06/10/2012
NEWS STORY
Ahead of the final free practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 35 degrees. It is bright and sunny but there remains a strong breeze.
Mark Webber was quickest in yesterday's second session when the soft (option) tyres finally made an appearance, with Jenson Button leading a McLaren 1-2 in the opening session.
Nico Rosberg suffered a problem which necessitated an engine change ahead of the second session, while there were crashes for Paul di Resta and Michael Schumacher who both went into the barriers at Spoon.
As ever, Fernando Alonso was up there, despite the failings of Ferrari's windtunnel, as were Sebastian Vettel, Romain Grosjean and Bruno Senna.
The resurfacing of the majority of the track has caught a number of drivers out, with lock-ups, tyre blistering and excursions aplenty.
There was also a very scary moment for Petrov when his rear wing fell from his car going into Turn 1, had it happened at 130R one would want to think of the possible consequences.
When the lights go green, Raikkonen is ready and waiting at the end of the pitlane, followed by Kovalainen, Grosjean, Vergne, di Resta, Pic, Karthikeyan and Ricciardo. Webber is among the early risers.
Within a couple of minutes all but Schumacher have been out, only Rosberg staying out for a second lap. Indeed, the German carries on to post the first time of the day (1:35.169) before being joined by his teammate.
On his first flying lap Schumacher posts 34.234, as Raikkonen and Karthikeyan leave the pits,
As Schumacher improves to 34.008, Karthikeyan goes third with a 37.572. Elsewhere, as more drivers take to the track, Grosjean goes quickest in S1. The Frenchman subsequently posts a 34.098.
Karthikeyan goes off at Turn 9 but is able to continue, as Button goes second ahead of Webber, Senna and Perez.
Today, a number of drivers are having problems at the chicane, Schumacher amongst them.
Maldonado goes straight to the top of the timesheets with a 33.999 as Hamilton goes fourth (34.217). A hairy moment for Rosberg, who dips a toe in the dust on the outside at Spoon.
All running on the hard (prime) tyre thus far.
Having gone quickest in S3, Button posts 33.621 to go quickest. Webber improves to second with a 33.929.
No 'purples' but Hamilton goes quickest nonetheless, the McLaren driver crossing the line at 33.569.
Approaching 25 minutes, all but Raikkonen, Glock and the Ferrari duo have posted a time.
Kovalainen is told to cool his brakes and box, the Caterhams not looking too good here, hence, no doubt, the lack of press releases again.
Vettel ups the ante with a 33.215, the German going quickest in the final two sectors. Championship leader Alonso still down in tenth.
Massa's first flying lap sees the Brazilian go sixth (33.951), leaving Raikkonen, with 28:00 on the clock, the only driver yet to post a time.
With 23:17 on the clock, Rosberg, currently thirteenth, is the first driver to switch to the soft (option) rubber. Moments later, Alonso switches also. Raikkonen, still unhappy with the balance on his car, asks his engineers to check the front of his car.
Rosberg improves to fifth with a 33.899 not the sort of improvement he might have been looking for. In the Williams garage a mechanic is hitting something (but what) with a hammer.
Session over for Hulkenberg who goes off at Degner 2. There is a significant amount of damage to the Force India. Replay shows him lose the rear end at the entry to the corner. Despite his best efforts he is unable to keep the car out of the barriers. This, of course, follows di Resta's off in FP2 yesterday. Busy weekend for the boys from Silverstone.
Schumacher, now on softs, goes sixth (33.902) while Ferrari drivers Massa and Alonso are now eighth and ninth.
Having gone quickest in the final two sectors, Schumacher goes quickest overall, the German crossing the line at 32.918.
Di Resta (softs) posts PBs in all three sectors, crossing the line at 33.299 to go third.
As the clock ticks down to 7:00 more and more drivers switch to softs, however, there are no major improvements. Yet. That said, PB in all three sectors see Glock improve from twenty-third to nineteenth.
Button and Senna both on strong laps, but no major improvements. Button loses time behind Schumacher approaching the chicane, the McLaren driver makes his frustration obvious. He had been quickest in S2. Moments later, there's a similar incident involving Pic and Hamilton, the Englishman taking to the escape road.
Webber bangs in a 32.371 to go quickest, the Red Bull driver having been quickest in the first two sectors. Vettel makes it a Red Bull 1-2 with a 32.499.
Massa goes third as Maldonado has a hairy moment courtesy of a slower car. All 213 drivers are on track.
Kobayashi goes fifth (32.924) as Hamilton complains about the previous incident involving Pic.
Having gone quickest in S2, Vettel maintains the pace in S3 to post 32.136 and go quickest.
The session ends with Vettel heading a Red Bull 1-2, ahead of Massa, Schumacher, Perez, Kobayashi, Grosjean, Button, di Resta and Maldonado.
Alonso is eleventh, ahead of Raikkonen, Hamilton, Vergne, Rosberg, Senna, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Kovalainen, Petrov, Glock, Pic, Karthikeyan and de la Rosa.
If ever there was one, this was a session that really did pose more questions than answers. While Red Bull is clearly strong here, why are the McLarens eighth and thirteenth? Furthermore, down in eleventh, are we witnessing the end of Alonso's hopes, is the Spaniard destine to lose more points to his rivals here this weekend?