12/10/2013
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole free practice session the air temperature is 25 degrees C, while the track temperature is 36 degrees. It is bright and sunny but very windy.
A number of drivers had limited running yesterday including Kimi Raikkonen, Pastor Maldonado and Sergio Perez.
Raikkonen was left stranded in the gravel after spinning off at Dunlop in FP2, while Perez crashed at Spoon in the same session. Maldonado not only crashed at Degner in FP2, he also lost a wheel in FP1... a move which was to cost Williams 60,000 euros.
In addition to this Jules Bianchi and Giedo Van der Garde both crashed at Degner in FP1, Marussia unable to rebuild the Frenchman's car in time for the second session.
While Mercedes led the way in FP1 things swung back in Red Bull's favour in the second session, with Lotus also on the pace.
Tyres this weekend are hard (prime) and medium (option), the teams finding around 0.5s between the two. As in 2012 there is one DRS zone and it is on the main pit straight, albeit slightly longer than last year.
After yesterday's numerous incidents, one cannot help but feel that more drivers are going to be caught out today, Degner, Spoon, the Chicane and Dunlop all having caught out drivers in the opening sessions.
Gutierrez is first out of the box, followed by Bianchi, Maldonado, Ricciardo and Chilton. Within moments there are twenty drivers on track... Sutil and Van der Garde staying put.
While most return to their garages after a single lap, the Lotus duo remain out to post times, Raikkonen crossing the line at 33.741 and Grosjean 36.187. The Finn's time is quicker than anything we witnessed yesterday, and it was set on the prime tyre, suggesting that the track is much faster today.
Perez splits the Lotus duo with a 34.596 and then di Resta takes third with a 34.715.
Grosjean goes quickest with a 33.232 after a couple of pretty major lock-ups on his previous laps, the chicane catching him out twice.
As the Red Bull duo begin their first flying laps, Rosberg goes third (33.651). Moments later Webber posts 32.722 to take the top spot. The rear of the Australian's car features a lot of flo-vis.
As Vettel goes third (33.327), Alonso sits in his garage watching the action on the monitor, seemingly without a care in the world. Elsewhere, Ricciardo, almost trips up over a Sauber before diving into the pits.
"We have a problem with the exhaust," claims Hulkenberg, "the engine sounds very strange." The German, who sounds quite strange himself, is told to pit.
Vettel improves to second (33.036) as cars continue to struggle, Button riding the kerbs at the chicane, Maldonado locking up at the hairpin and Chilton complaining of a rear traction issue.
Twenty-five minutes into the session Alonso finally leaves the pits, the Spaniard subsequently going ninth with a 33.706.
Raikkonen is the first driver to make the switch to options but can only manage 32.946 which puts him second. Moments later, Grosjean, also on options, posts 32.707 to go quickest.
Having run wide coming out of Degner, as he did a couple of times yesterday, Hamilton asks the team to check the rear of his car. He confirms that the track has a lot more grip today.
Game over for Sutil who runs wide onto the Astroturf and subsequently hits the barriers coming out of Spoon. Other than ripping off his nose, he looks to have incurred some suspension damage. The subsequent yellow flag period is very frustrating for his rivals.
With 20:00 remaining, it's: Grosjean, Webber, Raikkonen, Vettel, Hamilton, Rosberg, Massa, Button, Alonso and Ricciardo. However, of these ten, only the Lotus duo has tried the options.
Problems for Red Bull? Vettel is out of his car which is on its stands in the garage, the crew removing the bodywork. Sauber mechanics working on Hulkenberg's car further down the pitlane.
"Are people finding time on their second runs?" asks Button, referring to the primes. "No," is the reassuring answer.
Hamilton runs wide at Degner again, this time coming out of the first part of the corner.
As the final phase begins, all the drivers having switched to options, Grosjean runs wide at T1. However, the big news is that for Vettel the session is over. His car has a KERS issue and he won't be going out again this morning.
A PB, nothing more, for Alonso in S1, while the Spaniard runs wide on the exit to Spoon. At the line the two-time world champion posts 32.800 to go third, but it isn't enough, not nearly enough.
Webber, on the other hand, goes quickest in S1. He maintains the pace in S2, despite going a little wide at spoon, finally crossing the line at 32.053.
Di Resta locks-up at the chicane while Maldonado runs wide in T1. Hulkenberg improves to eighth (33.076) having posted PBs in all three sectors.
Rosberg goes second (32.355) as teammate Hamilton goes quickest in S1. He loses a little time in S2 (Spoon) behind Massa, finally crossing the line at 32.187 which puts him second, just 0.134s off Webber's pace.
There are no other significant improvements, certainly no purples, though Button goes seventh behind the two Ferraris.
Quickest is Webber, ahead of Hamilton, Rosberg, Grosjean, Alonso, Massa, Button, Raikkonen, Vettel and Hulkenberg.
Perez is eleventh, ahead of Vergne, Ricciardo, Maldonado, di Resta, Gutierrez, Bottas, Sutil, Van der Garde, Pic, Chilton and Bianchi.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.