01/11/2013
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's opening session, the air temperature is 34 degrees C, while the track temperature is 45 degrees.
Tyres options this weekend are the same as used last week in India, medium (prime) and soft (option).
There are two DRS zones, the first on the straight that links T7 and T8 and the second between T10 and T11.
The big news is that Kimi Raikkonen is here. The Finn was notable by his absence yesterday, many wondering whether he had finally quit the team over the fact that he still hasn't been paid and also the little radio spat during last weekend's race.
The other story dominating proceedings this weekend is the 'will he, wont he' saga of Ross Brawn's future at Mercedes... or lack of it.
James Calado takes over Adrian Sutil's car for this session, Heikki Kovalainen is in Giedo Van der Garde's Caterham while Rodolfo Gonzalez is in Max Chilton's Marussia.
The lights go green and Gutierrez leads the way, the nature of the Yas Marina circuit, with its demand for strong traction out of corners, should suit Sauber more than most this weekend.
As the Mexican takes a pounding from the kerbs at the chicane, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Bianchi, Ricciardo, Vergne and Maldonado get to work.
Within the first five minutes all but Webber have been out for an exploratory lap.
Despite have wrapped up both titles last weekend Red Bull is still pushing all the way, the rear of Vettel's car smothered in flo-vis.
As mechanics work on the rear of Raikkonen's car, Gonzalez is the first driver to come out for a second run.
As ever, due to the limits on tyres, there follows a long period of total inactivity, Gonzalez, having completed one further installation lap, heads backs to the pits for a few minutes then comes out again. Elsewhere, a new nose box for Vettel's car.
Twenty-five minutes into the session Perez heads down the pitlane. The Mexican subsequently posts the first time of the weekend, crossing the line at 1:48.525. As he improves to 45.889 teammate Button heads out. Grosjean and Kovalainen follow.
Perez stops the clock at 45.331 with Button posting 47.101 shortly after. Elsewhere, Grosjean gets it all wrong at T5/6, going on to post 52.741.
After just 5 laps he's already at it, "wow, we really don't have any grip", complains the Captain.
Maldonado goes second (46.288) only to be leapfrogged by Grosjean (45.647), while Bottas goes fifth ahead of Pic and Kovalainen.
"I'm really, really struggling for grip," moans Capt No Grip. Now, while the track is very dusty, as Blackadder might suggest, it's a fact that even if this was the grippiest track surface in the entire history of grip, grippy to the power of a million, you know who would still complain.
Rosberg is the first of the big guns to come out for a second run – sad to think that currently we don't include McLaren among that elite group.
Talking of grip, T21, the final turn, is catching out a number of drivers. Meanwhile, in a strange, but wholly understandable move, Rosberg is told to run on the side of the track shielded by the grandstand roof in an effort to cool his tyres. The German's first timed lap is good enough for 13th (2:01.178).
Grosjean goes quickest with a 45.329 as Rosberg runs wide at T6.
Raikkonen posts 55.533 to go 16th.Next time around, despite traffic, he improves to fourth with a 46.174.
Massa gets it wrong at T6, another bit of the track that is catching drivers out. With 37 minutes remaining the Brazilian and his teammate are the only drivers still to post a time.
Rosberg goes third (45.536) and teammate Hamilton fifth (46.014), as Vettel and Webber go 13th and 14th.
As Alonso goes 17th, we are treated to FOM's latest gimmick, a camera on his sidepod which rotates. That should be fun at the start on Sunday and during the race.
A 45.172 sees Vettel go quickest, ahead of Grosjean, Perez, di Resta, Rosberg, Webber, Button, Hamilton, Raikkonen and Maldonado.
Told that it was a good lap, Vettel is advised that he still needs three-tenths in the second sector. Elsewhere, Hamilton gets it wrong at T6. Next time around however, he improves to 44.866 to go quickest.
Lots of work going on on Buttons car and that of Grosjean.
As Hamilton improves to 44.462, Webber goes second ahead of Rosberg, Vettel and Raikkonen.
The top nine are currently covered by 0.978, though the Caterhams and Marussias are all over 3.2s off the pace.
Raikkonen makes a mistake at T17, another corner causing problems. Hamilton is told to use less KERS out of T1 but more out of T7.
While Hulkenberg is eleventh, 1.3s off the pace, Gutierrez is down in 16th just ahead of the Toro Rosso duo.
With 15 minutes remaining, the Williams duo have completed the most laps (32 in total) while di Resta and Vettel have completed just 8 each.
As ever, as the session moves into the final phase, the drivers switch to longer runs on heavy fuel as they look ahead to Sunday.
As Vettel posts PBs in S1 and S3, thereby closing to within 0.066s of Hamilton, Hulkenberg runs wide at T20.
Massa, still down in 16th, runs wide at T21, teammate Alonso is currently 11th. Elsewhere, big lock-up, but a beautiful slide, for Rosberg at T5. Button makes a mistake at T21.
Massa is told that Charlie Whiting has given him a warning about "the launch" at the final corner, though we don't have a clue what sort of launch he is referring to.
Camera picks up on Vettel who is pushing as though he was fighting for the title.
A late charge sees Grosjean go quickest by 0.192, the Frenchman banging in a 44.241 from out of nowhere.
Within moments of one another Alonso and Vergne make mistakes at T21.
Replay shows Vettel almost coming to grief in the pitlane, the German well out of shape as he enters his slot and almost hitting his mechanics, one of whom does brilliantly to snatch a wheel out of the way before the world champion hit it. A lucky escape for all concerned.
The session ends with Grosjean quickest ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Webber, Rosberg, Raikkonen, di Resta, Button, Maldonado and Perez.
Hulkenberg is eleventh, ahead of Alonso, Bottas, Calado, Gutierrez, Vergne, Massa, Ricciardo, Pic, Kovalainen, Bianchi and Gonzalez.
Check out our Friday gallery, here.