11/05/2013
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today’s practice session the air temperature is 18 degrees C, while the track temperature is 21 degrees. It is fairly bright but there are some worrying clouds in the distance. There is also a strong breeze.
Fernando Alonso led a Ferrari 1-2 in yesterday’s opening session, which was largely compromised by the mixed conditions, while Sebastian Vettel was quickest in the afternoon.
Clearly, Red Bull and Ferrari have the edge at this stage, with Lotus slightly ahead of Mercedes.
It’s raft of updates not having brought the results expected, McLaren has shipped over a couple of new wings overnight from its Surrey HQ, both drivers over 1.49s off the pace yesterday.
However, the big talking point is the tyre failure that Paul di Resta suffered in FP2, shades of the failures suffered by a number of drivers, most notably Lewis Hamilton, in Bahrain. As the drivers voice their concern, Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery has promised a though investigation. Initial report suggests debris on the track.
Talking of tyres, compounds this weekend are hard and medium together with a set of prototype hard tyres.
There are two DRS zones, the first one the main pit straight and the second on the back straight linking Turns 9 and 10.
Di Resta is first out, followed by Ricciardo, Gutierrez, Bianchi, Grosjean and a whole heap of others. Within moments there are 16 drivers on track, among them local hero Alonso who waves to his adoring fans.
Vettel’s car is smothered in flo-vis, Red Bull seeking to extract every last drop of information from every run.
Hamilton is the first drivers to post a time (28.350) with teammate Rosberg posting 29.468. Shortly after, Pic crosses the line at 25.635.
As the Mercedes duo continue their runs, Hamilton is told to consider managing traction at the exit of T10. Shortly after the Englishman locks-up heavily.
As Gutierrez goes quickest (25.013), Vettel goes quickest in S2 and again in S3, crossing the line at 23.920. Countryman Hulkenberg goes second (24.974).
With only 8 names on the timesheets, Raikkonen goes quickest in the first two sectors, the Lotus driver eventually crossing the line at 23.152. In the McLaren garage, Button and Perez are in deep conversation with their engineers.
Grosjean makes it a Lotus 1-2 with a 23.042, as the TV cameras pick up on the fact that both drivers are running very, very low to the ground causing lots of sparks. Unseen, Webber goes fourth (23.472).
Alonso goes quickest in S1 but fails to maintain the pace in S2. He crosses the line at 23.006 having only been quickest in that one zone.
With 33:30 remaining, Rosberg is still on track having completed 15 laps, Perez the only driver yet to post a time. Button goes tenth with a 24.493.
Perez is finally on track, and as Button improves to ninth (24.493), the Mexican posts 30.163 as he reveals a problem with the front-left suspension which feels “extremely light”. He is told to pit.
At half-time, it’s: Alonso, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Massa, Vettel, Webber, di Resta, Vergne, Button and Maldonado. Rosberg has finally pitted after 18 laps. Teammate Hamilton completed 13 laps on his run.
TV camera picks up on Alonso running wide at T10, a corner which has caught out a number of drivers so far this weekend.
In the McLaren garage, mechanics investigate the front left corner of Perez’ car as TV replay shows a piece of bodywork falling from the car as he rode the kerb exiting the final corner on to the main straight.
As Hulkenberg complains that his rears are gone, with 20:40 remaining nobody has yet tried the medium compound.
That said, Rosberg leaves the Mercedes garage sporting a set of the medium boots. Alonso has also made the switch, as has Hamilton.
As one would expect, Alonso goes quickest in S1. He maintains the pace in S2, finally crossing the line at 22.254 having lost time in the final sector. That’s around 0.7 quicker than his previous best.
Rosberg goes second (22.915) but remains 0.66s shy of Alonso. Moments later Hamilton splits the pair with a 22.829.
As the clock counts down to 14:00, Perez (hard) is back on track the broken brake duct on his car having been replaced. He posts 24.333 to go thirteenth.
Back in the pits, Perez is told that there is probably a problem with the power steering which is affecting the feel of the car. Back on track Raikkonen posts 21.907 to go quickest.
His drivers second and sixth, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo arrives on the pit-wall and waves to the fans.
Webber goes second with a 22.044, the Australian a real dark horse here this weekend. Elsewhere, Massa goes quickest in S1. At the line the Brazilian posts 21.901 to go quickest by 0.006s, no doubt spurred on by the arrival of his boss, El Presidente.
Toro Rosso’s good form continues, Vergne posting 22.759 to go eighth. Moments later, di Resta and Sutil go fifth and sixth, the Silverstone outfit also one to watch.
All eyes on Vettel who can only manage PBs in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 22.229 to go fourth. Traffic appearing to be a problem here today.
Grosjean goes quickest in S1, the Frenchman ultimately crossing the line at 22.069 to go fourth.
Interesting to note that a number of drivers are improving on their second timed lap on the mediums.
On the Toro Rosso pit-wall, Franz Tost shakes his head in frustration as Ricciardo loses time behind Hamilton.
Perez can only manage fourteenth (23.373), one place behind his McLaren teammate. An ominous sign ahead of this afternoon’s qualifying session.
The session ends with Massa quickest, ahead of Raikkonen, Webber, Grosjean, Vettel, Alonso, di Resta, Sutil, Hamilton and Vergne.
Rosberg is eleventh, ahead of Button, Gutierrez, Perez, Maldonado, Hulkenberg, Bottas, Ricciardo, Pic, Bianchi, Chilton and Van der Garde.
With the top six covered by just 0.353s and the top eleven covered by 0.938s, we should be in for An interesting qualifying session this afternoon.