05/09/2014
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's opening free practice session the air temperature is 21 degrees C, while the track temperature is 24 degrees.
Over the years the Autodromo Nazionale Monza has witnessed more than its fair share of tragedy. Appropriate therefore that this morning we awoke to the news that far way in New Zealand, Pitpass contributor and good friend Eoin Young had lost his battle with cancer. Our thought are with him.
Sadly, his team (McLaren), though paying tribute to him in words is unlikely to be able to conjure up a result worthy of the man, but we know they'll do their best.
As one would expect, the focus of all attention this weekend is Mercedes where Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are under orders not to get involved in anything silly.
There are two DRS zones. The detection point for the first zone is 95m before Turn 7, with the activation point 210m after Turn 7, while the second detection point is 20m before Turn 11, with the activation point 115m after the finish line.
Tyres provided by Pirelli this weekend are the hard (prime) and medium (option).
Now, there are four - count 'em, four - reserve drivers on duty today... Charles Pic at Lotus, Daniel Juncadella at Force India, Giedo Van der Garde at Sauber and Roberto Merhi at Hertz Car Hire.... Sorry, Caterham.
The Leafield outfit also welcomes back Kamui Kobayashi... after Andre Lotterer supposedly turned down the drive.
The high-speed, low downforce characteristics of the track are perfect for the Mercedes-powered teams whilst Ferrari is expecting a "difficult" weekend. Unlike Belgium, where aero was important, Red Bull will also struggle to keep pace with the Mercedes-powered cars.
The lights go green and Ericsson gets things underway, followed by Massa, Chilton, Magnussen, Vergne and Juncadella. Rosberg is another early riser.
Within a few minutes all have been out, a number of drivers completing two laps but most just the one. Rosberg complains of being very hot "near his ribs".
Thirteen minutes in and Chilton is the first driver out for a second run. He is followed by Merhi and Kvyat.
Chilton stops the clock at 1:33.435 with Merhi crossing the line at 36.491 moments later.
As Vergne goes quickest in the first two sectors, Merhi locks-up in T1 as he closes in on Maldonado who has just left the pits. Vergne posts 30.511.
A 28.256 sees Magnussen go quickest as Hulkenberg goes third ahead of Button. The Briton subsequently improves to second with a 29.216.
As Alonso weaves in an attempt to generate heat into his tyres, the Mercedes duo are circulating together. Rosberg posts 28.739 to go third while Hamilton posts 37.878.
Vettel and Ricciardo both having issues with their DRS, "it's not working" complains the Australian.
Magnussen ups the ante with a 27.228, as Hamilton improves to 35.925.
Alonso, Juncadella and Raikkonen among those getting it wrong at the first chicane.
Ricciardo is now told that he can use DRS "everywhere" but must use it "in the correct places".
A 27.158 sees Button go quickest while Hamilton improves to fourth with a 27.997.
Rosberg posts 27.071 but moments later his old adversary (and teammate) posts 27.071, just seven-thousandths between them. The Briton does well to control a slide in Ascari.
As the opening half hour comes to an end, and with it the 'free' set of tyres, the drivers head back to the pits. Hamilton is currently quickest, ahead of Rosberg, Button, Magnussen, Alonso, Raikkonen, Vettel, Gutierrez, Massa and Bottas. Seven Mercedes powered cars in the top ten.
The opening half-hour at an end, Sergio Perez takes over from Daniel Juncadella, Force India the first team to take full advantage of the rule introduced this season.
After around fifteen minutes of total inactivity, Raikkonen fires up and heads down the pitlane.
Merhi, who has been told he is too aggressive on the brakes and throttle, goes a little cross-country after getting it wrong at Ascari. Elsewhere, Raikkonen suffers oversteer in Parabolica. Correction, the horrible, tarmacked over Parabolica.
That's a new one; "my headrest is coming off, my headrest is coming off," complains Magnussen. And so it is. He heads back to the pits.
No sooner has Maldonado made a mess of T1 than he does it again. The first time he has to resort to driving over the 'sausage' kerbs, while second time he has to weave his way through the polystyrene markers.
Going quickest in the first two sectors, Button crosses the line at 26.810 to take the top spot.
Ricciardo, complaining he has lost power, is told to pit, the Australian having an issue that the team doesn't want to discuss over the radio. Appears to be ERS related.
Back in the pits, Ricciardo climbs out of his car, his session appearing to be over with half-an-hour remaining.
Hamilton and Rosberg both improve but are unable to match Button's 26.810.
Hamilton goes quickest again with a 26.547, as Perez finally leaves the force India garage, the Mexican having lost 40 minutes of running in addition to the thirty given over to Juncadella.
Hamilton improves to 26.187, 0.623s ahead of Button. Next time around the Mercedes driver misses the second chicane.
Despite his lack of running, Perez is soon on the pace, posting 27.687 to go eighth.
Merhi improves with a 30.704 to leapfrog teammate Ericsson.
As Magnussen is warned of "high surface temperatures on exit of T5", a frustrated Ricciardo watches the action on a monitor.
Bottas, carrying too much speed into the Parabolica and locking-up, makes good use of the new artificial grass verge.
Drivers, including Rosberg and Massa, continue to miss the chicanes.
Perez takes a vicious pounding as he runs over the grass at Ascari, the Force India looking a real handful.
The session ends with Hamilton quickest, ahead of Button, Rosberg, Alonso, Magnussen, Vettel, Raikkonen, Perez, Kvyat and Hulkenberg.
Gutierrez is eleventh, ahead of Bottas, Massa, Vergne, Van der Garde, Ricciardo, Juncadella, Maldonado, Chilton, Bianchi, Pic, Merhi and Ericsson.
Check out our Practice gallery, here.