20/09/2013
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's opening free practice session, the air temperature is 31 degrees C, while the track temperature is 33 degrees. Remember, it's 6pm here.
Tyre options are medium (prime) and supersoft (option), as opposed to soft and supersoft.
Another change is the removal of the notorious Singapore sling chicane (Turn 10), which has now been completely re-profiled to make it a regular corner. It is thought that this will see lap times fall by just over a second.
Another change from last year is that there are now two DRS zones. The first is on the pit straight – with activation on the approach to Turn 22, while the second runs between Turns 5 and 7 - with activation just after Turn 4. This second zone was the sole zone in 2012.
Having scored back-to-back victories on two circuits where it was thought he and his team would struggle - Sebastian Vettel, a two-time winner here - heads into the weekend as favourite. However, teammate Webber has a point to prove whilst many believe the Mercedes duo could be a threat.
Because of the nature of the track, none of the third/reserve drivers are in action today, a situation due not only to the fact that it is a street tack and therefore accidents can (and will) happen but also the fact that there is only a two-hour break between FP1 and FP2.
The lights go green ad Chilton, Bianchi and Bottas lead the way. While Bottas has never driver here before, Chilton (like Van der Garde) a winner here in GP2.
Within a few minutes all but Webber and Hamilton have been out. That said, with 85.00 on the clock the Englishman heads down the pitlane.
Alonso is running a back-to-back test of two front wings whilst the Mercedes has tyre heat sensors on its airbox.
After the initial flurry of activity, which eventually saw Webber join in following a suspected gearbox problem, there is a total lack of activity. Fact is, not only is the track still very dusty, the engineers and drivers will have a far better idea of conditions as the sun sets and we approach the time of qualifying and the race.
With 64.00 on the clock, after around twenty minutes of nothing, Perez heads down the pitlane. On the other side of the garages, Alain Prost heads to the Lotus garage sporting a pair of luminous green trainers. Van der Garde is also on track, as is Pic.
Perez posts the first time of the weekend, the Mexican crossing the line at 1:53.245. Moments later Pic posts 59.152 and Van der Garde 57.090. Next time around Perez improves to 51.644.
As Perez improves to 50.863, Hulkenberg complains that traction coming out of corners is "poor". Quickest time in FP1 in 2012 was 50.566, posted by Vettel.
Perez consolidates his position with a 50.103 as Maldonado goes second (50.932) ahead of Bottas, Hulkenberg, Van der Garde and Pic.
As Button goes third (50.830), despite a close encounter of the barrier kind, Maldonado raises the bar with a 49.827.
Rosberg complains that his steering is a little off-set, omitting the fact that there a minor incident involving the kerbs.
At the back of the Lotus garage Grosjean looks unhappy as his crew works on his car. Elsewhere, Webber is warned that his car may be a little bit low.
It's a Williams 1-2 as Bottas goes quickest (49.510), however, moments later Button splits the pair with a 49.608. Raikkonen is fifth, ahead of Rosberg.
A 48.865 sees Webber go quickest, with Hamilton taking second on a 48.865. Moments later the pair are demoted when Rosberg bangs in a 48.684. From the pit-wall the pair are watched by Paddy Lowe.
Going quickest in S1 and S3, Webber retakes the top spot with a 48.365. Teammate Vettel, on his first flying lap, goes seventh (49.742) while Alonso can only manage seventeenth (53.895).
Hamilton posts a 47.872 as Raikkonen goes second with a 48.354. Alonso improves to fifth but Vettel drops to ninth.
Rosberg is warned not to cool his front tyres too much as it is difficult to get them up to temperature again.
With around 34.00 remaining, and Grosjean yet to post a time, Webber is quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Rosberg, Raikkonen and Alonso.
Hamilton raises the bar ever higher with a 47.055, as Vergne runs wide in T1. Despite the dust and marbles were not seeing too many incidents. Then again, like Monaco, drivers know that the smallest mistake here can cost them big time.
As dusk falls there are minor mistakes by Perez and Alonso, meanwhile Grosjean waits and waits. Hamilton claims the circuit is twice as grippy as the old circuit.
Grosjean finally leaves the pits with just over twenty minute remaining, his first flying lap sees the Frenchman go eighteenth (50.787). His rivals are now focussing on longer runs on heavy fuel.
Early days but Hulkenberg, Ricciardo and the force Indias are all worryingly off the pace. Then again, so are Massa and Button.
On board with Hulkenberg the German appears to be overdriving the Sauber. In the pits Massa is having his rear suspension changed. The Brazilian has only completed 9 laps thus far.
Raikkonen spins at T13 however, the Finn is able to continue. Teammate Grosjean is now up to seventh, two places behind Raikkonen.
Back on track Massa is one of the only drivers showing any signs of improving his time, indicating that his rivals' tyres are past their best.
Raikkonen and Grosjean now separated by just one-thousandth of a second.
Told not to use boost out of T3, Hamilton replies that he's not using boost out of the corner; "what are you talking about?" he asks.
As expected, Red Bull and Mercedes lead the way, albeit the German team currently out-pacing its Austrian rivals. The Lotus duo are fifth and sixth, a great effort by Grosjean.
Webber is the latest driver to brush the wall as Raikkonen gets it wrong at T13 again.
As the clock counts down all but Hulkenberg are on track.
The session ends with no further improvements, Hamilton is quickest ahead of Webber, Vettel, Rosberg, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Alonso, Perez, Vergne and Gutierrez.
Maldonado is eleventh, ahead of Massa, Bottas, Button, di Resta, Sutil, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Bianchi, Chilton, Van der Garde and Pic.
Check out our Friday gallery, here.