05/07/2014
NEWS STORY
Despite the bright sunshine and searing heat, yesterday evening a number of teams were claiming that, according to their sources, today's weather would be entirely different.
Lo and behold, at around 5am, Daisy - one of the Pitpass cats, should you need to ask - who has been flaked out in the garden for the last few days, leapt on to the bed soaking wet. The rain had arrived.
Consequently, yesterday's set-up work was in vain, or was it, because whilst we are in for more of the wet stuff today nobody has a clue what tomorrow might bring.
However, at least that will mean a calming down on the strong winds that were battering the circuit yesterday. With grip already difficult, the strong gusts made it even harder to remain on the black stuff.
And then there was the reliability, or lack of it.
Be it Susie Wolff only completing one flying lap before succumbing to a technical issue or Lewis Hamilton suffering an engine problem shortly after posting the best time of the day, at some stage or another almost everyone was experience some sort of 'issue'.
Then there was Felipe Massa's crash in FP1 and Jean-Eric Vergne's mysterious problem with his left-front wheel which wanted to explore the English countryside.
Clearly, once again, the Mercedes duo rule, however, the Red Bulls also look very strong. Indeed, were they fitted with Mercedes power units we wouldn't see them for dust such is their aero advantage.
McLaren is also looking good, Jenson Button no doubt buoyed by the strong support for his 'Pink for Papa' campaign rather than Ron Dennis' gee-up earlier in the week.
Air temperature is 1616 degrees C, while the track temperature is 22 degrees. It is damp. Though it is no longer raining there was lots of it overnight and earlier this morning, and looking at the sky there is more to come. Consequently, it comes as no surprise that the session is declared wet.
The lights go green but there is no immediate rush to get to work. Eventually, Sutil heads down the pitlane followed by Maldonado and Button.
As more drivers head down the pitlane, mechanics are still working on Massa's car in the Williams garage.
While most drivers head back to the pits after a sole exploratory lap, Button, on Inters, stays out, claiming that there are some dry patches.
Within the first five minutes all but Hamilton have been out, the Mercedes driver having had no long runs yesterday. Eventually, he too decides to test the conditions.
Some drivers on full wets and others on Inters, as Bottas claims conditions are much better than he expected.
As Hamilton heads back to the pits and continues down the pitlane to perform a practice start, the sky is getting worryingly dark.
In the Marussia garage, Chilton is out of his car as his team reveals the need for a gearbox change, which means a five place grid penalty.
Ericsson, who was the cause of an extended yellow flag period yesterday when he 'beached' his car at Becketts, is the first driver to complete a flying lap, the Caterham driver stopping the clock at 1:57.091. Moments later teammate Kobayashi posts 59.947.
"More rain coming," warns Hamilton as Kvyat posts 56.404.
Replay shows a massive slide and wobble for the Russian in the final corner, the Toro Rosso driver doing well to keep it all under control. Indeed, watching from the McLaren garage, Button is clearly impressed.
Rosberg is back on track having switched from full wets to Inters.
The German goes quickest in S1 as Vergne goes quickest overall (55.232). He maintains his pace his pace in S2, as Kvyat goes quickest (54.657). The Mercedes driver then dives into the pits.
A very twitchy Magnussen posts 54.092, as we approach 'half-time', the Dane's is only the sixth time of the day.
As Magnussen improves with a 53.911, Ricciardo takes to the track. Alonso watches from the back of the Ferrari garage.
Maldonado posts 54.550 to go second , the Venezuelan subsequently demoted by his Lotus teammate and his 54.305.
Despite really struggling with the car in the final corner, Ricciardo raises the benchmark with a 52.631. Grosjean having all kinds of fun and games in the Lotus.
Button goes third with a 54.041, the Briton knowing that, should the conditions continue, anything could happen.
Shortly after his previous moment, Grosjean gets horribly out of shape after running wide in the final corner. His masterly control of the car draws applause from the crowd.
With 25:30 remaining, Sutil, Chilton, Bottas, Gutierrez, Massa, Alonso, Rosberg and Hamilton have yet to post times.
Ricciardo is quickest, ahead of Grosjean, Magnussen, Button and Vettel.
At which point Vettel slams in a 52.522 to take the top spot, the German revelling in these sorts of conditions.
Hamilton is told to "exercise caution" in the final corner. Wise words.
Sadly however, he doesn't get as far as the final corner, the Briton running wide at Stowe and then heading back to the pits. The Mercedes driver, like his rivals, cannot afford any mistakes at this stage in the weekend.
Oh dear. Bianchi gets it all wrong at Stowe - in fact he appeared to be too quick into the corner - and is lucky to only nudge the barriers with his nose rather than doing some serious damage. Replay shows that moments beforehand Sutil had a big moment at the same corner.
In light of the conditions, which mean it is impossible to generate any form of serious heat into the tyres, McLaren reveals that its drivers will play no further part in the session.
Vettel takes a trip through the gravel at Beckets as the rain increases in intensity, certainly at some points of the circuit.
Still a difference of opinion as to full wets or Inters. Meanwhile, the biggest dark cloud has moved on and the rain, where it is falling, is much lighter.
"10mins of #FP3 remain," tweets Mercedes, "still rather damp out there. We've opted to stay in the warm for now."
A nasty twitch for Hulkenberg at Woodcote as Sutil sheds a piece of carbon fibre on the pit straight.
A late charge sees Sutil improve to fifth with a 53.585 despite running wide in the final corner.
The session ends with Vettel quickest, ahead of Ricciardo, Maldonado, Grosjean, Sutil, Kvyat, Magnussen, Button, Bottas and Raikkonen.
Vergne is eleventh, ahead of Gutierrez, Massa, Hulkenberg, Perez, Ericsson, Bianchi and Kobayashi.
No times from Chilton, Alonso or the Mercedes duo.
No doubt, Sebastian, Daniel, Christian and Adrian are off to do a rain dance.
Check out our Qualifying gallery, here.