11/04/2015
NEWS STORY
Whilst Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets in both of yesterday's session, this doesn't begin to tell the story.
Quicker than his teammate by 0.54s in FP1and 1.12s quicker than third placed Sebastian Vettel, things got a lot tighter in FP2 once the option (soft) rubber came into use.
Whilst he was still quickest in FP2, teammate Nico Rosberg now down to fifth, he was 0.44s faster than second placed Kimi Raikkonen.
However, on the longer runs the Finn and his Ferrari teammate were not only quicker, their tyres lasted longer. Indeed, most teams appear to be getting more from the option rubber than Mercedes.
Having finished third in FP2, Daniel Ricciardo is already talking up Red Bull's chances, which in all honesty sounds more than a little premature. Teammate Daniil Kvyat suffered a brake issue which saw him thump the barriers, his team lucky to escape punishment after telling him to return to the pits despite his obvious problem.
The fact that Williams rarely looks for pace on Fridays was further complicated by a "rear wing stall" on Felipe Massa's car which saw the Brazilian gently hit the barriers and thereby bring out the day's only red flag.
Furthermore, whilst both Toro Rossos were curiously off the pace, Lotus and Sauber looked a lot stronger as did McLaren, prompting suggestions the Woking cars, or at least one of them, could make it into Q2.
Whilst Pirelli isn't expecting any graining issues and the gap between the two compounds hovers around 1.6s, both sessions saw lock-ups and excursions over the run-offs a plenty.
Temperatures this morning are 17 degrees C (air) and 42 degrees (track), once again it is bright and sunny... with no smog.
As previously mentioned, tyre compounds are medium (prime) and soft (option), whilst there are two DRS zones, one on the start-finish straight and the second on the back straight leading to T14.
The lights go green and Stevens is first out, followed by Vettel, Bottas, Grosjean and Raikkonen, Ferrari obviously keen t get things underway. An electrics issue limited Stevens to just 8 laps yesterday afternoon, hence his desire to get back to work.
Oh dear, an early problem for Alonso whose McLaren grinds to a halt, a puff of smoke from the rear indicating an engine issue. The Spaniard helps the marshals push his car to safety.
Maldonado takes full advantage of the fact that what was formerly a gravel trap at the pitlane entrance has now been tarmacked over. Come in number thirteen!
Having previously been told to give "maximum on the straight", Button is told to return to the pits suggesting problems for both Woking cars.
Ericsson posts the first time of the day, the Swede crossing the line at 1:42.174. Moments later he is demoted when teammate Nasr posts 42.144.
As Perez posts 42.895, Sainz goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 41.302. Moments later teammate Verstappen posts 41.700 to go second.
Ten minutes in and the big guns begin to appear following thir initial exploratory laps. Vettel posts 40.713 but this is quickly beaten by Rosberg who stops the clock at 40.055, both on the prime rubber.
Not for the first time this weekend, Hamilton is advised of a wind rotation. There is now a head wind on the back straight he is informed.
A 40.736 sees Raikkonen go third, albeit 0.68s off Rosberg's pace. Teammate Vettel improves to 40.175 but remains second.
Despite going quickest in the first two sectors, Hamilton's final sector means he can only manage 48.963, which puts him thirteenth. No such problems next time around, the Briton going quickest with a 39.776, thereby eclipsing his teammate by 0.279s.
Normal service is almost restored when Massa goes fifth with a 40.768, teammate Bottas aborting his first flying lap and returning to the pits.
Over a third of the session gone and along with Bottas, we've yet to see a time from Grosjean, the McLarens or Red Bulls.
Like yesterday, Massa complains of smoke in the cockpit of his Williams, a fact confirmed by the TV cameras.
Kvyat finally posts a time, the Russian going sixth with a 40.846. Meanwhile, on board footage shows a very wobbly McLaren for Button under braking. Elsewhere, teammate Alonso's car arrives back in the pitlane.
Despite the obvious shortcomings of his package, Button posts 41.653 to go ninth. Elsewhere, Hamilton complains that his seat is getting "really hot again".
Button drops to tenth when Grosjean posts 41.442 to go ninth.
Rosberg complains of oversteer in the high-speed corners and oversteer in the low-speed corners. Asked to confirm that he means oversteer in both types of corner he says yes. So that's oversteer all round then.
Having been told that all is good and to continue, Button is then told to box. Elsewhere, Hamilton is still unhappy with his 'hot seat' and asks for his other seat to be installed.
Asked his thoughts, Hulkenberg replies that his degradation is "quite high... nothing special really". Well, they did ask.
Not as many incidents as yesterday but still a few, Grosjean proving the pint in T1.
Meanwhile, Red Bull still appears to be saving its engines, Kvyat having completed just five laps and Ricciardo four.
Verstappen spins at T14 with Massa running wide in the final turn moments later.
With 17:00 on the clock, Rosberg and Kvyat are the first to switch to options. The Russian posts a PB in S1 before going quickest in the second sector.
In the McLaren garage team boss Ron Dennis is overseeing work on Alonso's car, the Briton not afraid to roll his sleeves up and get stuck in.
Kvyat posts 39.306 to go quickest as Rosberg begins his first flying lap on the softer rubber. Unsurprisingly, the German goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 37.841. Improving his own best by 1.4s, he is 1.26s quicker than Kvyat.
Hamilton and Button also swap to the yellow banded tyres.
"Track temperatures have climbed to 33 degrees," reveals Pirelli, "the highest seen so far. These runs on the soft will be very useful for qualifying."
Purples in the first two sectors for Hamilton who finally crosses the line at 37.615, 0.226s quicker than his Mercedes colleague.
On the softer rubber, Ricciardo posts 39.020 to go third, teammate Kvyat taking fourth (39.106) for good measure.
As we await the Ferraris appearing of softs, Hamilton goes quicker again in S1, however, he subsequently dives into the pits.
No sooner has Ericsson grabbed sixth (39.559) than he is demoted when Hulkenberg bangs in a 39.513.
With 6:30 both Ferraris are on track... on the softer rubber. As Massa posts 39.410 to go fifth, both Ferraris post almost identical times in S1. Vettel is slightly quicker is S2, finally crossing the line at 38.313 to go third whilst Raikkonen takes fourth with a 38.512. both are over 0.6s off Hamilton's pace, but there is more to come... and let's not forget their long run pace.
A 39.274 sees Verstappen go ninth whilst there are fears that Red Bull's rear brake issue has returned, this time Ricciardo suffering the consequences.
A 39.113 from Sainz demotes Bottas to eighth, the Finn enjoying an uncharacteristically low-key session.
"No power," complains Kvyat as Red Bull's problems continue.
Both Mercedes drivers are out of their cars, their expressions entirely different. Whilst Hamilton is smiling and joking with his mechanics, Rosberg looks anxious.
"Minimal use on the brakes," Kvyat is told. Not what you want to hear on a track with the longest straight on the calendar.
As the session ends Button is told that he is P15 but that P10 was only 0.289s away. "It's all to go for," he is urged.
So, Hamilton heads Rosberg, Vettel, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Kvyat, Sainz, Bottas, Verstappen and Grosjean, with Massa eleventh, ahead of Hulkenberg, Ericsson, Nasr, Button, Maldonado, Perez, Stevens, Merhi and Alonso.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.