10/09/2011
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 26 degrees C, while the track temperature is 29 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.
While Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest overall time yesterday, it was Sebastian Vettel who had the pace in (what appeared to be) qualifying form. Indeed, when running as they will in the early stages of Sunday's race the Red Bulls appeared to have a distinct edge. That said, the Milton Keynes outfit worked late into the night on Mark Webber's car.
Michael Schumacher pleased his many fans here by posting the third fastest time of the day, but teammate Nico Rosberg's KERS problems was proof that Mercedes shouldn't get its hopes up.
Sadly, at least for the partisan crowd, the Ferraris are struggling, and the Italian team will have to produce one of its Monza Specials if is to start from the front tomorrow far less repeat last year's result.
Of real interest was the pace of the Saubers while Renault is looking strong.
The big news this morning, and one that is likely to cause unease long after the 'circus' leaves Monza is that the FIA has ruled that Pirelli's suggested camber limit is mandatory. This follows what happened in Spa when Red Bull exceeded the recommended limit and then blamed the Italian manufacturer citing safety concerns. Other than causing a bitter row between the two, the result is that Pirelli has gone to the FIA, (rightly) voiced its concerns but results in the teams having a vital part of their set-up compromised.
Also, overnight, the FIA has altered the kerbs and speed bumps at the second chicane (Roggia) after a number of incidents when drivers, having got it wrong at the chicane, were forced over what they felt were extremely harsh and unforgiving speed bumps.
The lights go green and d'Ambrosio leads the way, followed by Liuzzi, di Resta, Kobayashi, Ricciardo, Kovalainen and Glock. Both Mercedes drivers are eager to get to work.
Exactly five minutes into the session, Vettel heads down the pitlane, the German enjoying the luxury of having the track to himself.
Despite having only done an installation lap, Ferrari is making changes to the front wing on Alonso's car. As Vettel returns to the pits, the McLarens take to the track.
As Luca di Montezemolo arrives in the Ferrari garage Massa heads down the pitlane, as do Kovalainen and d'Ambrosio.
D'Ambrosio posts the first time of the day, the Belgian crossing the line at 1:32.578. Moments later Kovalainen posts a 29.327 and teammate Trulli a 29.663.
Rosberg goes third with a 29.453 only to be leapfrogged when teammate Schumacher goes quickest with a 26.943. The seven-time champ has been running consistently wide this weekend, particularly at the second Lesmo and the exit to Ascari. Next time around Schumacher improves with a 26.153.
No sooner has Schumacher consolidated his position that Rosberg takes the top spot with a 24.957 while Button goes second and Webber third. Cameras catch Schumacher getting it wrong and spinning at the first chicane.
As Rosberg improves to 24.688, Webber goes second and Hamilton third (25.258).
Twenty minutes into the session all but Massa, Alonso and Vettel have posted times.
A 24.489 sees Button go quickest, McLaren continuing to run noticeably more rear wing than its rivals.
On his first flying lap Vettel goes fourth (24.816) while Hamilton is told he has to find time in the second and third sectors. Meanwhile, Webber goes quickest with a 24.468, the Australian, contrary to some reports, not having changed the engine in his car.
Petrov - sporting a black helmet in tribute to the victims of the Russian air crash earlier this week - goes seventh with a 25.853. Elsewhere, Vettel, having gone quickest in S2, maintains his pace in S3, crossing the line at 24.000 to go quickest. Once again, we have a Red Bull 1-2.
Both Ferraris on track, both drivers sporting considerably more downforce at the front. Meanwhile, the cameras catch (Mercedes Motorsport boss) Norbert Haug taking pictures at the first chicane.
On his first flying lap Alonso posts 26.027 - 2.027s off the pace - while Massa posts 25.850. Next time around, Alonso improves to 25.767 while his teammate doesn't.
While Buemi is the first driver to switch to options (soft), he doesn't complete a lap. Therefore all eyes on Alguersuari, who like his teammate, is also on softs. The Spaniard, despite PBs in the first and third sectors, fails to improve on thirteenth.
Rosberg (softs) goes quickest in S1 and a PB in S2 before easing off on the back straight. Elsewhere, Button despite the changes to his car, complains of "more oversteer".
Again Rosberg goes quickest in S1, and again there's a PB is S2. At the line the Mercedes driver posts 23.875 to go quickest.
Quickest through the speed-trap is Senna (215 mph), ahead of Petrov (212), Buemi, Alguersuari, Maldonado and Barrichello, which, certainly in Williams case, tells a story.
Kobayashi is lucky to keep going as he runs very wide in the second Lesmo.
Schumacher (softs) goes third with a 24.114 while Hamilton and Webber both stick with the harder prime rubber.
Senna, despite that massive straight-line speed can only mange 25.964, over 2s off the pace.
Into the final stages of the session, when drivers will be focussing purely on qualifying, Alonso (softs) goes fourth, albeit 0.258s off Rosberg's pace. We've yet to see Vettel or Webber, or the McLarens, on the softs.
Benefiting from a tow from his teammate on the run to Ascari, Massa posts 24.346 to go sixth, but still 0.471s off the pace.
Webber is the first of the big guns to switch to softs. Despite traffic he matches Alonso in S1, however, he backs off in S2 as he continues to lose time due to the amount of cars on track.
Button (softs) goes second (23.896), elsewhere, Hamilton begins his first flying lap on the softer rubber.
Webber goes quickest in S2 as Massa goes quickest overall (23.688). Moments later Webber takes the top spot with a 23.569.
Losing a heap of time in S3, Hamilton fails to improve on sixth (24.095) as Vettel goes third with a 23.758.
As Webber demonstrates, and we saw yesterday, the softs are good for a few laps, the Australian going quickest with a 23.534.
As the clock ticks down the Toro Rossos and Williams are the lowest runners of the mid-league.
A 23.170 sees Vettel take the top spot, thereby re-establishing the status-quo, at least as far as Red Bull is concerned. The German is 0.364 quicker than his teammate and 0.571s quicker than Hamilton.
Significantly, lots of PBs in the final six or seven minutes both very few purples.
The session ends, as they often do, with Vettel quickest, ahead of Webber, Massa, Hamilton, Button, Rosberg, Schumacher, Alonso, Sutil and di Resta.
Senna is eleventh, ahead of Petrov, Perez, Kobayashi, Barrichello, Alguersuari, Buemi, Maldonado, Trulli, Kovalainen, d'Ambrosio, Liuzzi, Glock and Ricciardo.