03/04/2009
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 33 degrees C, while the track temperature is 45 degrees C. It's hot, humid (55%) and sunny. Once again, there are a few dark clouds in the distance, but this time they do look threatening.
A few stories are currently breaking, the biggest - though not officially confirmed - is that McLaren sporting director Dave Ryan been suspended by the team. Ryan, who represented the Woking team at last week's meeting with the stewards, joined the outfit in 1974.
As a follow up to the first session, Raikkonen's problem, when his fire extinguisher went off, is understood to be KERS related, while Nelson Piquet suffered a wheel rim failure.
Kovalainen flat-spotted a tyre, and as his team wanted to do tyre comparison this afternoon, they didn't want to use up another set of tyres this morning so they didn't allow him another set. And talking of McLaren Lewis Hamilton has been hit with a 1,200 euro fine for exceeding the pitlane speed limit.
The lights go green, and within seconds cars are streaming on to the track, including Kovalainen and Alonso, who is still suffering from that ear infection.
Kovalainen posts 39.810, Piquet second and Bourdais third. Lots of action, which is probably due to those dark clouds in the distance.
Massa posts 38.891,however, within seconds, Rosberg, Nakajima, Webber, Vettel and Sutil have gone quicker. Once the smoke settles - as opposed to fire extinguisher powder - Fisichella tops the timesheets with a 38.195.
Nine minutes into the session and all but Barrichello have posted a time, and he is heading down the pitlane.
On board with Button and a few spots of rain hit the camera lens. Meanwhile, Hamilton goes quickest, ahead of Raikkonen and Rosberg. Button goes fourth, ahead of Vettel, Nakajima and Kovalainen.
There's a big black cloud overhead, but other than those few spots of rain earlier, nothing of any substance. Indeed, the teams are not predicting rain at this time.
Having gone quickest in the second sector, Glock goes second quickest overall. However, a 37.640 sees Kovalainen go quickest, thereby giving McLaren a 1-2.
Trulli goes quickest in the second sector, and again in the third, crossing the line at 7.185. The Toyotas continuing to show strong form.
A 37.363 sees Sutil go second, as the frantic activity continues. Moments later it's a Force India 2-3 as Fisichella posts 37.432. Hard to tell but Sutil appears to be on the softer option tyre as he improves to 36.899.
Webber (soft) goes quickest overall, having gone quickest in the final two sectors. Meanwhile, those big black clouds are closing in, with rain clearly falling just a little way away from the far side of the circuit.
Vettel goes third (37.183), but is almost instantly demoted by Nakajima who posts 37.129, having gone quickest in the second sector. However, the German soon re-takes the position with a 37.084.
The BMW duo, along with the Toro Rosso duo and Alonso, are all at the wrong end of the timesheets.
A 36.614 sees Button go quickest, edging out Nakajima, who had only just gone fastest, by 0.015s.
Some of the cars still looking twitchy, while there are also quite a few lock-ups and minor excursions. Indeed, Trulli is a good example, the Italian taking a long trip through the gravel trap at Turn 6.
Kubica complains of lots of understeer, and a general lack of grip, as Bourdais goes off at Turn 9.
As one of the Brawns has a big twitch, Hamilton is warned that there's rain on the way. Meanwhile, Raikkonen goes quickest with a 36.523.
Nakajima, Barrichello, Rosberg an Hamilton all on good laps. The Japanese driver goes quickest with a 36.334, as a big black cloud appears to park itself right on top of the track.
Raikkonen improves (36.360) but remains second, 0.026s off Nakajima's time. Replay shows Barrichello going wide at Turn 8.
Currently seventeenth, Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, finally crossing the line at 36.640 to go fifth, having lost time courtesy of a sloppy final corner.
At half-time, it's: Nakajima, Raikkonen, Button, Glock, Alonso, Webber, Vettel, Sutil, Trulli and Massa.
As Barrichello goes wide again, a strong final sector sees Kovalainen improve to eleventh.
Vettel and Bourdais both have off track moments, though still no sign of the rain.
Massa improves to fourth with a 36.593, however, moments later Vettel takes the top spot with a 36.289.
Rosberg is told that rain is expected, not a lot, but it's certainly on its way.
The BMW due remains rooted to the foot of the timesheet, the German team using today's sessions much like an ordinary practice session.
Barrichello improves to fourth with a 36.478, as Alonso goes quickest in the first sector. As Massa takes the top spot with a 36.191, Alonso runs wide running what would have been a good lap.
Massa is the busiest man this afternoon, having completed 30 laps, ahead of Kovalainen (28), Sutil and Vettel (27), Piquet, Barrichello and Sutil (26).
Massa improves again, crossing the line at 35.832, as Raikkonen makes it a Ferrari 1-2 with a 36.030.
The Force Indias are quickest through the speed trap, ahead of Bourdais, Raikkonen and Kovalainen.
With twenty-two minutes remaining, it's all over for Fisichella who goes off at Turn 10, skating across the gravel and into the tyre barriers. The Italian is out of the car and looking for a ride back to the pits. The replay shows he lost the car as it exited Turn 9.
Raikkonen takes the top spot with a 35.707, as the McLaren duo both posts personal bests in the first two sectors. Kovalainen improves to eighth, while Hamilton remains fifteenth, 1.220s off the pace.
Buemi heads off through the gravel at Turn 9, the Swiss driver currently tenth, sandwiched between Button and Glock.
Hamilton gets all out of shape at Turn 4, the 2009 World Champion still 0.919s off the pace.
Barrichello improves to fifth with a 36.289, as Button posts 36.291 to take sixth.
A 36.026 sees Rosberg improve to fifth with just under six minutes remaining. Will the German dominate today's session just as he did in Australia. Next time around he gores quickest in the second sector, before losing his wheel cover in the third, consequently he fails to improve. Moments later, Nakajima loses the wheel cover from one of his rear wheels.
Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector with less than two minutes remaining. The McLaren driver posts a personal best in the second sector, but a poor final sector sees him fail to improve. Elsewhere, Vettel has a bit of a moment with Heidfeld. The Red Bull realises he's made a mistake and signals to the BMW.
Raikkonen, who looks to be quickest in this session, is told that there is a problem with the KERS, again.
The session ends with Raikkonen quickest, ahead of Massa, Vettel, Rosberg Webber, Barrichello, Button, Nakajima, Kovalainen and Piquet.
Hamilton finished eleventh, ahead of Trulli, Buemi, Glock, Alonso, Sutil, Kubica, Bourdais, Fisichella and Heidfeld.