28/08/2009
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 18 degrees and the track temperature is 28 degrees. It is not quite as cool as this morning and, more importantly, it is bright and sunny.
The lights go green and with moments there are 18 drivers on track, only Vettel and Barrichello opting to remain in their garages.
Once the dust has settled and the first round of times have been posted, Alonso leads the way from Grosjean, Fisichella, Kubica and Rosberg. However, at this stage the session is red-flagged though it's unclear why.
Initially it is thought the stoppage is due to the fact that Vettel has stopped at the end of the pitlane, however, it is subsequently revealed that there is "debris" on the track at Blanchimont, one of the fastest parts of the track, and where Eddie Irvine crashed a few years back. In reality, the "debris" is the spinner from Luca Badoer's front-left wheel.
The session re-starts at 14.09 and Trulli is first out, followed by Badoer, Rosberg and Alguersuari.
As Webber goes quickest, crossing the line at 48.361, Barrichello spins at Les Combes. Trulli goes third, behind Alonso, with Hamilton fourth and Buemi fifth.
Button goes quickest in the first and final sectors, however, a poor middle sector means the Brawn driver can only manage eighth (49.790). Elsewhere, Hamilton posts 48.347 to go quickest.
Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector, however, like Button, he has a poor middle sector and can only manage ninth, crossing the line at 49.382. The Englishman, who is now back in the pits, complains that his car is unstable through Eau Rouge. Not a nice thought at all.
A 48.292 sees Alonso go quickest as Kovalainen goes fourth, ahead of Barrichello, Alguersuari, Buemi and Vettel.
Raikkonen posts 48.574 to go fourth, having gone quickest in the first sector and posted personal bests in two and three. Teammate Badoer is currently last, 3.105s off the pace.
As Webber goes quickest in the middle sector, he is consistently quick through there, Grosjean gets horribly out of shape but somehow keep it under control.
Button improves to seventh (48.497), having gone quickest in the final sector. Webber consolidates his top spot with a 47.484.
Trulli improves with a 47.559 to take second, teammate Glock is currently sixteenth, 1.907s off the pace.
As ever, Kubica runs through a litany of problems he's experiencing with the F1.09. The Pole is currently fourteenth, five places and half-a-second down on his teammate.
At half-time, it's: Webber, Trulli, Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso, Buemi, Button, Raikkonen, Sutil and Heidfeld.
Sutil is one of the first drivers to switch to the softer (soft) option, consequently he pops up to third with a 47.579. Elsewhere, Grosjean goes wide at Fagnes.
Glock goes second and Alguersuari fourth, but Webber remains top of the heap with his 47.484.
With the disruption this morning, most of the driver are now concentrating on long runs, the fast times can wait for now. Conditions much improved this afternoon, the sun is still shining.
Vettel goes off as does Badoer, as Raikkonen posts a personal best in the final sector.
Kubica improves to fourth with a 47.578, ahead of Alguersuari, Vettel, Buemi and Hamilton.
Glock (softs) goes quickest in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 47.217 to go quickest. With twelve minutes remaining we should now see the drivers going for quick times.
As Heidfeld posts a personal best in the first sector, Barrichello runs wide, taking to the lush grass that lines many parts of the circuit.
Badoer posts personal bests in all three sectors, and though he remains last he is now just 0.1s off Fisichella's pace.
Hamilton also posts personal bests in all three sectors, but he improves to second overall with a 47.261. Raikkonen posts 47.285 to go third.
Hamilton improves with a 47.201, however, with just under two minutes remaining, there are no purples on the timing screen. Just plenty of greens.
Having gone wide, Raikkonen continues for a few more corners before pulling off to the side of the track. Moments later, Hamilton goes wide at the same point. With Alguersuari's car also parked on the grass one has to wonder if the Toro Rosso has had a problem and dropped some oil.
Replay has the Spaniard telling his team that he has a "failure", to which the response is, "OK, return to box".
The session ends with Hamilton quickest, ahead of Glock, Raikkonen, Webber, Grosjean, Fisichella, Trulli, Kubica, Alguersuari and Vettel.
Buemi finished eleventh, ahead of Kovalainen, Sutil, Alonso, Nakajima, Heidfeld, Button, Barrichello, Rosberg and Badoer.