24/06/2011
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 28 degrees C while the track temperature is 38 degrees. It is still fairly overcast.
Mark Webber led the way this morning, ahead of Petrov, Alonso, Hamilton, Heidfeld, Massa, Button and Sutil. Vettel was well down the timesheets in sixteenth, but it is understood that this is because of the programme his team was running. In fact, the German completed 21 laps which was well in line with most of his rivals.
We didn't see the soft Pirellis this morning but that will change over the next ninety minutes.
Although a number of drivers ran wide on the 'green' dusty surface this morning only Nico Hulkenberg came to grief, the German clouting the wall with Paul di Resta's Force India.
A number of teams are running new components this weekend, even Hispania, though the Ferrari is running in Montreal spec. McLaren has a new rear wing and front wing, Lewis Hamilton doing back-to-back comparison runs in the opening session. Williams ran a new exhaust, new floor and new rear wings, however, the Grove outfit reverts to the old exhaust this afternoon.
Jerome d'Ambrosio gets the session underway, the Virgin driver having the track to himself for around a minute before Petrov, Kovalainen, Perez and Karthikeyan head down the pitlane.
D'Ambrosio posts a 47.730 but this is soon beaten by Kovalainen (47.234) and Perez (44.432).
As more and more drivers pour on to the track the times tumble, six minutes in Massa goes quickest with a 42.048. Moments later, continuing to demonstrate Renault's good pace here, Heidfeld goes quickest with a 41.678.
Having posted a 49.722 on his first lap, Alonso goes quickest in all three sectors crossing the line at 40.492 to go quickest.
Vettel is on track and giving gone third (40.946) on his first flying lap, fails to improve on the second. However, next time around he goes quickest in the first sector, the second and the third, crossing the line at 40.062 to take the top spot.
As Alonso runs wide, one of several drivers to do so as grip remains a problem, Webber posts 40.341 to make it a Red Bull 1-2. Fifteen minutes into the session, all but Rosberg, Alguersuari and di Resta have posted times - Force India still working on the Scot's car after this morning's accident.
Vettel improves with a 39.790, the German now in full Valencia mode. Teammate Webber runs wide as Alonso goes quickest in the first sector. The Spaniard loses a little ground in the second sector but posts a PB in S3, thereby moving up to second with a 39.960.
Webber re-takes second with a 39.792 as one of the Virgins lifts some of the Astroturf after running wide across the kerbs.
Maldonado is one of the first drivers to make the switch to the soft (option) rubber, the Venezuelan responds by going fourth with a 40.301.
Rosberg, Liuzzi and Kobayashi all make full use of the run off at Turn 1, indeed, the Japanese driver runs wide at three different corners in one lap.
Alonso (prime) goes quickest in S2 but a poor final sector means he fails to improve. Elsewhere, with an eye on Sunday's race, Rosberg is on a long run (13 laps).
Button complains that he's really struggling for rear grip and suffering massive oversteer at high speed.
Karthikeyan, who slows for the pit entry, gets in the way of Alonso, the Spaniard using both hands to vent his frustration.
Approaching half-time, di Resta and Alguersuari have yet to make an appearance, the Scot, in particular, looks thoroughly hacked off as he waits on the pit wall.
At half-time, it's: Vettel, Webber, Alonso, Massa, Maldonado, Heidfeld, Petrov, Hamilton, Barrichello and Sutil.
Alonso is on a hot lap on primes however, it's hard to differentiate between the white (prime) and yellow (option). The Spaniard, having gone quickest in S1, improves his time but remains third overall.
Heidfeld (option) goes quickest overall (39.040) having gone quickest in the final two sectors.
Rosberg (options) goes quickest in S1, maintaining the pace in S2. At the line it's 39.012 the German thereby going quickest by 0.028s.
Webber, now on options, quickly re-takes the top spot with a 38.531, however, Vettel is also on track. The German goes quickest in S1 but only manages a PB in S2. At the line the world champion posts 38.265 thereby eclipsing his teammate by 0.266. However, Webber too is on a hot lap, but having gone quickest in S1 eventually opts to abort the lap and dives into the pits.
As Vettel goes quickest in S1, Massa (options) posts a PB. Both are quick in the second sector, the Brazilian improving to third overall (38.564) while the German fails to improve.
Hamilton, now on softs, goes quickest in S2, finally crossing the line at 38.195 to go quickest. PBs in sectors one and three indicate that the Englishman has more to come. Moments later Button improves to sixth (38.582) only to be demoted when Alonso goes quickest (38.184) and Schumacher fourth (38.315).
Alonso improves again, this time posting a blistering 37.968, the first driver to break into the 1:37s this weekend.
Other than the fact that the options are around one second a lap quicker than the primes, it is significant that some drivers are still able to improve their times after three laps.
A massive lock up in the final corner for Schumacher as the clock ticks down to 11:00.
With just over ten minutes remaining, di Resta finally leaves the pits, no such luck for Alguersuari however, who is likely to make an appearance this afternoon. At the back of the Toro Rosso garage a smiling Dietrich Mateschitz keeps him company.
Most drivers are on longer runs now, looking ahead to the opening stint of Sunday's race.
Making up for all that lost time, di Resta improves lap after lap after lap getting the Force India up to sixteenth with a 40.726.
The session ends with Alonso still quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Schumacher, Massa, Button, Webber, Rosberg, Heidfeld and Petrov.
Sutil is eleventh, ahead of Barrichello, Maldonado, Buemi, Perez, di Resta, Kobayashi, Kovalainen, Trulli, Glock, d'Ambrosio, Liuzzi, Karthikeyan and Alguersuari.
To check out our Valencia practice gallery, click here.