21/09/2024
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole practice session, the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 38 degrees.
On the evidence thus far, there appears to be little to choose between McLaren and Ferrari, though the Woking team's decision to monitor its rear wing may have an effect - rivals certainly hope so.
On the other hand, it appears that Verstappen was second slowest in the final sector, leaving the Dutchman very unhappy. At Mercedes, Hamilton was equally compromised, the seven-time champ critical of Pirelli's tyres.
"We've tried everything set-up wise and nothing seems to work," said Hamilton at the end of FP2. Which doesn't bode well for today if true.
Overnight rain won't have helped the situation having washed away the rubber laid down yesterday.
As was the case with FP1, due to the time of day and the conditions, this session is pretty unrepresentative though it might afford the likes of Red Bull and Mercedes to make some improvements especially in terms of dealing with the numerous bumps.
While Red Bull struggled, its 'sister' team had both drivers in the top six, offering hope that Ricciardo might have the opportunity of a last ditch effort to save his F1 career.
The lights go green but there is no immediate rush to action. Eventually, Alonso leads his teammate out into the fading sunshine. Both are on mediums.
As ever, the Silverstone-based outfit is scrubbing its tyres and at the end of the lap both drivers pit and switch to hards.
Warned about a nosey lizard that is walking across the track, Alonso confirms that it is in the middle of the track.
The session is red-flagged in order that the lizard can be safely removed.
A couple of marshals chase the lizard down the track and once it has been caught the session resumes with 48 minutes remaining.
Bottas is first out, followed by Gasly, Ocon and the Aston Martins and Ferraris. While the majority are on mediums the Stakes are on softs.
Bottas posts the first time of the day (34.504), but this is soon beaten by Alonso who crosses the line at 33.306.
Leclerc goes second and teammate Sainz third, but both are demoted when Tsunoda stops the clock at 33.651 and Piastri at 32.957.
"Very bad instability on turn in," reports Ocon as Russell goes second and Hamilton third.
"It feels better than yesterday," reports Piastri as Verstappen goes quickest with a 32.044.
Norris responds with a 32.296 to go second as Hulkenberg goes third with a 32.635.
Perez goes second with a 32.180 as Piastri improves to 32.181 and Russell 32.249.
Verstappen consolidates his top spot with a 31.630. Early days, but has Red Bull rediscovered its mojo?
"Wow! That was very, close," says Gasly after tripping up over an errant Mercedes.
Russell calls for a change of gloves after improving to second with a 31.816.
Currently eleventh, Colapinto switch to softs, as his teammate appears to clip the barrier and subsequently pits with a suspected puncture.
Norris improves to within 0.018s of pace-setter Verstappen but is demoted when Leclerc bangs in a 31.525.
A 'slow' middle sector means Verstappen fails to improve, despite being quickest in the other two sectors.
Hamilton improves to fourth with a 31.720 as his teammate heads down the escape road at Turn 14.
A 32.254 sees Magnussen go tenth.
On the softs Colapinto improves to sixth, 0.294s off the pace.
Sainz goes second with a 31.623 as Russell and Albon switch to the red-banded rubber. Piastri and Hamilton follow suit.
Quickest in all three sectors, Russell goes quickest with a 30.125, 1.4s up on Leclerc.
Quickest in the final sector, Piastri goes second with a 30.431 as Hamilton goes third ahead of Albon.
"The top four are too far ahead," Laurent Mekies tells Sky Sports, "but we will be fighting for the last two slots in the top 10 with Williams.
"Look at the tyre usage," he adds, "most have kept five sets of softs for qualifying as you want to start near the front and have clean air."
Very hairy moments for Piastri and Albon, the Australian having a big, big slide while the Thai driver was impeded by a Ferrari.
PBs in the opening two sectors and again in the third means Verstappen can only manage third (30.540), 0.415s off the pace.
As Colapinto goes fifth (30.989), Norris goes quickest in the opening two sectors. He crosses the line at 29.646, 0.479s up on Russell and 0.785s up on his own teammate.
Alonso goes seventh and Tsunoda eighth, while Stroll can only manage twelfth.
Now come the Ferrari for their first flyer, Sainz leading the way.
PBs in the opening sectors for Sainz, while Leclerc appears to abort after a poor first sector compromised by a brief yellow. Sainz crosses the line at 30.807 to go fifth.
"I went straight off, otherwise I'm OK," reports Russell after going off at Turn 7 as Leclerc begins another flying lap.
Hulkenberg goes eleventh as Albon improves to seventh.
Magnussen goes twelfth.
Ocon can only manage sixteenth, while Leclerc improves to fifth, 0.913s off the pace, demoting Hamilton to seventh.
Leclerc is really unhappy. "Let's focus on driver instead of scrubbing or whatever. The feeling is ****, we are very slow." He subsequently pits. Clearly Ferrari has gone thw wrong way overnight.
Elsewhere, Perez can only mange 15th, 1.7s off the pace.
In ninth, just 0.040s off his teammate's pace, Colapinto continues to impress.
"We opted to do our soft tyre running earlier than the rest of the field so the track will have ramped up since we set our best laps," explains Mercedes.
The session ends. Norris is quickest, ahead of Russell, Piastri, Verstappen, Leclerc, Sainz, Hamilton, Albon, Colapinto and Alonso
Tsunoda is eleventh, ahead of Hulkenberg, Magnussen, Gasly, Perez, Ocon, Ricciardo, Stroll, Bottas and Zhou.
Well, like the song says, what a difference a day makes. In just 24 hours, Ferrari appears to have gone totally the wrong way, while Mercedes and, to a lesser extent, Red Bull, have taken a step forward.
RB has slipped just a little, while Williams has improved and Stake remains the low point.
All of which suggests a tantalising qualifying session.