29/07/2017
NEWS STORY
The big story of the day, if not the weekend, is that after being taken unwell last night, towards the end of this morning's session Felipe Massa was still not quite right and has subsequently withdrawn from the remainder of the weekend. At the eleventh hour, Williams reserve driver, Paul di Resta, has been called up.
With no time in the 'real' car, only the simulator, to take over the FW40, just ahead of qualifying, on this one of the most testing tracks on the calendar is mighty impressive and full marks to the Scot, whose last GP outing was Brazil 2013, for stepping up to the plate.
Having dominated both of yesterday's sessions, Daniel Ricciardo suffered a hydraulics issue earlier, the Australian completing just 7 laps. On the other hand, teammate Max Verstappen, who struggled yesterday, was fourth quickest.
Valtteri Bottas was third quickest and teammate Lewis Hamilton fifth, on the first weekend since we don't know when that a Mercedes driver hasn't been quickest in a single practice session.
Yesterday, unlike his rivals, Hamilton was unable to improve on the supersofts, while this morning he made a number of uncharacteristic mistakes.
No such problems for Ferrari however, where Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen were on blistering form, the pair posting the fastest laps ever seen at this circuit.
Having been in the top ten in both of yesterday's session, McLaren was again impressive in FP3, Stoffel Vandoorne a mighty sixth and Fernando Alonso ninth.
Nico Hulkenberg was seventh, but the German has a 5-place grid penalty after his team changed his gearbox.
The nature of this tight, twisty track means the pole - or at least the front row - is important, consequently Mercedes will be hoping the Ferrari pair were on fumes earlier.
Ahead of Q1, the air temperature is 26 degrees C, while the track temperature is 55 degrees. It remains bright and sunny with no risk of rain.
While there were numerous red flags yesterday, this morning was trouble-free even when Ricciardo parked his car at the side of the track.
The lights go green and understandably di Resta is among the first out.
Bottas posts the first time of the afternoon, but it's an exploratory 31.379. Moment later Hamilton posts 17.905 despite a minor mistake at the chicane.
No sooner has Vettel posted 17.676 than teammate Raikkonen bangs in a 17.382, even quicker than the Finn went this morning.
Kvyat goes fifth and Sainz sixth, with Perez posting 19.613 to go seventh.
Di Resta's opening lap is a 22.289.
Hamilton improves to 17.492, thereby splitting the Ferraris, while Palmer posts 18.914 to go fifth.
A 17.244 sees Vettel take the top spot as di Resta improves to 21.218 but remains 14th (of 14).
With 10 minutes remaining the Red Bulls are on track. Ricciardo posts 17.924 to go fourth, while Verstappen subsequently leapfrogs him with a 17.887.
The McLaren duo continue to impress, Vandoorne goes seventh and Alonso ninth.
As Wehrlein posts 20.233 to go 17th, teammate Ericsson goes 18th with a 20.233.
Di Resta is currently 19th (21.075).
Going quickest in S3, Verstappen improves to second with a 17.266, just 0.022s shy of Vettel. Huge applause from his many fans in the stands.
With less than 4 minutes remaining, the drop zone comprises Grosjean, Ericsson, Wehrlein, di Resta and Magnussen.
That said, Grosjean improves to 12th with a 19.100. Moments later, teammate Magnussen goes 15th with a 19.175.
Perez improves slightly, which pushes Stroll into the drop zone along with fellow Williams driver di Resta.
Stroll improves but remain in the drop zone, while di Resta takes a bumpy ride over the kerbs.
Alonso leapfrogs his teammate with a 18.395 to go 8th.
Out come the yellows as Kvyat runs wide at T4 which is bad news for Perez who was on a fast lap.
Di Resta improves to 19th with a 19.868.
Quickest is Vettel, ahead of Verstappen, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Vandoorne and Palmer.
We lose Magnussen, Stroll, Wehrlein, di Resta and Ericsson.
Worth noting that Magnussen posted exactly the same time as Perez (19.095) but the Mexican did it first.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Hungary, here.
The Mercedes duo get Q2 underway, followed by Vettel.
"There's a bit of a vibration in these tyres," warns Hamilton of his supersofts.
Vettel is quickest in S1, maintaining the pace in S2. Bottas posts 17.362, Hamilton goes quicker with a 17.194 but Vettel responds with a 16.802.
Raikkonen splits the Mercedes duo with a 17.207.
Ricciardo goes fifth, ahead of Ocon, Grosjean and Perez.
A 17.028 sees Verstappen go second, as replay shows a mistake from Hamilton in T4 on his hot lap, which makes his time all the more impressive.
No sooner has Vandoorne claimed 7th than he is demoted by his McLaren teammate who posts 17.919.
Hulkenberg posts 17.655 to go sixth, teammate Palmer currently 15th. The Briton posts 18.665 to go 11th, but remains in the drop zone.
With less than five minutes remaining, Palmer, Sainz, Kvyat, Grosjean and Perez comprise the drop zone, with Ocon, Vandoorne and Alonso hovering.
While one can understand fifth placed Bottas going out again, third-placed Hamilton heading out appears a bit odd. Then again, if his original set of tyres had a vibration, he might want to improve on a better set.
Hamilton posts a PB in S1, while Bottas locks-up in T1.
In S2 Hamilton goes quickest, crossing the line at 16.693, once again raising the bar.
Bottas fails to improve.
Grosjean can only manage 13th, while Vandoorne remains ninth.
Ocon fails to improve as all eyes turn to teammate Perez and Palmer.
The Briton goes 11th but it isn't enough, while Perez can only manage 14th.
Hamilton is quickest, ahead of Vettel, Verstappen, Raikkonen, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Alonso, Vandoorne and Sainz.
We lose Palmer, Ocon, Kvyat, Perez and Grosjean.
Bottas gets Q3 underway, followed by Germans Hulkenberg, Vettel and then Hamilton. The Briton is unhappy with the balance of his car.
Bottas posts 16.631 but Vettel responds with a 16.276 and Hulkenberg 17.468.
As Raikkonen goes third (16.878), Hamilton backs off and subsequently pits.
A 16.876 sees Ricciardo go third, demoting Raikkonen to fourth, ahead of Hulkenberg, Alonso and Vandoorne.
A 16.797 sees Verstappen go third, albeit 0.521s off that mega lap of Vettel's.
As the clock ticks down to 4:00, all but Hamilton and Sainz have posted a time, the Spaniard relying on a single run.
Interestingly, Hamilton is first out.... Followed by Hulkenberg.
"Big vibration on the tyres," warns Hamilton... again.
His first sector sees him well off the pace but he improves in S2. At the line he posts 16.693 to go third.
Vettel goes quickest in S1, as Bottas fails to improve on second.
As Vettel goes quickest in S2, Raikkonen is quickest in S1.
At the line Vettel fails to improve following a poor final sector but Raikkonen makes it an all red front row with a 16.444.
Vettel takes pole, ahead of Raikkonen, Bottas, Hamilton, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Vandoorne and Sainz. Though The Hulk's penalty promotes the McLarens to seventh and eighth.
Palmer is eleventh, ahead of Ocon, Kvyat, Perez, Grosjean, Magnussen, Stroll, Wehrlein, di Resta and Ericsson.
Told he has pole, Verstappen is surprised, "I lost the front in the final corner," he laughs.
Despite a poor Friday, especially the opening session, Ferrari has picked up where it left off this morning, and by the sound of Hamilton during his Q2 and Q3 runs the Briton will have his work cut out tomorrow.
Silverstone must feel like light years away.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Hungary, here.