08/11/2014
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 22 degrees C, while the track temperature is 32 degrees. It is currently overcast, but following heavy overnight rain it is widely speculated that there will be more of the wet stuff later.
Whilst Nico Rosberg topped the timesheets in both sessions yesterday, some feel that Friday will count for nothing, especially on race day, and maybe even qualifying, when the weather gods take control.
Certainly the main talking point overnight, other than the demise of Marussia and the approach taken by Caterham, is tyres, with Pirelli's decision to revise its compound choice - following public criticism from the drivers - now looking to have been a bad move.
There was a difference of more than 20 degrees in average track temperature between the morning and afternoon sessions, partially accounting for the difference in lap times between the two sessions. On average, there is a performance gap of around 0.8 to 1.0 seconds between the two nominated compounds, but this will probably come down as the track evolves further.
"We started the day seeing a very high influence from the new surface and its interaction with the tyre," said Paul Hembery, "but this was changing rapidly as the sessions went on, with strong track evolution. We're also seeing that rear tyre is the limiting factor here, and on some occasions, with close to 60 degrees of track temperature, there was some blistering - which is what we envisaged bringing the softer tyre here, when conditions were hot. We've got about one second of performance difference between the two compounds, but due to red flag interruptions today we still don't have a clear indication of the levels of true degradation we're ultimately going to see."
Of course, that overnight rain won't have helped the situation, having washed away any rubber that might have been laid down yesterday.
Those red flags were brought about by Daniel Juncadella crashing in FP1, Fernando Alonso having a fiery power unit issue in FP2 and Esteban Gutierrez encountering an ERS-related issue moments later.
Indeed, it was a difficult day for the Mexican who completed just 6 laps in the morning. However, that's 6 more than countryman Sergio Perez completed, his team unable to repair his car (following Juncadella's crash) in time for FP2.
Another driver who had very limited running was Jean-Eric Vergne. Having handed his car over to Max Verstappen in the morning, in the second session he was side-lined after just 5 laps in the afternoon with following a complete electric failure which left him stranded on track.
Though we are told that Friday's form was irrelevant - other than Mercedes dominating again - it should be noted that, despite numerous offs, Kimi Raikkonen was the quicker of the Ferraris and both Red Bulls looked good, as did the Williams duo.
However, the common complain yesterday was grip - or lack of it - and we expect that to continue.
The lights go green and the Lotus duo lead the way followed by Bottas, Raikkonen and Massa.
Rosberg and Hamilton are among the early risers, both drivers performing practice starts at the end of the pitlane.
Vergne posts the first time of the day, the Frenchman crossing the line at 1:16.838. Moments later Perez posts 17.010. Next time around they improve to 15.117 and 15.474 respectively.
Gutierrez posts 16.139 to go third... ahead of Hamilton (16.814) and Rosberg. That won't last long.
Hulkenberg complains of "brake judder".
No sooner has Kvyat posted 14.583 than teammate Vergne improves with a 13.993. The pair split moments later when Gutierrez posts 14.226.
Drivers are warned about conditions at T12 where it is still quite damp. Though the track is dry, the kerbs and artificial grass run-offs remain wet.
Vergne improves with a 13.389 as the Mercedes duo continue to circulate, making no attempt at a flying lap just yet.
On the other hand, Magnussen bangs in a 13.016. Teammate Button, facing the prospect of his penultimate F1 race, goes ninth with a 14.294.
Suddenly, as Bottas goes quickest overall (12.892), Hamilton goes quickest in S1, the Briton subsequently easing off after a major lock-up at T8.
Magnussen retakes the top spot with a 12.729 ahead of Kvyat and Bottas.
As Bottas ups the ante with a 12.097 a massive (rear) lock-up and partial spin for Hamilton in T1.
"Are your tyres still in condition?" he is somewhat optimistically asked. "No," comes the reply.
Posting PBs in all three sectors, Maldonado goes sixth (12.783). Meanwhile, Vergne repeats Raikkonen's well-worn escape route after getting it wrong at T1.
An 11.559 sees Massa go quickest, ahead of Williams teammate Bottas (12.080).
Twenty minutes into the session all but Alonso and Ricciardo have posted times, whilst Rosberg and Hamilton - who have both returned to their garages - are 14th and 16th.
On his first flying lap Alonso goes fifth with a 12.603 as teammate Raikkonen posts 11.946 to go second and split the Williams pair. The Finn clearly much happier with the F14T this weekend.
Despite being quickest by 0.387s, Masa complains of a lack of power.
On his first flying lap, Ricciardo posts 12.494 to go fifth. He subsequently improves to fourth with a 12.256.
Approaching half-time, Maldonado and Perez are the first to make the switch to the soft (option) rubber. Vergne and Grosjean follow suit.
Hard to believe but currently Rosberg and Hamilton are 17th and 18th, though we don't expect that to last for too long.
"I've got a vibration on my fright-front from a flat-spot," complains Rosberg.
"My biggest problem is losing the rear under braking," says Ricciardo.
On the options, Maldonado improves to fourth (12.069).
Rosberg, despite his bad vibration, improves to 9th with a 12.526.
With 23:00 remaining, it's: Massa, Bottas, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Button, Maldonado, Kvyat, Grosjean, Vergne and Rosberg.
Mercedes tweets that the team is "tweaking the balance" of Hamilton's car "more to his liking". The Briton is currently last, 3.078s off the pace.
Massa, still on primes, continues to go purple in the first sector. Vettel, also on primes, can only manage tenth overall (12.262).
Alonso is back on track, now on softs. Currently 12th on 12.603, he goes quickest overall with an 11.399. Elsewhere, Vettel runs wide in T4 as he seeks to improve on ninth.
With 15:00 remaining, Rosberg is back on track, now on the softer rubber. He is currently 12th on 12.526.
He's already up on Alonso at the first split, and 0.709s by the second. At the line he posts 10.446, 0.953s quicker than the Spaniard. Moments later Raikkonen goes second with an 11.316.
As Ricciardo posts 11.188, Hamilton heads down the pitlane on a set of softs. Meanwhile, Alonso is out of his car, his morning's work over.
Despite going quickest in S1, Rosberg fails to improve overall however, Hamilton subsequently goes second with a 10.560, 0.114s off the German's pace. The Briton is losing out in S2.
As Alonso reveals concern at his engine, Rosberg goes quickest in S1. However, he fails to improve overall.
No such problems for Bottas who posts 11.054 to go third, only to be demoted by his teammate's 10.875 moments later.
Button is the first of the McLaren duo to post a time of the options, the Briton going sixth with a 11.210. Again, Rosberg is quickest in S1.
Massa runs wide in T1 after losing front downforce behind a slow Lotus.
Magnussen, now on softs, posts 11.762 to go 9th.
Massa lifts his hand in frustration after losing time to Perez.
Now it's Hamilton who goes quickest in S1, but can he maintain the pace? However, in S2 it's clear he is struggling for grip and backs off.
The session ends with Rosberg quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Massa, Bottas, Ricciardo, Button, Raikkonen, Alonso, Magnussen and Kvyat.
Vettel is eleventh, ahead of Maldonado, Sutil, Grosjean, Vergne, Gutierrez, Hulkenberg and Perez.
All that remains to be seen is whether the rain holds off... which we very much doubt.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.