04/10/2013
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's opening session, the air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 29 degrees. It is bright and sunny. However, the big talking point is the tropical storm that is heading this way and is due to hit on Sunday.
Tyre options this weekend are medium (prime) and supersoft (option), while, unlike 2012, this year there are two DRS zones. The detection point of the first is 70m after Turn 2, with activation 360m after Turn 2. The second detection point is 60m before Turn 16 with activation 95m after Turn 18.
A couple of reserve drivers are on duty today, James Calado replacing Paul di Resta at Force India and Rodolfo Gonzalez is in Jules Bianchi's car. The Frenchman having been confirmed for another season with the Russian team only yesterday.
The lights go green and Gonzalez leads the way, shortly after he is joined by Maldonado, Chilton, Raikkonen, Bottas, Ricciardo and Calado.
The pit exit has been re-aligned and now runs through the middle of the run-off area at Turn 1, as the cars emerge it is noticeable that it is very bumpy.
Within five minutes all but Button and Vettel have made an appearance, and then, in unison, they head down the pitlane.
A number of teams are testing new bits for 2014, Mercedes running its passive DRS, while Ferrari has new bargeboards and McLaren a 2014 front wing.
While a few drivers complete two installation laps most complete just one, the track very green due to its lack of use. Fourteen minutes into the session Gonzalez is the first driver to come out for a second run.
The Venezuelan posts a 1:52.294, subsequently improving to 49.169 despite a couple of excursions.
As the Marussia driver posts 46.810, Vettel heads down the pitlane, surprisingly early for the world champion. The Red Bull is sporting a mighty array of sensors and whatnots.
Unsurprisingly, Gonzalez has pushed his luck just one too often and loses his nose after missing the apex and spinning at T13.
Around thirty-five minutes into the session, we finally get some action, Perez, Hulkenberg and Button taking to the track, a track that still, despite the promise, still appears to be in the midst of a building site. A building site on which work has come to a halt.
Perez posts 44.258 and Button 45.506 as more drivers get to work. Moments later Calado splits them with a 44.325.
Perez ups the ante with a 41.960, as Bottas goes second (42.637), ahead of Calado, Button, Maldonado, Van der Garde and Pic. Calado spins at T12 but is able to continue.
Approaching half-time, it's busy, Perez still quickest, ahead of Maldonado, Bottas, Calado, Ricciardo, Gutierrez, Vergne, Van der Garde, Button and Pi. Moments later Hamilton goes second (41.982) and Raikkonen third.
Rob Smedley informs Massa that he has a (front-left) puncture. Elsewhere, Hulkenberg reports that his car is bottoming in T1.
As Webber begins his first flying lap, Rosberg, currently sixteenth, goes quickest in S2, going on to take the top spot with a 41.498. Webber posts 42.415 to go seventh.
As Vettel leaves the pits, Alonso posts 41.437 despite not having been quickest in a single sector. Elsewhere, a mistake at T10 sees Hamilton spin right in front of Vettel who has to take avoiding action. Indeed, the German is lucky not to spin on his own flo-vis which is smothered all over the rear end of his car.
Rosberg takes the top spot with a 40.364 as Vettel goes second (40.813) ahead of Raikkonen. All but Massa have posted a time.
As Rosberg compound his position with a 40.117, Webber leapfrogs his teammate with a 40.346. However, on another flying lap, Vettel goes quickest in S1.
Hamilton goes quickest (39.630) to make it a Mercedes 1-2, only for Webber to split the pair with a 39.816. Hamilton is told that the only place he is losing out is the entry to T11.
Beautiful slo-mo shot of Calado having a drift at T13.
The top three are covered by 0.487, with Vettel not far behind just ahead of Alonso. Sixth placed Raikkonen is another 0.3s off the pace.
With twenty-five minutes remaining, attention switches to Sunday afternoon, the drivers focussing on longer runs.
Massa, who has yet to post a time following his puncture, is finally back on track, the Brazilian having just 15 minutes track time remaining.
Calado off at T12 again as Button improves to fourth with a 40.215.
Ricciardo and Vergne are quickest through the speed-trap but seventeenth and fifteenth on the timesheets.
Set-up changes to Alonso's car as Mercedes looks like it could end Vettel's winning streak this weekend.
Raikkonen is back on track, the Finn having spent a lot of time in the pits whilst his car was worked on. Elsewhere, Hulkenberg improves to tenth (40.899), as teammate Gutierrez goes cross-country in T11.
With less than five minutes remaining Vettel posts a PB in S1. A poor final sector however means he fails to improve.
Grosjean locks up and runs wide at T1 as Calado has yet another moment.
All but Gonzalez and Alonso are on track as Webber goes quickest in S1. Moments later teammate Vettel goes quickest in S1. While the Australian fails to improve, due to a poor final sector, Vettel, on his twentieth lap, posts 39.667 to go second.
Raikkonen crashes at T18, damaging the Lotus in the process. "I've hit the wall," he says, a master of understatement. Replay shows him losing the car on entry, spinning and the front left slamming into the wall. It's an odd corner in which to crash.
The Enstone crew now has its work cut out repairing the car before FP2.
Quickest was Hamilton, ahead of Vettel, Webber, Rosberg, Button, Alonso, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Perez and Massa.
Hulkenberg is eleventh, ahead of Sutil, Maldonado, Gutierrez, Vergne, Bottas, Ricciardo, Calado, Pic, Van der Garde, Chilton and Gonzalez.
Check out our Friday gallery, here.