02/11/2012
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second free practice session the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 33 degrees. Being that it is now 17:00 (local time) the temperature has dropped - and will continue to do so - consequently grip levels will have changed since this afternoon.
Lewis Hamilton was the pace-setter, the Englishman heading a McLaren 1-2, with Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso third and fourth but both over 0.7s off the pace.
As the championship races towards its climax most teams are running new parts while some are testing new components for next season. In its eagerness to try some new parts that had just arrived from Maranello, Ferrari broke the official curfew for the first time this season.
With its back against the wall, Ferrari is bringing on new components at an alarming rate, Red Bull, clearly on a roll, also introducing updates but not at the same frantic pace.
Having given up their cars this morning, this afternoon Paul di Resta, Vitaly Petrov, Narain Karthikeyan and Charles Pic are in action. Unfortunately, Giedo van der Garde, who replaced Petrov in the Caterham, failed to post a time after suffering an engine problem.
Perez heads the queue at the end of the pitlane and when the lights go green he leads Kobayashi, Raikkonen, Vergne, Grosjean, Kovalainen and Pic on to the track.
Perez gets things underway with a 1:45.819 but this is soon beaten by the Lotus duo, Raikkonen going quickest with a 44.703. However, Vettel is clearly a man on a mission, the German, out unusually early, bangs in a 43.323 having gone quickest in all three sectors. Next time around he improves to 43.067.
Just seven minutes into the session, all twenty-four drivers are on track. The resultant traffic means lots of frustration, not least for Perez who gesticulates angrily at Schumacher.
Setting a frightening pace, Vettel improves to 42.779 the German displaying the same remorselessness we once saw from Schumacher.
Button, currently sixteenth, goes quickest in S1, and again in S2. At the line the McLaren driver posts 42.804, just 0.025s shy of Vettel. Webber goes third with a 43.366.
Currently seventeenth (46.843), Hamilton goes quickest in S2, subsequently crossing the line at 42.790, Vettel having raised the bar with a 42.730. The top three covered by 0.074s.
Alonso goes fourth but remains 0.337s off Vettel's pace, the Spaniard subsequently locking-up and thereby ruining his next lap.
An improvement from Hamilton (42.777) but he remains a tantalising 0.047s off Vettel's best.
Twenty minutes into the session there are only four drivers on track, Hamilton, who is told to "box" asks if he can a stay out a bit longer. Senna improves to thirteenth, the Brazilian one of several drivers yet to confirm a seat for next season.
As opposed to brake failure, HRT has now succumbed to a rear wing failure, de la Rosa the victim.
Hamilton, who has stayed out even longer than planned, goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 42.095, eclipsing Vettel by 0.635s.
As Vergne switches to softs, the first driver to do so, Hamilton goes quickest in S1 before diving into the pits. Elsewhere, a big lock-up for Webber in T17.
The current order, after twenty-eight minutes, is: Hamilton, Button, Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Massa, Raikkonen, Senna, Schumacher and Rosberg.
Alonso is running the new front wing while Massa sticks with the old, the Spaniard clearly suffering oversteer. On the softs Vergne posts a disappointing 45.073.
Vettel splits the McLarens with a 42.622 as on board footage shows Maldonado really having to fight with the Williams. Cameras also pick up Webber running very low bringing back memories of Vettel late in last week's race.
At 51:15, Perez is the second driver to switch to softs as mechanics inspect the bottom of Webber's car.
Perez improves to twelfth with a 43.855 but like Vergne the improvement on the medium rubber is not especially significant. Rosberg is also on the option tyre now.
Cameras pick up Vergne travelling very slowly after a massive lock-up at T11. Elsewhere, the McLaren duo are back on track on options. The Woking team had real problems with the softer rubber last weekend.
Rosberg improves to sixth on the options (43.200), the German, as one might expect, posting PBs in two sectors.
As the Toro Rosso crew investigate a suspected brake problem on Vergne's car, neither Hamilton or Button improve their times even though they are on the softer rubber. Webber, who posts a PB in S2, only marginally improves.
As Hamilton goes quickest in the final sector, but fails to improve his time, Grosjean slips in a 42.500 to go second, the biggest improvement thus far.
On his first lap on the softer rubber Vettel post 42.056 to go quickest, albeit by just 0.039s.
With 35:00 on the clock all but Raikkonen have tried the soft rubber, the Finn currently twelfth, 1.507s off the pace.
As Webber shows his obvious frustration after out-braking himself, teammate Vettel improves to 41.751, the German opening a 0.344s gap to Hamilton. Not to be outdone the McLaren driver responds with a 41.919.
Back in the garage, mechanic once again get to work on Webber's car, the Red Bull clearly running too low.
As darkness descend on the circuit, the drivers focus on longer runs as the look ahead to the opening phase of Sunday's race.
Vettel complains that he is not being kept fully up to date in terms of information by his engineer Rocky (Guillaume Rocquelin) he is clearly not happy. Elsewhere, the yellows are out after Karthikeyan spins at T17.
At 17:50. Webber is sent back out despite having left a slick of liquid on the garage floor, while Alonso runs wide at T8 after locking-up.
Finally on softs, Raikkonen improves from fourteenth to sixth, the Finn crossing the line at 42.532.
After just two laps Webber is back in the pits, the mechanic swarm over it like worker ants. The Australian climbs from his car, removes his balaclava and ear plugs, his session over.
Hamilton runs wide at T11 after tripping up over a Caterham, he remains off track whilst two other cars pass by. Vettel makes a quick visit to the pits.
As in India, Hamilton has a problem with his steering wheel however he declines the offer to stop and change it.
The long runs on high fuel continue, consequently there are no significant improvements.
Glock, Vergne and Vettel switch back to the harder (medium) rubber.
A late lock-up for Grosjean as Alonso loses time behind Rosberg. Elsewhere, Vettel is right up Button's exhaust but showing no desire to actually pass the Englishman.
The session ends and all twenty three drivers head to the grid to perform a practice start.
Vettel is quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Button, Webber, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa, Maldonado and Perez.
Senna is eleventh, ahead of Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Schumacher, di Resta, Kobayashi, Ricciardo, Vergne, Petrov, Kovalainen, Glock, Pic, de la Rosa and Karthikeyan.
Check out our Friday gallery, here.