22/09/2012
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole free practice session the air temperature is 22 degrees C, while the track temperature is 29 degrees.
Sebastian Vettel was quickest in both sessions yesterday, however, the McLarens and Fernando Alonso were there to keep him company. That said, the longer runs on heavy fuel appeared to suit the Austrian team rather than its Woking rivals.
Interestingly, the Milton Keynes based outfit has brought a new front wing today. Introducing a new component, especially one as significant, at this stage of the weekend being something of a rarity. Most teams have upgrades here but most of these were introduced yesterday.
Main talking point - other than the continued media frenzy regarding Lewis Hamilton's future - is the drop off in performance of the option (super-soft) tyres which in some case are falling off after just two laps. With an eye on the opening stint of tomorrow's race, team's face a strategy nightmare this afternoon.
While Mercedes remains unsure as to the value of its upgrades, including its heavily revised exhaust layout, Lotus is clearly struggling. Force India continues to show good promise as does Marussia which now appears to be snapping at the heels of Caterham.
A mistake by Bruno Senna in FP2 saw the Brazilian sidelined and the session red flagged. Hardly the best move for a driver who has been warned this week that his future, certainly in terms of 2013, is in doubt.
Pedro de la Rosa will take a five-place hit after his team opted to change his gearbox. Which means - no disrespect intended - as opposed to his average starting position of 22.23 he will start 24th. Unless Maldonado and Grosjean get up to their usual antics between now and then.
Raikkonen is first out once the lights go green, the Finn followed by Glock, Pic, Vergne, Ricciardo, di Resta and Grosjean. A clear sense of urgency from Lotus.
Within moments all twenty-four drivers are on track, all on the prime (soft) rubber.
All but Kovalainen, Petrov and Maldonado return to the pits after their installation lap, however, these three also head for the cool sanctuary of their garages after a second install lap. Alonso says it is hot and humid.
Around nine minutes into the session, Kobayashi heads back down the pitlane, soon followed by Perez, Raikkonen and Glock. The Saubers were very aggressive over the kerbs yesterday.
Kobayashi gets things underway with a 1:56.339. Perez subsequently posts 53.669 and Raikkonen 52.594.
As Grosjean gets might close to the barriers, teammate Raikkonen ups the ante with a 52.0198.
As Hulkenberg posts 51.201, Hamilton can only manage a 2:01.572, the Englishman hampered by traffic. No such problems for Button who crosses the line at 51.233 to go second.
In the Ferrari garage mechanics are working on Alonso's and Massa's cars. The Spaniard and Brazilian two of eight drivers still to post a time.
Hamilton goes quickest in S1 as Perez clouts the barriers coming out of Turn 18 but is able to continue.
As Glock says he has less grip than yesterday, Hamilton goes quickest overall crossing the line at 50.730.
As Perez arrives back at the pits, Webber gets it wrong and has to use the escape road.
Rosberg fourth sand Schumacher sixth as Vettel finally leaves the pits.
A 50.524 sees Button go quickest and McLaren 1-2, the British team demonstrating that yesterday's pace was no fluke. In the Sauber garage mechanics check the underside of Perez' car for possible damage.
No sooner has Webber posted a 50.362 than Hamilton improves with a 50.223, Vettel going fourth with a 50.594. The top four is covered by 0.371.
Game over for Glock who has stopped at Turn 20 with what he says was a stuck (open) throttle.
Vettel goes second (50.273) but says he could have gone a lot quicker had he not lost time in the section yellow-flagged following Glock's stoppage.
Finally on track, Alonso throws a spanner in the works by almost immediately going second (50.075), while teammate Massa goes sixth (50.600).
At 24:25, Senna is the first to make the switch to the option rubber. Elsewhere, Vettel goes quickest with a 49.614.
Replay shows Sebastian Vettel giving a group of photographers the fright of their lives as he exits the pitlane.
As di Resta complains of "no support" from his car, Senna posts a PB in S1. All eyes on the Williams driver who is currently eighth (50.887). There's another PB in S2 for Senna who finally crosses the line at 49.715 to go second.
Webber clouts the Armco at the same place as Perez earlier, but a lot harder than the Mexican, the Australian picking up an immediate puncture… amongst other things. He heads straight back to the pits.
At 15:00, it's: Vettel, Senna, Alonso, Webber, Hamilton, Button, Massa, Hulkenberg, Raikkonen and Maldonado.
Alonso, Button and Massa switch to the option rubber.
Vettel, now on option, goes quickest in S1. The German has the luxury of an almost empty track. There are certainly no photographers in his way. He's quickest overall in S2 also, finally crossing the line at 49.947, 1.768s quicker than second-placed Senna.
Following his previous off, Perez is back on track. No immediate sign of Webber however.
Alonso posts a PB in S2 but goes quickest in S2. As di Resta complains he is still unhappy with his car, Alonso improves to 48.623 to take second.
Raikkonen goes third (48.865) almost a second off Vettel's pace, Lotus really not looking good here. Everyone on the option rubber now.
Almost tripping up over Massa, Hamilton goes quickest in S2, eventually crossing the line at 48.272 to go second, 0.325s down on Vettel. Hulkenberg posts 48.859 to go fourth.
Yellow flags are out as Petrov grinds to a halt after clouting the barriers at Turn 21, the Russian breaking his right-rear suspension in the process. However, it's not only game over for the Russian, the resultant red flag means that nobody is going to be able to improve their time. More importantly, a number of drivers failed to get in a qualifying run. Highly frustrating.
The session ends with Vettel quickest ahead of Hamilton, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Raikkonen, Massa, di Resta, Rosberg, Senna and Schumacher.
Webber is eleventh, ahead of Button, Ricciardo, Kobayashi, Grosjean, Maldonado, Vergne, Perez, Pic, Petrov, Kovalainen, Karthikeyan, Glock and de la Rosa.