01/09/2023
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second session the air temperature is 26 degrees C, while the track temperature is 36 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.
In terms of updates, Red Bull has a new Front Wing and Rear Wing, with the same for Ferrari. Mercedes has a new rear wing, and Alpine a Beam Wing, while McLaren brings a new Front Wing, Front Corner, Rear Wing, Rear Wing Endplate and Rear Corner.
Alfa Romeo has a new Rear Wing Circuit and Front Corner, while Aston Martin has a new Rear Wing and AlphaTauri a new Front Wing, Beam Wing, Rear Corner and Rear View Mirrors. Williams has a new Front Wing, while Haas has nothing.
Once again we are seeing the use of the Alternative Tyre Allocation (ATA), which sees each driver with just 11 sets of slicks (three hard, four medium and four soft) at their disposal for the whole weekend. In qualifying, drivers can use only one type of compound per session (unless it's wet): in Q1 the hard, in Q2 the medium, and in Q3 the soft.
As a result, this morning we didn't see as much running as usual, though there was more than in Hungary. Most of the big guns only used the hard tyre so it was difficult to get any meaningful idea of the true pecking order... though Verstappen appears to have it all in hand.
A number of drivers went wide at Ascari, and several drivers were unhappy with balance, particularly at the rear of the car. Alfa Romeo suffered a number of issues but eventually appeared to resolve them.
The lights go green and Stroll leads the way, the Canadian having his car over to Felipe Drugovich earlier. Behind the Aston Martin is Bottas, who is followed by Zhou, Hulkenberg, Sargeant and Verstappen.
As more drivers emerge, most are on mediums, though one or two are on hards and Sargeant is on softs.
"Big problem, completely lost power," reports Stroll as he park just after Ascari.
The session is red-flagged, as replays suggest a hydraulics issue.
Ahead of the stoppage, Zhou had posted a 24.755 and Bottas a 31.652.
As marshals descend on the stricken car, Stroll is told to keep them away as the teams hopes to restart the car.
He is subsequently told to turn off the car and get out.
The session resumes with 50 minutes remaining, Sainz leads the way, followed by Russell, Verstappen, Sargeant and Tsunoda.
Soon all bar Piastri, Alonso (and Stroll) are on track.
Lawson is told that there is a "very long train" behind him, but that he is to focus on his own job.
Verstappen (mediums) crosses the line at 22.259, ahead of Sainz, Russell, Sargeant and Ocon.
Albon (softs) goes second with a 22.318.
Perez goes third, ahead of Leclerc, Sainz, Russell and Hamilton.
Caught up behind a slow Hamilton at the second chicane, Piastri has to take avoiding action.
We're only just into FP2 but already we're witnessing huge traffic jams at the entrance to the Parabolica - now renamed in honour of the late Michele Alboreto.
Verstappen improves to 22.244, as Alonso remains the only driver yet to post a time.
At which point the Spaniard goes eighth with a 23.031 on the softs.
A 21.565 sees Sainz go top, while teammate Leclerc goes second with a 21.838.
Ocon is told that some cars have improved on their second hot lap, but not all.
Currently eighth, Sargeant switches from the softs to mediums, as Alonso goes third (22.071) on the red-banded rubber.
Hamilton is told he is leading out to his teammate in Turns 2 and 10. The Briton is amazed to discover he is essentially losing two-tenths on the straights and asks permission to pit. "That would wipe out most of our programme," he is told.
"They tried a different wing ratio, and the straight line delta is a bit affected," explains Mercedes comms director, Bradley Lord.
The Ferrari pair switch to softs, as does Perez.
Leclerc posts a 21.716, while teammate Sainz stops the clock at 21.565.
Moments later however Perez responds with a 21.540, courtesy of a two from his Red Bull teammate.
"Had a rear locking into 4," reports Sainz.
PBs in the first two sectors are followed by a purple as Verstappen posts a 21.631 to go third.
"The middle sector was shocking with the traffic," says Verstappen.
Norris and Piastri are trading fastest sector times. The Australian goes third (21.545), while his teammate's 21.374 momentarily put him quickest until Sainz posts a 21.355.
With 20 minutes remaining and the hot laps done, Sainz is quickest, ahead of Norris, Perez, Piastri, Verstappen, Leclerc, Albon, Alonso, Russell and Hulkenberg.
Hamilton (currently 17th) has yet to try the softs however.
While some have switched back to mediums others are on hards, though Alonso persists with the softs.
The Haas pair, switch to hards. They are currently tenth (Hulkenberg) and eleventh.
Oh dear, Perez has gone off at the exit of the Parabolica.
As the session is red-flagged, replay shows him lose the rear of the car and head off over the gravel long before the actual exit of the Parabolica.
On the pit-wall, Christian Horner winces, aware that the underside of the car will have incurred a lot of damage.
The fact that his helmet is firmly in place suggests that Perez is fully aware that he 'messed up'.
The session resumes with just 4 minutes remaining. Understandably, there is a queue of anxious drivers at the end of the pitlane.
Albon is told there is time for two timed laps before the flag.
Verstappen will not be popular with Tsunoda, the Dutchman overtaking the Japanese and then immediately backing off.
Norris misses the second part of the first chicane.
"Did you learn anything," Verstappen is asked. "No, not really," he replies.
The session ends. Sainz is quickest, ahead of Norris, Perez, Piastri, Verstappen, Leclerc, Albon, Alonso, Russell and Hulkenberg.
Magnussen is eleventh, ahead of Bottas, Gasly, Tsunoda, Ocon, Sargeant, Hamilton, Lawson, Zhou and Stroll.