21/09/2013
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 34 degrees.
While Lewis Hamilton led the way in FP1 yesterday, the Mercedes driver, like his rivals, was merely a spectator in the afternoon as Red Bull, and in particular, Sebastian Vettel stamped their authority.
While Mercedes has clearly rediscovered its form, after a couple of so-so races, the Red Bulls looks mighty impressive here, much as expected, Spa and Monza having been the shock results.
Behind the Red Bulls and Mercedes, Grosjean led a tight bunch which included Ferrari, McLaren, Toro Rosso and Force India, despite losing track time in both sessions with a steering issue.
While there were no major incidents yesterday, a number of drivers had close encounters with the walls, Mark Webber one of them.
Tyre options are medium (prime) and supersoft (option), as opposed to soft and supersoft. The difference between them around a couple of seconds though it is the option that will be favoured during the race, the primes having a "short life expectancy".
There are two DRS zones this year. 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.
With the removal of the Singapore sling chicane and the resurfacing of the track, times are considerably faster than in 2012. Indeed, Hamilton insists the track is not "twice as grippy".
Not for the first time, tyres are an issue, Ferrari in particular suffering, especially at the rear. Indeed, marbles are a real issue here.
Gutierrez is first out once the lights go green, followed by Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Bottas, Chilton and Maldonado.
"Brakes are very poor," complains Ricciardo, not what you want on a street circuit. Not what you want on any circuit come to that. Rosberg however, is unhappy with his steering, an issue he suffered on Friday also.
While most drivers return to their garages Pic stays out to post a 52.954, unusual to see drivers complete installation laps on a Saturday. Van der Garde posts 52.134 and then Sutil 51.402.
As Van der Garde posts 50.792, di Resta is the last driver to emerge for an installation lap. Indeed, the Scot stays out and his first flying lap sees him go straight to the top of the timesheets with a 49.572. Teammate Sutil makes it a Force India 1-2 with a 50.057 but the truth is the team is hurting ever since the tyre compounds were changed.
As Hulkenberg runs wide at T9, Ricciardo is back on track after his team did some work on his brakes. Talking of brakes, Sutil is having issues with front locking.
A 48.592 sees Maldonado go quickest ahead of Hulkenberg and Bottas, though shortly after Ricciardo breaks the timing beam at 48.001.
As Raikkonen goes second (48.393) there are mistakes from di Resta and Gutierrez, their rear ends snapping out as they run over the white lines. Elsewhere, Hulkenberg complains of too much understeer.
With 36:40 on the clock, there is still no sign of the Red Bulls leaving their garages. Most of their rivals are now on track.
Vergne crosses the line at 48.143 to make it a Toro Rosso 1-2 however, moments later the pair are demoted when Rosberg bangs in a 47.516. Elsewhere, Vettel heads down the pitlane.
In seconds Rosberg is leapfrogged by Hamilton and then Grosjean, the Frenchman posting a 46.883.
As Perez goes fourth (47.979) – immediately demoted by Button and then Vettel – Grosjean goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 46.616.
Approaching half-time, all but Alonso and Webber have posted times.
Hamilton goes quickest (46.514), ahead of Grosjean, Rosberg, Vettel, Button, Perez, Ricciardo, Vergne, Hulkenberg and Massa.
On his first flying lap Webber slams in a 46.220, all times thus far posted on the prime (medium) tyres.
Alonso, on his first flying lap, goes fifth with a 47.087 but is demoted when Rosberg posts 47.019 to take fourth.
Vettel goes quickest in S1 but can only manage a PB in S2. At the line the German posts a 46.299 to go second. Elsewhere, another excursion for di Resta, this time at T7, while Maldonado goes off at T2.
With the options yet to make an appearance, and with 20:00 remaining, Raikkonen, Massa and the Force Indias are amongst those over two-seconds off the pace.
As Hulkenberg reports poor mid-corner stability, Webber performs another practice start from the pitlane. In the Me4rcedes garage Rosberg's steering wheel is changed.
With 11:00 on the clock, only Vergne, Bianchi and Chilton are on track. All three are on primes. Replay shows Vergne taking a pounding as he rides the kerbs.
Grosjean leaves the pits, his Lotus sporting a set of options. Rosberg and Hulkenberg follow, also on the softer rubber.
As Grosjean begins his flying lap more and more drivers head down the pitlane. At the first split the Frenchman posts 28.429, 0.293s up on Webber's best. At S2 it's 68.216 (1.333). At the line the Frenchman posts 44.364, eclipsing Webber by 1.856.
Lots of personal bests but only Vettel is posting a purple, Grosjean clearly having found some serious pace.
Having gone quickest in S1 and S3, Vettel goes quickest with a 44.173, just 0.191s clear of Grosjean.
Rosberg goes third, ahead of Webber, Hamilton and Alonso, while Raikkonen remains seventeenth, 4.2s off the pace.
Van der Garde brushes the wall at T21 as Raikkonen is over 2s off the pace at S1.
Grosjean and Hamilton almost running as one, silly to be that close at this stage of the session.
Having remained seventeenth, Raikkonen posts a PB in the first sector of his next (final) lap but is still well off the pace. At the seconds split he's still 1.129s off the pace. He crosses the line at 46.147 to go twelfth.
The session ends with Vettel quickest, ahead of Grosjean, Rosberg, Webber, Hamilton, Alonso, Perez, Hulkenberg, Button and Massa.
Vergne is eleventh, ahead of Raikkonen, Maldonado, Ricciardo, Bottas, di Resta, Gutierrez, Sutil, Van der Garde, Pic, Bianchi and Chilton.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.