25/10/2013
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second free practice session the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 40 degrees.
There are two DRS zones at, the detection point of the first is 16m before Turn 3 and its activation point is 350m after Turn 3. The second zone's detection point is 10m after
Turn 15, with the activation point 36m after Turn 16.
Tyre compounds medium and soft as opposed to the hard and soft combination used in 2011 and 2012.
Sebastian Vettel led a Red Bull 1-2 this morning, his only possible challenger for the 2013 title, Fernando Alonso, sidelined by a gearbox issue. Ferrari claims the gearbox has been repaired and didn't need to be replaced.
The greenness of the track meant there were plenty of apexes missed, spins and trips through the kitty litter but nothing serious.
Lewis Hamilton, who complained of struggling with his car earlier was eventually able to close the gap, whilst Force India continues to struggle. Romain Grosjean remains in the mix whilst teammate Kimi Raikkonen was way down in seventeenth.
The lights go green but it is almost two minutes before an engine fires up, shortly after Chilton heads down the pitlane, followed by Bottas and Bianchi.
A big lock-up into T16 for Raikkonen, the Finn flat-spotting his front-left, they tyre under the most stress at this particular circuit. Nonetheless, of the runners thus far, the Lotus driver goes quickest, breaking the beams at 1:28.419. Ricciardo is second, ahead of Hulkenberg, Bottas and Bianchi.
Di Resta, who made was for James Calado this morning, almost trips up over a Ferrari as Perez goes second (28.829).
In a matter of moments Alonso goes quickest, only to be usurped by Hamilton and then Grosjean, the Frenchman posting 27.531. Elsewhere Raikkonen spins at T3 the Finn appearing to struggle with the E21.
Following on from his qualifying problem in Japan, Vettel is told that he has another KERS issue. The German is somewhat comforted by the sight of Adrian Newey back on the Red Bull pit-wall.
KERS problem or not, Vettel posts 27.360 to go quickest. While Grosjean and Hamilton improve, Vettel raises the bar ever higher with a 27.059.
"We think we can fix KERS," Vettel is told, "but if you think you can learn something carry on".
Having told his team that there are "white stripes" on his front–left tyres the Mexican is told to pit immediately.
Rosberg is one of several drivers to lock-up as drivers push just that little bit harder.
Capt. No Grip reports that he is losing (guess what) "grip" through the high-speed corners. Teammate Perez is currently third (27.244).
From out of nowhere, Webber produces a 27.011 to go quickest. Shortly after Rosberg goes one-thousandth of a second quicker, subsequently complaining about "lots of understeer".
Twenty-five minutes into the session, Vettel and Raikkonen are the first drivers to switch to the (soft) option tyres.
Unsurprisingly, Raikkonen goes quickest in S1 however a mistake in T11 sees him lose time. Elsewhere, Vettel goes quickest in the first two sectors finally crossing the line at 25.722, over 1.2s quicker than Rosberg.
As Raikkonen completes an unusually comfortable lap, Hulkenberg becomes the third driver to begin a flying lap on the option rubber.
Webber is told that the option rubber is worth eight-tenths, suggesting that Vettel still has a KERS issue.
As Hulkenberg improves to ninth (27.810), Vettel goes quickest in the first two sectors before diving into the pits.
Webber (softs) posts PBs in all three sectors, going second by 0.289s. Raikkonen posts 26.632 to go third.
As Grosjean fits a set of soft boots, it's interesting to note that Hamilton is one of many yet to make the switch.
Massa improves to fourth (26.601) only to be demoted when a 26.582 sees Grosjean go third, albeit 0.7s off Vettel's pace.
With superb timing, just a Sutil improves to ninth (27.375), Force India's Vijay Mallya arrives at the circuit.
Interesting that Perez, who has used the options, is seventh (26.857), just one spot ahead of his McLaren teammate who has done 16 laps on his current set of primes.
At half-time, it's: Vettel, Webber, Grosjean, Alonso, Rosberg, Massa, Raikkonen, Perez, Button and Hamilton.
As Webber returns to work on a new set of options, mechanics are working on Vettel's car in the adjacent garage. Elsewhere, Hamilton heads out for his first run on the options. The Mercedes driver subsequently posts 26.399 to go fourth.
As ever, we are now in the phase where drivers focus on Sunday afternoon, as drivers begin their race simulations.
Vettel is told that other drivers are suffering with their options after four or five laps, the German admits that he too has issues with blistering. Likewise countryman Hulkenberg, whose left-front looks completely shot as he pits.
An unusual sight in the Red Bull garage where Adrian Newey is looking at the tyres taken from Webber's car, his team having switched both drivers back to primes.
Asked how his tyres are, Rosberg says they are "worn but stable". Moments later, Perez is told that the option looks "fragile" therefore he will continue with primes.
Maldonado grinds to a halt after shedding the wheelnut on his right-front in T7. This comes just two weeks after Williams was fined heavily after a wheel became detached from the Venezuelan's car. This could see the Grove outfit is serious trouble with the FIA.
Long faces in the Williams garage as Maldonado walks (storms?) back to the pits. That said he still finds time for a quick wave to the TV camera.
As attention focusses on the Williams garage, back on track Vettel continue to set a strong pace on his long run, the German running just ahead of his teammate in what must be sending a frightening subliminal message to the opposition.
A strange message to Raikkonen, the Finn told that he must persevere with his tyres until they are "unsafe" to use. The Lotus driver is still on the options and having completed 18 laps on them has made them last a lot longer than his rivals. That said, his left-front looks ready to give up.
After 15 laps on the options, Alonso switches back to the primes.
A company man to the end, with less than five minutes remaining, Christian Horner takes a swig from a can of Red Bull.
Still running almost in unison, Vettel posts 30.184 and Webber 29.946, the Australian looking very relaxed this weekend. Could he spoil his teammate's party.
"Try lifting more in T8 so you can carry more speed in T9, Webber is told. Big Brother is watching you.
The session ends with Vettel quickest ahead of Webber, with Grosjean third followed by Hamilton, Alonso, Rosberg, Massa, Raikkonen, Perez and Button.
Ricciardo is eleventh, ahead of Sutil, Bottas, Hulkenberg, di Resta, Maldonado, Gutierrez, Vergne, Van der Garde, Bianchi, Pic and Chilton.
Clearly Red Bull, and in particular, Vettel, has the edge, but that's mainly on the primes. On the options however, they are not as strong.
Not for the first time, tyre are going to dominate conversation over the coming hours, along with how the FIA will react to Williams continuing wheelnut problem.
Check out our Friday gallery, here.