28/04/2017
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second practice session, the air temperature is 22 degrees C, while the track temperature is 39 degrees.
Kimi Raikkonen was the pace-setter in FP1, finishing ahead of the Mercedes duo. Indeed, not only did the Finn out-pace his Ferrari teammate, so too Valtteri Bottas was the quicker of the Mercedes drivers.
It's fair to say that most drivers struggled for grip with even the best caught out, Sebastian Vettel spinning and Lewis Hamilton running wide.
At Force India, Esteban Ocon struggled to keep his engine cover on the car, the unit flying off and causing the session to be red flagged.
Sergey Sirotkin was on duty for Renault, replacing Nico Hulkenberg, however, the Russian stopped on track after just two laps failing to post a time.
This morning was all about the softs and supersofts, which means that over the next ninety minutes we'll get to see the ultrasofts for the second time this year.
Five minutes before the start of the session, Honda tweets: "Final car prep for Alonso before the FP2 green light. A delay for Vandoorne but setup laps planned."
The Belgian is facing a 15-place grid penalty after Honda opted to change his engine following an MGU-K issue earlier.
The lights go green and Magnussen and Hulkenberg lead the way.
Halfway around, Magnussen complains of a long brake pedal, he is told to pit. Moments later Grosjean complains of the same issue, though his brake pedal is soft rather than long.
Haas used the Carbone Industrie brakes in FP1 and we're not entirely sure if they have switched back to Brembo since.
Hulkenberg gets proceedings underway with a 42.336, only to be demoted when Raikkonen posts a far more sensible 36.842 and Vettel a 36.524.
Aa Raikkonen improves to 35.980, Grosjean is apoplectic as he moans about his continuing brake problem.
"I completely lost it into Turn 3 and 4, completely!" he wails. "What the hell is going on?"
Out come the yellows as Kvyat spins at T13. "Something is is wrong," says the Russian, "with the rear definitely".
In the meantime Bottas has split the Ferraris with a 36.283.
Hamilton is only quickest in the final sector, nonetheless a 35.752 sees him go quickest.
Bottas goes wide at T2 and takes a trip over the new kerbs, the Mercedes not taking kindly to the experience.
No sooner has Alonso left the pits than teammate Vandoorne follows, great work by the McLaren crew.
Once again Hamilton is quickest in the final sector only, improving slightly to 35.710.
In sixth, Ricciardo is told "there is room for improvement" in turns 15 and 16.
Taking the advice, the Australian improves to third with a 36.224.
Twenty-three minutes into the session, Raikkonen is first to switch to the purple-banded ultrasofts.
"These conditions will be similar to qualifying and the race," says Pirelli, "so this is the most useful free practice session of the three."
Understandably, the Finn is quickest in the first two sectors and again in the third, crossing the line at 34.721, 0.989s quicker than Hamilton.
Vettel, also on the ultras, fails to improve, the German not even managing a PB in a single sector.
Next time around however he ups the pace, as does Raikkonen. The Finn posts 34.383 with Vettel posting 34.480 moments later.
Bottas is advised that Raikkonen's quickest time came on his third lap. At which point Vettel goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 34.120.
Palmer improves to ninth, the Renault driver gaining 2s with the purple rubber.
Bottas can only manage 35.313, the Finn posting PBs in all three sectors, 1.193s off Vettel's pace.
Behind the usual suspects, Hulkenberg is seventh, ahead of Perez, Ocon, Palmer, Verstappen and Sainz.
Check out our Friday gallery from Sochi, here.
Though happy with his tyres - a rarity surely - Hamilton is having difficulty finding some free track space. He eventually speeds up before aborting the lap. Elsewhere, Bottas has improved to 34.998 but remains 0.878s off the pace. It is S2 where he is losing out.
"Do you want to go for another lap but trying a different technique," Bottas is asked. He certainly does. He is further advised that the key is down to generating tyre temperature without sliding the car.
Hamilton goes third, 0.709s off the pace, only to be leapfrogged by his teammate (34.790) moments later. Both Mercedes drivers are losing out in the second sector.
In his determination to improve, as we have witnessed before, Hamilton's frustration gives way to sloppiness, the Briton almost collecting a Sauber as he gets a little too scrappy.
Alonso improves to 12th (36.875) on his first flying lap on the ultras.
Verstappen improves to fifth (35.540), but being 1.420s off the pace is not what the Dutchman wants to hear. Teammate Ricciardo posts 35.910 to go 6th.
Hamilton is back on track on the ultras, while Raikkonen switches back to the supers, both on their race sims.
"We're seeing the usual pattern in FP2: a mixture of race and qualifying simulations in representative conditions," confirms Pirelli.
Vettel reports a smell in his car and ask his team to check to see if there is anything wrong. He is subsequently told the smell is from Palmer's car.
Grosjean complains that his clutch is not working. Moments later he spins at T18 as if to prove the point.
Verstappen has stopped at the entrance to the pitlane. "I lost power, I lost power," he says before removing the steering wheel and climbing out of the Red Bull.
"I don't have any brakes," complains.... Well, take a guess.
Mercedes and Ferrari well matched on their long run pace.
Raikkonen is the latest in a long line of drivers to get it wrong at T2.
Vandoorne complains about his lack of pace. "Incredible, he sighs, "the Force India just passed me, it was so far behind..."
Grosjean isn't the only frustrated driver today, as he prepares to perform a practice start at the end of the pitlane, Raikkonen finds his way blocked by a marshal. "Move!" shouts the Iceman.
Vettel is quickest, ahead of Raikkonen, Bottas, Hamilton, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Massa, Hulkenberg, Magnussen and Perez.
Ocon is eleventh, ahead of Alonso, Palmer, Grosjean, Sainz, Vandoorne, Kvyat, Wehrlein, Stroll and Ericsson.
Interestingly, Stroll is the only driver who didn't try the ultrasofts.
In summary, Ferrari appears to have the edge, quickest overall and especially strong in the second sector. Mercedes, not only struggling for grip but also looking very scrappy.
Red Bull remains off the pace, while the suspected loss of fuel pressure for Verstappen won't help matters.
Then there's the midfield which appears to be a tight as ever, though Williams and Force India look strong, as ever.