22/11/2014
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole free practice session the air temperature is 27 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 45 degrees.
Lewis Hamilton was quickest in both of yesterday's sessions, though teammate, and title rival, Nico Rosberg was right with him. Then again, the Briton doesn't need to win on Sunday - no matter how much he might want to - should the German win Hamilton only needs to finish second.
A day of mixed fortunes for McLaren saw Kevin Magnussen finish third, whilst teammate Jenson Button, who ended the day 8th, spent much of his time in the garage due to suspension and hydraulics issues.
The Red Bulls were up there, Sebastian Vettel keen to end on a high, whilst an electrical problem meant that Fernando Alonso didn't get any real running in FP2 having only completed 2 laps.
A bodywork issue side-lined Williams for most of FP1 whilst in FP2 the Grove team, as ever, didn't really show its hand. Many believe that a strong showing by Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas today and tomorrow is Rosberg's best hope of a title upset.
The performance gap between the two compounds (soft and supersoft) is around 1.2 seconds, but this is likely to come down to about a second as the track rubbers in and evolves.
Wear and degradation is low on the soft tyre, which Pirelli expects to be the main race tyre.
Remember, this session, like FP1 yesterday, is held at a time of day when it is much warmer than it will be for qualifying and the race.
The lights go green and Bottas heads out of his garage to get things underway. He is followed by Maldonado, Raikkonen and Grosjean. The Frenchman faces a twenty-place grid penalty after changing four (yes four!!!) elements of his power unit.
Rosberg is amongst the early risers, as is Alonso, who is keen to make up for FP2.
Indeed, while most head back to the pits after a quick installation lap, the Spaniard stays out to post the first time of the day (1:44.581).
After a slow lap, as Alonso seeks to improve, Kobayashi goes second (46.945), ahead of Stevens and Gutierrez. As it happens, Alonso does not improve.
Sutil, one of many drivers here yet to secure a seat for 2015, posts 46.170 to go second.
Another driver possibly facing the prospect of his F1 career, Button, posts 44.972 to go second, 0.380s off the Spaniard's pace.
Minor offs for Rosberg (8), Stevens (11) and Kobayashi (9).
Kvyat and Vergne go second and third, but moments later both are demoted when Vettel posts 44.547 to go quickest.
Having gone quickest in S2, Button maintains strong pace in S3 to go quickest (44.518).
In the Mercedes garage the mechanics are checking the underneath of Rosberg's car following his off. Meanwhile, as yesterday, Vettel complains of an issue with downshifting.
As the cameras pick up on Max Chilton chatting in the paddock, Alonso, already on options, goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 42.653.
Twenty minutes into the session, all but Bottas, Raikkonen, Massa, Rosberg, Magnussen and Hamilton have posted times.
Talking to Sky Sports, Chilton reveals that Marussia has been kept "in the dark" as to how it stands in terms of prize money. Now there's a surprise.
Bottas, Massa and Raikkonen come out to play.
Bottas goes straight to second with a 44.261, only to be eclipsed by his teammate who stops the clock at 43.945.
As Raikkonen begins his flying lap, the Mercedes duo, and Magnussen, head out.
Ferrari reports that Alonso's session is over, the team revealing that it is now changing his engine (without penalty) ahead of qualifying. Hence the early run on options. Meanwhile, Raikkonen really struggling with his Ferrari.
Rosberg goes fourth (44.232) with teammate Hamilton going third (43.435) moments later. A particularly scrappy lap from the German who hits the kerbs at T17.
Massa splits the Mercedes duo with a 43.945 as Raikkonen runs wide in T20.
Going quickest in the first and final sectors, Rosberg breaks the timing beam at 42.635. Hamilton can only manage 42.763.
Were there any doubt about Alonso coming out again, the cameras reveal the Spaniard sitting at the back of his garage in a T-shirt watching as his crew remove his engine.
Just after half-time, it's: Rosberg, Alonso, Hamilton, Bottas, Massa, Vettel, Button, Raikkonen, Kvyat and Ricciardo.
Having traced an aero fault, Force India was looking to improve here... thus far it doesn't appear to have worked.
Big lock up for Grosjean at T9, just moments after a similar error from Kvyat.
With 15:10 remaining, all 20 drivers are in their garages.
The clock counts down and with temperatures still nowhere near what they will be in qualifying (or the race) nobody is eager to head out just yet.
Finally, with 11:02 on the clock, Massa heads down the pitlane, followed by his teammate. The Brazilian is on three timed laps.
As Massa completes his (quite slow) out lap, more and more drivers pour on to the track.
The Brazilian posts 42.429 while Bottas can only manage 42.794. Moments later Rosberg goes quickest with a 41.424 with teammate Hamilton posting 41.888 moments later after a very scrappy lap.
Raikkonen improves to sixth (43.038) but is instantly demoted by Button (42.768).
Vettel goes fifth with a 42.679, but fails to improve on Alonso's time set at the start of the session.
Hamilton goes quickest in S1 and again in S2, finally crossing the line at 41.793 - still second - after a poor final sector.
Rosberg goes quickest in S2 but ultimately fails to improve. Nonetheless, he remains quickest.
After a brief off at T11, Perez is cruising very slowly.
Hamilton goes quickest in S1 and follows up with a PB in S2 before easing off, the Briton heading to the grid to perform a practice start... from pole position.
Rosberg is quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Massa, Alonso, Vettel, Button, Ricciardo, Bottas, Kvyat and Raikkonen.
Magnussen is eleventh, ahead of Vergne, Perez, Hulkenberg, Gutierrez, Maldonado, Grosjean, Sutil, Kobayashi and Stevens.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.