23/08/2013
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second practice session the air temperature is 21 degrees C, while the track temperature is 28 degrees. Other than the fact that it is warming up, the rain appears to have moved away giving way to sunshine. Woo Hoo!
Fernando Alonso was quickest this morning but in all honesty the changing conditions meant that there was little that we could read into it. Certainly not in terms of Lotus, it is to be hoped, Raikkonen and Grosjean propping up the timesheets.
The Enstone outfit was running its passive DRS this morning but has opted not to run it this afternoon. An odd decision given the conditions earlier and the much improved conditions now.
Charles Pic, who gave his car over to Heikki kovalainen this morning, is back in the Caterham this afternoon.
Tyre options are hard (prime) and medium (option), while there are two DRS zone, the first on the short pit straight and the second on the Kemmel Straight leading up the hill to Les Combes. Detection points are before the chicane and the other on the run down to Eau Rouge.
Following the problems with the weather this morning, which restricted running, we should see a lot more action this afternoon.
The lights go green and Hulkenberg is chomping at the bit, the German followed by Button, Gutierrez, Perez, Ricciardo, Chilton and Raikkonen. All are on the harder (prime) rubber.
In no time at all there are times on the board, di Resta quickest after the first round, the Scot posting a 1:52.287.
Just five minutes into the session all have been out, fifteen drivers having posted times.
A 51.645 sees Alonso go quickest, his teammate completing a Ferrari 1-2 with a 51.699.
Even though it is bone dry the final chicane continues to cause problems, Vettel having to back off as the Caterhams trip up over one another.
Webber splits the Ferraris with a 51.315 as teammate Vettel posts 53.160 to go twelfth. Next time around however, the German stops the clock at 50.867. All but Perez and Hamilton have posted times.
After the summer break almost all the teams have new parts to try, hence the frenzied activity, not helped by this morning's lack of track time.
As Grosjean suffers understeer, Button complains of oversteer at Les Combes. Sutil says his car is "unstable" while Massa reports the handling of his Ferrari is "not great".
Despite running wide at T9n and kicking up a great cloud of dust, Hamilton goes fourth with a 51.180. Vettel remains quickest having consolidated his top spot with a 50.555.
After twenty-five minutes, Grosjean and Ricciardo are the first to switch to option (medium) rubber. While the Frenchman returns to the pits after one lap, the Australian improves on his previous best by one second to 51.447, good enough for seventh.
On options, Webber goes straight to the top of the sheets, eclipsing his teammate by 1.165s. The Red Bull looking awesome. Indeed, so awesome the Australian is told to push for one more timed lap.
As Webber improves in S3, teammate Vettel begins his first flying lap on the options. The world champion immediately goes quickest in S1. Going quickest again in S3, Vettel crosses the line at 49.331, just 0.059s quicker than his teammate. Rosberg, on the other hand, also on the softer rubber, goes third 1.270s off the pace.
Massa is really unhappy, "I have oversteer everywhere," he moans. The Brazilian, who is still on the harder rubber, is currently fifth, just ahead of his teammate.
Alonso is back on track, now on options, the Spaniard planning to do three timed laps.
Raikkonen, currently twelfth, improves to fourth (50.428) despite a slight twitch in the chicane. Teammate Grosjean is third, almost 0.020s quicker.
At half-time, it's: Vettel, Webber, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Rosberg, Perez, Alonso, Massa, Hamilton and Button.
A 50.991 sees Maldonado pop up in seventh, the Venezuelan having opened his - and Williams - 2013 account in Hungary. Moments later he is demoted when Hamilton posts 50.751 before he too loses out to di Resta.
Drivers are now on longer runs looking ahead to Sunday afternoon. After ten laps on his primes Webber is already 6s off his earlier pace.
The usual suspects fill the bottom four places, with Gutierrez keeping them company. Button and Alonso are also at the wrong end of the sheet.
Chilton, who has only completed 9 laps, waits patiently in his car as his crew work on his steering rack.
Hamilton is off at Les Combes having gone straight on, however he is able to avoid the speed bumps.
With twenty minutes remaining Vettel slows with a right-rear puncture, luckily, the German isn't far from the pitlane entrance. He tells the team that he had a "slow puncture".
Moments later Van der Garde goes off into the barriers at what used to be Stavelot but is now the Curve Paul Frere. Onboard footage shows the Dutchman simply lost it. There is quite a bit of damage to the Caterham.
Yet again, Hamilton gets it wrong at Lew Combes, the Mercedes driver locking-up and heading straight on. In the Red Bull garage the team has removed the floor on Vettel's car.
Chilton finally makes it back for a couple of laps, as does Alonso, while Perez and Hulkenberg are both told to push.
The session ends with Vettel quickest ahead of Webber, Grosjean, Massa, Vergne, Raikkonen, Alonso, Perez, Rosberg and di Resta.
Sutil is eleventh, ahead of Hamilton, Hulkenberg, Maldonado, Button, Ricciardo, Bottas, Gutierrez, Van der Garde, Pic, Bianchi and Chilton.
Not only were the Red Bulls very quick, around 0.8s quicker than their nearest rival (Grosjean), other than Vettel's puncture Webber completed the most laps (34).
Check out our Friday gallery, here.