18/04/2014
NEWS STORY
Fernando Alonso topped the timesheets in a lacklustre session this morning, ahead of Nico Rosberg, Daniel Ricciardo and Jenson Button.
While the top two were separated by just 0.398, the gap between the Spaniard and Ricciardo was closer to a second.
While some might say the improved form, even if temporary, was due to the presence of new team boss Marco Mattiacci, how does one explain the fact that teammate Kimi Raikkonen only completed one lap and failed to post a time?
Problems also for Lewis Hamilton who finished eighth quickest and missed the final twenty minutes of the session with a suspension issue.
Ahead of this session the air temperature is 14 degrees C, while the track temperature is 21 degrees. Slightly better than this morning, but still windy, nippy and overcast with a dampness in the air.
Tyre choices are medium (prime) and soft (option), while the DRS zones are on the start-finish straight and on the back straight leading to T14.
Having been replaced by their teams third drivers, Adrian Sutil and Valtteri Bottas are in action this afternoon.
Maldonado, who was involved in a curious incident earlier when he appeared to be doing something – other than driving – in his cockpit, is first out, followed by Bianchi, Sutil, Grosjean, Chilton and Kvyat.
Because of the cool temperatures, it was taking drivers some time to generate sufficient heat into their tyres this morning.
Bianchi, who had limited running this morning, posts the first time of the afternoon (48.842) but this is soon beaten by Sutil and then Kvyat (41.279).
Another bit of off-road for Maldonado, but this time due to over enthusiasm as opposed to fiddling about in his cockpit.
For a short while it's a Toro Rosso 1-2, when Vergne goes second, but Magnussen spoils the party with a 41.383.
Shortly after Grosjean locks-up at T6, he is almost collected by his teammate who has two massive flat spots after locking-up in T14.
Despite the fact that there are only 13 drivers on track, the camera suggests that they outnumber the people in several of the grandstands.
As Ericsson is given some words of encouragement, and advised he can brake 10 metres later, Rosberg and Vettel begin their first flying laps.
Vettel goes quickest (41.087), while a mistake means Rosberg can only manage 43.827 however he improves to 39.792 next time around.
On his first flying lap Alonso goes quickest (39.251) maintaining the pace shown this morning, while Ricciardo goes third ahead of Massa and Vettel.
After twenty minutes, all but Raikkonen and Hamilton have posted times, though the Finn is on track and about to post his first time of the day. Sure enough he crosses the line at 42.308 to go fifteenth.
Maldonado is the first driver to make the switch to options. As one would expect he posts a PB in S1 but nothing particularly impressive. There are further PBs in the next two sectors, the Lotus driver finally crossing the line at 40.455 to go fourth, almost 2s better than his previous best.
His next lap is 51.569 and while drivers usually slow down following a hot lap before trying another, the opening sector of his next lap is almost 4s off the pace, finally crossing the line at 50.060.
Rosberg and Perez switch to options also, the German immediately going quickest in S1.
Meanwhile Maldonado's maladies continue, the Lotus driver going into the barriers at the entrance to the pitlane much like Hamilton a few years back.
"I crashed," the Venezuelan tells his team, a masterpiece of understatement.
Rosberg posts 38.726 to go quickest, however, it's not clear how he was affected by the yellow flags that followed Maldonado's mishap. Teammate Hamilton is now on track.
More and more drivers switch to the softer rubber, Alonso going quickest (38.456) having gone quickest in the final two sectors.
It's not only the softer rubber which is improving the times, the sun is peeking through the clouds and consequently temperatures have risen.
A spin for Kobayashi and an excursion for Chilton as drivers continue to struggle for grip.
Hamilton (softs) complaining of understeer as Rosberg calls for help with the projections(?). Hamilton posts a PB in S1 and again in S2, improving from 40.505 to 38.315 to go quickest.
Interestingly, only five of the top ten are Mercedes powered.
At 'half-time', it's: Hamilton, Alonso, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Vettel, Massa, Grosjean, Kvyat, Hulkenberg and Magnussen.
Raikkonen, who has yet to try the options, suffers oversteer and runs wide over the astro-turf in T16.
Raikkonen posts PBs in the first two sectors improving from 41.008 to 39.283 to go seventh.
As ever, the fast laps on options set, the drivers now focus on longer runs.
Just four laps into his run, Hamilton complains that his tyres are already gone.
Early days but both Force India drivers off the pace, whilst Sauber showing no improvement on Bahrain.
As Rosberg finds his tyres coming back to him, having dropped off for a while, Vettel is told that other drivers are encountering similar problems and that he must persevere.
A minor off for Hamilton at T6 as he and the rest continue their long runs. Ricciardo complains that he is struggling to preserve his front-left but his cry falls on deaf ears, his team advising that everyone is suffering in the same way.
Massa runs wide in the final corner as Chilton spins in T2.
Perez leads a train of cars that includes Button, Alonso and Ericsson, the quartet running almost as one. Then again, it is very busy out there, with all but Maldonado on track.
Having completed 17 laps on his current set of primes, Bottas is told that the run will be extended by a further four laps.
The camera picks up on Sutil with what appears to be a fire inside his front-left wheel, while Hamilton complains that something is not right with his car. "I'm coming in," he warns.
The session ends with Hamilton quickest, ahead of Alonso, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Vettel, Massa, Raikkonen, Button, Grosjean and Kvyat.
Hulkenberg is eleventh, ahead of Magnussen, Vergne, Bottas, Gutierrez, Sutil, Maldonado, Bianchi, Chilton, Kobayashi and Ericsson.
So while Mercedes tops the timesheets once again, the situation is nowhere near as clear cut as it was two weeks ago, with Red Bull and Ferrari breathing down the necks of the Brackley duo.
Check out our Friday gallery, here.
Chris Balfe