20/07/2012
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second free practice session the air temperature is 17 degrees while the track temperature is 16 degrees.
It is raining. However, unlike this morning's intermittent light rain, this appears far more settled… and heavier.
Jenson Button topped the timesheets earlier however, the McLaren driver posted his time at the very start of the session before the weather began changing. Nonetheless, McLaren, following disappointing outings at Valencia and Silverstone, will be buoyed to have Lewis Hamilton finish second, the Woking outfit having introduced a raft of updates here.
Fernando Alonso was third quickest as Ferrari continues to improve, ahead of Schumacher, Perez and Hulkenberg.
Main focus of attention this morning, other than the weather, was the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen, the Finn running an aero update about which the Enstone outfit is saying very little and working abnormally hard to shield from prying eyes.
"An aerodynamic prototype was tested on Kimi's car," Lotus press officer Andy Stobart told Mat Coch. "It's a proof of concept only and unlikely to be raced." The consensus in the paddock is that it's a double DRS device based on the concept of that used by Mercedes.
The Williams crew has been kept busy during the break, having to replace pretty much everything at the rear of the car following Bottas' off this morning.
The lights go green but nobody is moving, Race Control that conditions will remain like this for "one hour at least".
Six minutes into the session, Senna comes out for an installation lap. The rooster tail and his tippy-toe approach confirming the treacherousness of the conditions.
Although there's no sign of the rain abating, seventeen minutes into the session, Vergne, Pic and Rosberg head down the pitlane to dip a tow in the water… literally. Rosberg is warned that there are several places, particularly Turns 8 and 10, where there are small rivers running across the track.
Despite a little moment, Vergne posts a 43.330, the first time of the afternoon. Moments later, Rosberg posts 43.222.
There are cheers and waves of appreciation when Vettel heads out of the Red Bull garage, Michael Schumacher the only home driver not currently on track.
The rain ease off slightly, and as Webber, Kobayashi and Schumacher get to work, Race Control reveals that another heavy shower is expected in twenty minutes.
Rosberg improves with a 39.021 as Webber goes third (39.721) ahead of Vettel, Schumacher and Ricciardo. Vergne makes full use of the run-off at Turn 1.
As Rosberg heads back to the pits, with 1:01.12 on the clock, all but the McLarens, Ferrari and de la Rosa have been out.
As di Resta runs wide in the final corner, Schumacher goes quickest in S1. The old 'rain master' maintains a strong pace in the second sector crossing the line at 38.194 to displace Vettel who had just posted 38.243.
The McLaren duo finally leave the pits, however, no sign of de la Rosa or the Ferraris.
As Perez has a big wobble and runs wide, Kobayashi goes quickest in S2 but remains ninth overall.
Button's first flying lap sees the Englishman go sixteenth (40.896) as Vergne posts 38.051 to take the top spot.
Rosberg is the first driver to make the switch to inters, the German currently seventh (39.021). Elsewhere, Hamilton posts 41.841 to go twentieth.
On his first flying lap Alonso, on inters, goes quickest, the Spaniard throwing down the gauntlet with a 37.395. Hamilton improves to thirteenth (39.350).
As Rosberg goes quickest (37.285) his rivals realise that now might be the time to follow his example and switch from full wets to inters.
Webber switches to inters also as Hamilton (wets) goes quickest in S2, ultimately crossing the line at 37.646 to go fourth.
Rosberg and Alonso trade fastest sector times, the Spaniard's 36.389 soon eclipsed by the German's 35.833.
The rain having stopped, there are places where a dry line is emerging, while others remain very wet. Nobody likely to switch to drys anytime soon.
A 34.576 sees Massa go quickest, the Brazilian's apparent revival continues. That said, Rosberg subsequently posts a 33.824 while di Resta is also on a hot lap.
Perez go quickest and Schumacher third but both are almost instantly demoted as Ricciardo goes quickest and then Grosjean. As the times tumble, clearly the inters are the way to go.
At 39:55, de la Rosa has yet to make an appearance, HRT revealing that he has suffered a brake issue.
Massa retakes the top spot with a 29.719, ahead of Vettel, Button and Grosjean, as Webber is told that further rain is expected in five minutes.
A 29.778 sees Raikkonen go second, the Finn, and his car, still the subject of intense speculation in terms of the aero update at the rear of the car.
The times continue to tumble the timing screen a jumble of greens, yellows, whites and purples. No sooner has Vettel posted 27.902 than Maldonado tops it with a 27.476.
Although nobody has yet made the switch to dry rubber, Race Control enables DRS.
Outside the Red Bull garage the crew fits a set of slicks on Vettel's car… but it's a tyre practice. Indeed, as the car is wheeled back into its garage the rain begins to fall.
In moments, as the rain increases in intensity, all the drivers head back to the pits.
Hamilton and Schumacher eventually come out again, joined by Raikkonen and Senna, however, the Englishman is soon caught out by the conditions and goes straight on at Turn 6. Moments later Senna also has a nasty wobble… Frank Williams looking on intently.
Surprisingly, most drivers stick with inters, the Sauber drivers being the exception, both switch to full wets.
Better late than never, de la Rosa is finally on track, his team seemingly having resolved his brake issue.
Ricciardo goes off at Turn 13, he skates across the gravel and becomes embedded. On the pit-wall there is obvious disappointment.
With over seven minutes remaining, a number of drivers are already out of their cars having given up… amongst them Hamilton, while in the Lotus garage Grosjean appears to have a problem with his car.
Schumacher goes off a Turn 12, the session subsequently being red-flagged. The German is fine but the same cannot be said of his car.
Replay shows him losing the car on entry into the stadium, his car spearing to the right and into the barriers.
The session ends with no further running, Maldonado quickest, ahead of Rosberg, Vettel, Perez, Grosjean, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Button, Webber and Raikkonen.
Vergne is eleventh, ahead of Massa, Kobayashi, Pic, Glock, Senna, Kovalainen, di Resta, Hamilton, Alonso, Petrov, Karthikeyan, Schumacher and de la Rosa.
Check out our Friday gallery, here.