Formula One Grand Prix on Saturday.
The 23-year-old German, runaway leader after five wins in seven races this season, clocked a best time of one minute 37.258 seconds around the Mediterranean port city's street circuit.
The lap was the fastest seen so far in Valencia, eclipsing the 1:37.587 Vettel set last year to secure the top slot on the starting grid, although compatriot Timo Glock still holds the official race lap record of 1:38.683.
Vettel, on pole six times already this year and winner in Valencia last season, will be favourite to make it seven later on Saturday.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, fastest on Friday in front of his home crowd, looked like the man most likely to end Red Bull's qualifying domination with the second fastest time.
The double world champion was 0.420 seconds slower than Vettel, with his Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa third and Red Bull's Australian driver Mark Webber fourth on a bright and breezy morning in eastern Spain.
McLaren's Jenson Button, winner of the previous race in Canada and second in the standings 60 points behind Vettel, was fifth fastest while team mate Lewis Hamilton produced only the seventh best time.
Button was more than a second slower than Vettel.
Japan's Kamui Kobayashi clouted the barrier at the end of the session in his Sauber, damaging the car's front wing and right front wheel.
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