20/04/2013
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole free practice session, the air temperature is 31 degrees C, while the track temperature is 37 degrees.
Felipe Massa led a Ferrari 1-2 in yesterday's opening session however, it was Kimi Raikkonen who set the pace in the afternoon, ahead of the Red Bull duo.
Indeed, based on the evidence thus far Lotus, Ferrari and Red Bull have the edge while Mercedes and McLaren are struggling. In fact, Force India appears to be running better here than the Woking outfit and its Brackley rival.
As ever, it comes down to tyres, and Mercedes admits that what with balance and the hot conditions it is on its back foot. Ironic really, as it is the rears that are causing the most problems here.
Having opted to run its hard and medium tyres here, as opposed to the original plan which was hard and soft, Pirelli clams some drivers are able to complete more than 15 laps on the harder rubber which means some drivers could opt for a two-stop strategy and the rest three.
Interestingly, Massa and Rosberg, posted their quickest times on the harder rubber, the Brazilian's just 0.333s off Raikkonen's best on the options. That said, the Iceman made two mistakes on his hot lap, therefore we know he could have gone quicker.
The lights go green and Chilton heads the queue of eager beavers with Raikkonen among the early risers.
As the cars head back to the pits after an installation lap, Massa, who is running very slowly, is told that his GPS is not working. Elsewhere, Gutierrez posts the first time of the day, the Sauber driver crossing the line at 1:42.573. Next time around the Mexican improves to 39.592.
Ten minutes into the session all but Webber have been out. With only Gutierrez, Pic and Van der Garde having posted times it is unusually quiet, much like China.
Perez tells his team that conditions are a "little worse" than yesterday, with "more dust off-line".
Going quickest in all three sectors Pic posts a 36.015 as Webber heads down the pitlane.
As Webber goes quickest in the first two sectors, Grosjean heads down the pitlane, the Frenchman seeming to have lost some of his edge this year. Webber posts 33.875.
As Hamilton leaves his garage, followed by Perez, Raikkonen posts 34.105 to go second.
As Grosjean runs wide and Hamilton goes second (34.073), Button complains of a "beep" in his ear.
Ricciardo goes fourth (35.306) ahead of Button, Pic and Van der Garde. Alonso and Vettel wait resolutely in their garages.
A 33.762 sees Grosjean go quickest as Webber goes third (33.949), watched on by former Ferrari star Rubens Barrichello.
Next time around Grosjean improves to 33.464, while Alonso, on his first flying lap, goes second (33.620). Vettel is also on track.
Di Resta goes quickest in S1, however he loses time in S2. A strong final sector sees him go fourth overall, the Scot crossing the line at 33.820.
Moments later it's teammate Sutil's turn to go quickest in S1 however, unlike the Scot he maintain his pace in S2 finally crossing the line at 33.878 to go seventh. Vettel has gone second with a 33.531.
After a cooling down lap, Vettel ups his pace, going quickest in S1. At the line it's 33.348 sending him quickest by 0.116.
Approaching half-time, Gutierrez has completed the most laps (12) but remains twenty-second, 6.244s off the pace. Though teammate Hulkenberg is currently thirteenth the Saubers are clearly struggling here. Both Toro Rossos and Williams also off the pace.
It's Vettel, Grosjean, Alonso, di Resta, Rosberg, Webber, Sutil, Massa, Raikkonen and Hamilton, with no sign of the option rubber… yet.
Gutierrez is the first driver to switch to the option rubber as teammate Hulkenberg complains that he doesn't like his brakes.
A big spin for Alonso as he exits T2 going into T3, for a brief moment it looks as though he might have beached the car however he is able to continue. Unsure quite how it happened but, other than hitting the kerb, there does appear to be a small bump at that spot.
While Gutierrez fails to improve on the options, Rosberg also switches to the softer rubber.
As mechanics check Alonso's car for damage, Hamilton switches to the softer rubber.
Replay suggests that spin was Alonso's mistake, the Spaniard pushing just a little too hard.
Rosberg (option) goes quickest in S2 however a poor final sector, courtesy of running wide in T13, means he fails to improve.
As expected, Hamilton (option) posts a PB in S1 - but not a purple - and again in S2. At the line the Mercedes driver posts 33.455 improving from tenth to second, 0.107s off Vettel's pace.
With ten minutes remaining drivers switch to qualifying mode, and options become the norm. After 22 laps, Gutierrez remains twenty-second, 6.244s off the pace.
Alonso posts a PB in S1, and a purple in S2, while Raikkonen goes purple in S1. The Spaniard crosses the line at 33.247 to go quickest as Raikkonen loses pace in S2. As Sutil goes quickest in S1, Raikkonen goes third overall with a 33.446.
Grosjean improves to fifth (33.464) as Sutil, having gone quickest in S1, posts 33.596 to go sixth.
Rosberg is told there is no telemetry, the powers that be appearing still not to have fixed a problem that has been there since pre-season testing.
Chilton clearly has a problem, the Marussia driver having completed only 7 laps and showing no signs of coming out again.
Lots of PBs in various sectors but no major improvements. That said, Webber goes quickest in S3 and third overall with a 33.380.
Vettel posts PBs in the first two sectors as Grosjean complains that his tyres are going off. In traffic, Vettel almost comes to grief as Pic appears not to notice him, thereby ruining his lap. Shortly after the German takes a tooth-rattling ride across the kerbs.
Hamilton has a problem with his left-rear wheel; "left-rear failure," he tells the team, a blow-out appearing to have damaged his suspension. The tyre is totally delaminated.
The session ends with Alonso quickest, ahead of Vettel, Webber, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Grosjean, Sutil, di Resta, Rosberg and Hulkenberg.
Massa is eleventh, ahead of Button, Perez, Ricciardo, Bottas, Vergne, Maldonado, Pic, Bianchi, Van der Garde, Chilton and Gutierrez.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.