04/04/2014
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second practice session the air temperature is 27 degrees C, while the track temperature is 36 degrees.
Lewis Hamilton led a Mercedes 1-2 in this morning's session, and while that might sound as though the German team had things all its own way that isn't strictly true.
The pair were comfortably quickest and after just seven laps apiece appeared to have called it a day satisfied with their morning's work. But then Fernando Alonso went quicker causing the pair to have to come out again.
Talking of Alonso, there was a strange moment when the Spaniard was sent out on three primes and one option, his crew quickly realising its mistake and running out to rescue him before he took to the track.
There were no major issues in a session which saw three test drivers - Robin Frijns, Giedo Van der Garde and Felipe Nasr - on duty, though, as usual, many drivers found themselves struggling for grip. That said, Kimi Raikkonen gave his crew some work to do when he damaged the floor on his Ferrari after taking a ride over the kerbs which launched the car into the air.
On the other hand, at a time when many are criticising the new regulations, both Caterhams were slower than the quickest time set in practice by the GP2 runners.
Interestingly, this session starts at the same as Sunday's race, the event being held later than ever before, essentially a night race. As a result the floodlights are on. More importantly however, temperatures are down by around ten degrees... And will get cooler.
Sutil is first out, the German planning to race on Sunday without a drink bottle in an effort to keep down to the minimum weight.
As the German begins his flying lap, Ericsson, Grosjean, Kvyat, Gutierrez and Kobayashi join him on track.
Sutil crosses the line at 1:39.438 as more and more drivers pour on to the track.
As Button goes quickest (38.235), Kvyat complains - quite excitedly - that there is something wrong with the down shift on his Toro Rosso.
As Magnussen goes quickest (37.973), replay shows teammate Button getting in a tangle with Maldonado and Ericsson in T1.
Raikkonen goes third (38.396) ahead of Perez and Kvyat as Raikkonen locks-up in T10.
Hamilton goes quickest in the first two sectors as Perez has to avoid a very slow Rosberg in T14. As Hamilton goes quickest (36.506), Perez is told that if he hadn't lost time in the earlier incident he would have gone second.
Alonso goes second (37.079) as Rosberg turns right instead of left at T10 clearly feeling he wasn't going to make the corner. Elsewhere, Grosjean really struggling for grip.
"Too much understeer at the moment," complains Rosberg who subsequently posts 36.601 to go second.
The stewards announce that they are to investigate the Rosberg/Perez incident after the session.
Hulkenberg, who really is on a roll at present, posts 37.441 to go fourth, ahead of Magnussen, Button and Raikkonen.
No sooner has Vettel gone fourth (37.229) than teammate Ricciardo posts 37.037 to slip in behind the Mercedes duo.
After twenty-five minutes neither Williams has appeared yet. Bottas, remember, didn't run this morning, having given his car over to test driver Felipe Nasr.
Lots of work going on on Magnussen's car and also Rosberg's where a whole crowd of mechanics are trying to block out the TV cameras a la Red Bull.
"The car feels good," says Hamilton, "I can definitely find some more time in S1," he adds ominously.
Grosjean is the first driver to make the switch to options, the Frenchman immediately going seventh with a 37.599. Chilton and Perez also on softs, as is Rosberg.
Perez (option) goes quickest in S1, the Mexican ultimately going quickest overall (35.802) having maintained the pace in all three sectors.
However, Rosberg goes even quicker in S1, and again in S2, the Melbourne winner finally crossing the line at 34.690. Elsewhere, Grosjean complains of a misfire.
Chilton having all manner of problems keeping his car on the black stuff, however, he's currently up to eleventh.
All eyes on Hamilton (currently 36.506) as he begins his first lap on the softer rubber. He goes quickest in S1 and again in S2, finally crossing the line at 34.325, that's 2.2s quicker.
Gutierrez momentarily goes fifth before being demoted by Button and Kvyat as more and more drivers switch to the softer, faster rubber.
Magnussen is one of the last drivers to try the option rubber, the McLaren driver improving to seventh (35.662).
The cameras pick up on Maldonado taking a trip through the air after riding the kerb at T4.
At half-time, as Massa finally climbs into his car, it's: Hamilton, Rosberg, Alonso, Ricciardo, Button, Vettel, Kvyat, Magnussen, Perez and Vergne.
The Caterham duo remain worryingly off the pace, both over 2s slower than the Caterhams.
Vergne spins at T8 but is able to continue as Rosberg begins his race simulation running.
Chilton spins in T4 after some sort of failure to his front brakes. "What on earth happened there," he asks. "I had a complete loss of power and it locked the rear axle."
Shortly after Sutil also stops on track at T6, the German appearing to have simply lost power.
Elsewhere, Massa has gone thirteenth (36.790) while teammate Bottas has still to post a time.
Vettel and Hamilton running very close to one another, the German finally passing the Mercedes having had a good look at its rear end.
As Bottas finally leaves the pits, Magnussen and Gutierrez are having a little battle.
Despite a massive slide in T15 Bottas posts 37.512 to go seventeenth.
Hulkenberg passes Alonso as though the two are racing as Ricciardo enquires about the Spaniard's times. The Red Bull driver is informed that the pair appear evenly matched.
Massa, finally on options, improves to fifth (35.442), despite a massive lock-up in T10.
"The prime isn't very good," Vettel is told, "we're only interested in the options."
Ericsson stops on the straight after T10, smoke billowing from his front brakes.
"I need more power," pleads Kvyat. "We cannot give you more power," he is told. "Keep pushing, pushing, just three more laps."
The session ends with Hamilton quickest, ahead of Rosberg, Alonso, Ricciardo, Massa, Button, Vettel, Kvyat, Magnussen and Perez.
Bottas is eleventh, ahead of Vergne, Hulkenberg, Raikkonen, Sutil, Gutierrez, Maldonado, Grosjean, Bianchi, Chilton, Kobayashi and Ericsson.