09/07/2010
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's opening free practice session, the air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 27 degrees. With temperatures to exceed 30 degrees at some points this weekend, the government is already warning its citizens to be careful and try to stay cool.
Well, as the 2010 season reaches the half-way mark, one might be forgiven for thinking that it is not the drivers but certain driver who need to stay cool this weekend and for much of the summer thereafter.
With the situation at Red Bull already thought to be 'tetchy', there have been claims this week from both Damon Hill and Mark Webber that it is the situation at McLaren that we should be watching. However, other than no visible signs of trouble brewing between Button and Hamilton, the mighty McLaren PR machine assures us that all is hunky dory. Nonetheless, that didn't prevent yesterday's FIA press conference from descending into farce as Fleet Street's finest insisted on trying to create a story where the teams and driver clearly insist there isn't one.
Elsewhere, Robert Kubica has signed a new two year deal with Renault, Fernando Alonso claims to have put Valencia behind him - even to the point of texting Lewis Hamilton - and the Mercedes duo grow ever more despondent as their team loses ground and credibility.
Other than a major upgrade to the circuit, this weekend sees a number of teams running upgrades also, with McLaren leading the way. With the Woking team due to run its blown diffuser in today's sessions, the team has said that it will allow its drivers to decide whether to persevere with it for the remainder of the weekend.
After the tight confines and sterility of Valencia it is a pleasure to see F1 back at a real circuit, which although somewhat emasculated over the years and lacking in terms of infrastructure - certainly as far as the public is concerned - allows the cars to stretch their legs in front of a passionate crowd.
The big story is that Bruno Senna has been dropped by Hispania for this weekend, his place to be taken by (test driver) Sakon Yamamoto. That said, while Colin Kolles has confirmed the story the team has yet to issue an official statement even as the opening session gets underway.
Talking of test drivers, Fairuz Fauzy replaces Jarno Trulli in this session while Paul di Resta is in Tonio Liuzzi's Force India.
Tyre options this weekend are hard (prime) and soft (option).
De Resta is first out, followed by Chandhok, Kovalainen, Alguersuari, Buemi, Hulkenberg and Yamamoto. To the delight of the partisan crowd, Button is among the first out.
As Button returns to the pits, teammate Hamilton and Fernando Alonso head down the pitlane.
Ten minutes into the session there is nobody on track with all but Fauzy and Glock having completed at least one installation lap.
Fourteen minutes into the session, di Grassi break the deadlock, the Virgin giving the thousands of fans something to actually look at.
As di Grassi head back to the pits, Jenson Button heads down the pitlane performing a practice start when he reaches the green light.
At the end of his installation lap Button puts his foot down as he looks set to post the first time of the day. The world champion crosses the line at 1:37.994, the first timed lap by an F1 car on this revised track. While he fails to improve on his next lap, on his third timed lap he posts 35.580.
Webber goes second with a 35.958 and Yamamoto third (46.640), as Bernie Ecclestone patrols the pitlane like a headmaster.
Webber improves with a 34.681, the Red Bull looking as though its on rails through Maggots and Becketts.
On his first flying lap, Michael Schumacher spins at Village, part of the new complex, however, the German is able to continue. Moments later, Hamilton has a little wobble in the same corner.
A 35.586 sees Hamilton go third, ahead of di Resta, Alguersuari, Buemi and Hulkenberg. Next time around, Schumacher improves to fourth with a 35.663.
Hulkenberg posts 35.118 to go second and di Resta (35.339) third, the Scot watched by his manager Anthony Hamilton. Meanwhile, Mr Hamilton's son runs wide at Abbey.
Rosberg goes second with a 34.205 as Barrichello gets it wrong in the Maggots/Becketts combination.
As Alonso begins his first flying lap, Rosberg posts 33.622 to go quickest. Massa and Kubica are also on track, the Pole posting 36.121 to go twelfth before improving to third with a 34.297.
Next time around, having gone quickest in the final sector, Kubica goes second with a 33.809, ahead of Webber, Hulkenberg and Barrichello. Alonso can only manage ninth (35.579) and Massa thirteenth (35.711).
A lot of driver struggling here, what with the dust, the bumps and the difference in track surface on various parts of the track.
From out of nowhere, Vettel produces a 33.370 to go quickest leaving Kovalainen, di Grassi, Sutil, Fauzy and Glock as the only drivers yet to post a time. Next time around however, Kubica leapfrogs the German with a 32.762 only to lose out when the Red Bull crosses the line at 32.705.
Vettel continues to apply the pressure, posting a 32.280, as Alonso improves to seventh with a 34.490.
With thirty minutes remaining, it's: Vettel, Kubica, Sutil, Rosberg, Webber, Barrichello, Petrov, Hulkenberg, Alonso and Kobayashi. McLaren, having admitted that today is an out-and-out test session, are twelfth (Button) and sixteenth (Hamilton).
A problems for di Grassi who crawls down the pitlane, blocking the path of Button, as the Brazilian remains one of three drivers still to post a time.
While Massa was not running with the F-duct, teammate Alonso was. However, with twenty five minutes remaining the team opt to remove it from the Spaniard's car. Very odd.
Webber makes it a Red Bull 1-2, the Australian crossing the line at 32.747, 0.467s off his teammate's best. Next time around Webber goes quickest in the first sector but loses a heap of time in the second. Elsewhere, Hamilton gets it all wrong at Abbey (again) making full use of the generous run off. The track now goes right at Abbey, whereas it always went left, the bump where the two track surfaces meet is clearly causing problems. Next time around the Englishman improves to fourth with a 32.929.
Hamilton splits the Red Bulls with a 32.614 the McLaren driver serving notice that the Woking team is up for a fight this weekend. Shortly after, Button improves to eighth with a 33.904.
Di Resta is advised that he is not making best use of his F-duct - or switch-duct as Force India call it.
As the session enters the final ten minutes there is still no sign of the option tyre. Most drivers are on longer runs and not looking for major improvements.
With three minutes remaining, all but Kobayashi are on track. Fauzy pulls off track in the new complex having obviously suffered a problem.
Vettel goes quickest in the second sector, as Schumacher gesticulates at his Williams teammate.
The session ends with Vettel quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Kubica, Webber, Sutil, Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Button, Schumacher and Barrichello.
Buemi is eleventh, ahead of Petrov, Alonso, di Resta, Kobayashi, de la Rosa, Massa, Alguersuari, Kovalainen, Glock, di Grassi, Chandhok, Fauzy and Yamamoto.