14/11/2015
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 25 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 38 degrees. Contrary to the forecasts of thunderstorms, it is bright and sunny, though there is talk of rain later and again tomorrow. We shall see.
Sadly, not for the first time, F1 is put in perspective as the thoughts of the paddock lie across the Atlantic and the atrocities in Paris yesterday. Understandably, the mood is somewhat sombre today.
Nico Rosberg topped the timesheets yesterday, the German clearly buoyed by his victory in Mexico.
With teammate Lewis Hamilton second quickest the Mercedes was in a league of its own, the nearest opposition, Sebastian Vettel, almost a second behind.
Almost everyone was unhappy with grip - or the lack of it - as all had a moment at one point or another. However, the revised kerbing at some corners has also caused problems. Tyre degradation has also been an issue, the warmer temperatures today, certainly compared to yesterday afternoon, will not help.
Fernando Alonso missed much of FP2 following a power unit issue, the resultant red flag seeing Valtteri Bottas handed a three place grid penalty for overtaking Felipe Nasr under it.
Daniel Ricciardo has also picked up a grid place, though in his case it was for an unscheduled engine change, Red Bull finally switching the Australian to the updated Renault unit. The team has yet to decide if Daniil Kvyat will also use the new unit.
The lights go green and Stevens leads the way. The Ferrari duo are among the early risers.
Unsurprisingly, Stevens posts the first time of the day (20.353), teammate Rossi posting a far more impressive 18.873 moments later.
A 15.367 sees Nasr go top whilst teammate Ericsson can only manage 20.363. The Brazilian subsequently reports that the car pulls to the left under braking.
With Nasr having upped the ante with a 14.960, Perez goes second, the Mexican stopping the clock at 15.126.
Raikkonen posts 14.373 as Perez consolidates second ahead of Sainz, Nasr and Hulkenberg.
On his first flying lap, Verstappen goes second, the Dutchman posting 14.808.
It's a Ferrari 1-2 as Vettel posts 14.062, teammate Raikkonen also looking set to improve having gone quickest in S1.
As Rosberg heads down the pitlane, Rosberg and Kvyat remain the only drivers yet to appear.
Bottas goes third (14.535) as a mistake in S2 sees Raikkonen lose a heap of time, despite being quickest in the first and final sectors.
Hamilton has stopped on track but subsequently gets going again. "I've lost gears," he tells the team. He gets going again and makes his way back to the pits, albeit very slowly.
As his crew get to work on Hamilton's car, teammate Rosberg heads off to work.
Having posted a PB is S1, the German slows in an attempt to give himself some free space. Elsewhere, Hamilton is heading down the pitlane.
A big lock-up in T1 for Kvyat as Rosberg, on his second timed lap, goes quickest with a 13.753. "A big flat spot,2 admits Kvyat, "the lap won't be representative, sorry about that," he adds.
As Hamilton posts 13.647, to take the top spot, Rosberg goes quickest in S1.
A PB in S2 is followed by another 'purple' in S3, the German crossing the line at 13.324.
Down in 14th, Massa, a two-time winner here, is still clearly struggling, a combination of poor balance and the revised kerbing.
At half-time, with the option rubber yet to make an appearance, it's: Rosberg, Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Verstappen, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Grosjean and Maldonado.
A spin for Hamilton at T11 sees the Briton remain stationary for a few moments before he gets going again. Having been quickest in S1, replay shows him losing the rear as he applied the power. Elsewhere, Rosberg complains that his rear grip has dropped away "quite lot".
Ricciardo has completed the most laps (18) but remains 18th, 3.660s off the pace.
As Hamilton reports that he's unsure what happened, and is told that it looked like the "rear just spun up", one wonders if a gust of wind was involved.
With 20 minutes remaining Kvyat is first to switch to option, the Russian immediately improving to third with a 13.958. however, on his second flying lap he reports that he's losing rear grip, nonetheless he improves to 13.829.
With 15 minutes remaining, following a lull of around five minutes, Ricciardo heads down the pitlane on options, he has the track to himself. With that grid penalty he is sure to be looking ahead to race pace as opposed to qualifying.
A PB in S1 is followed by a purple in S2, at the line he posts 13.572 to go second. A good lap.
Nasr improves to seventh with a 14.288 as more and more drivers head out on the yellow banded tyres.
Hamilton goes quickest in all three sectors, the Briton crossing the line at 12.070. Hulkenberg posts 13.345 to go third.
Rosberg goes quickest in S1, only managing a PB in S2. At the line the German posts 12.193, closing to within 0.123s of his Mercedes teammate. Nonetheless, the pair are over a second clear of third-placed Hulkenberg.
A 13.096 sees Raikkonen go third as Maldonado posts 13.534 to go sixth.
Vettel posts 12.760 but remains 0.690s off Hamilton's pace.
A big lock-up for Grosjean as Bottas is told; "remember to drink". "I'm not thirsty," comes the reply.
A big lock-up for Button sees both the Briton's front tyres well and truly flat-spotted. "As you might have noticed, there's a lot of front locking," he complains.
Rosberg complains of an "engine torque delivery" problem at the start of the lap.
A late off for Grosjean sees the Frenchman fail to improve on an already impressive seventh.
Hamilton is quickest, ahead of Rosberg, Vettel, Raikkonen, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Perez, Maldonado and Verstappen.
Ricciardo is eleventh, ahead of Massa, Kvyat, Alonso, Sainz, Ericsson, Nasr, Button, Stevens and Rossi.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.