06/06/2015
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 12 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 26 degrees. It is cool, to say the least, but bright, though also somewhat windy.
Lewis Hamilton was quickest in both of yesterday's session, though in FP2 he somewhat blotted his copybook. Just two weeks after the strategic error that saw him gift an almost guaranteed win to teammate Nico Rosberg, the team once again had its judgement called in to question when it opted to send out both drivers in the pouring rain on Inters.
At a time the rest of the field elected to wait and see how the weather developed, Mercedes opted to send out both drivers. Whilst the move might have been appreciated by the fans, it was to prove costly and embarrassing, for halfway around the circuit Hamilton slithered off into the barriers.
Thankfully it was the team's (and its driver's) pride that took the biggest battering, though once again the question everyone was asking was, why?
Before the rain, despite Hamilton having been quickest, it was the Ferraris that looked best, the red cars, with their upgraded engines, seeming, once again, to get the best out of their tyres in the warmer conditions.
Williams was looking good also, prompting one to wonder whether, on this circuit that always produces surprises, could we be on the verge of witnessing Valtteri Bottas' maiden win.
Lotus was also up there, Pastor Maldonado posting the fifth best time of the day.
With the rain looing to have gone for the weekend - but never take anything for granted here - attention will be on grunt and brakes, and whilst Mercedes has plenty of the former we know that the latter has often proved to be an Achilles heel for the German cars.
Tyre compounds are the same as in Monaco, soft (prime) and supersoft (option), and whilst the options are good for a few fast laps it was noticeable yesterday how hard drivers were having to work in order to generate heat into them. That said, all will be hoping the temperature rises noticeably over the next hour.
There are two DRS zones, the first on the straight leading to the final chicane and the second on the pit straight leading to T1. They share a single detection point located just before T9.
We saw a numbers of offs and spins, Hamilton completing a 180 at T10 - scene of his FP2 faux pas - earlier in the day, right in front of his teammate.
Like Ferrari, Honda has upgraded its engine however, Jenson Button was thwarted, particularly in FP1, by a gearbox issue.
With more than half of yesterday's second session washed-out, the drivers will have much to do this morning as they prepare for qualifying.
Sadly, Max Verstappen, who already faces a 5-place penalty for the incident in Monaco, looks likely to take the first (10-place) engine penalty of the year, the Dutch teenager being the first driver to use a fifth unit. There's an engine change for Alonso also, but it's only his fourth of the season so no penalty.
The lights go green and Maldonado leads the way, Bernie Ecclestone, standing in the pitlane talking to a guest, clearly riding his luck. Ricciardo is another early riser, as are Merhi and Grosjean.
Ricciardo posts the first time of the day (1:24.212) before running wide in T1.
Raikkonen raises the bar with a 20.409, the Finn using all his guile to keep his distance from the Wall of Champions. Elsewhere, Vettel reports that the track is "very dirty".
As Ricciardo improves to 20.602, the cameras pick up on clouds of brake dust billowing from the rear of Button's McLaren.
As Raikkonen improves to 18.521, teammate Vettel goes second with a 20.062 before improving to 19.653.
Ten minutes in and as Ricciardo splits the Ferraris, all but Alonso and the Mercedes have been out.
Verstappen goes fourth (19.960), ahead of Button, Perez and Sainz, as Vettel misses the final chicane and is force to use the new detour, his Ferrari launched into the air by the kerbing.
An 18.829 sees Kvyat go second as Raikkonen consolidates his top spot with a 17.879.
Hulkenberg goes fourth (19.595) but is soon demoted when Vettel bangs in a 17.543.
Raikkonen pits having admitted that on his previous lap he ran wide in T7 and went on to the grass.
As Kvyat looks set to improve, Perez and Hulkenberg are third and fourth for Force India. Sure enough, Kvyat posts a 17.953 to go third.
Nasr gets frighteningly close to 'the wall', as Sainz is advised the procedure should he get it wrong in the final corner. Moments later, teammate Verstappen misses that very corner.
"Those who miss the corner entirely have to stay left and rejoin after the polystyrene marker," Sainz is told. "This is important."
Eighteen minutes in and Rosberg finally leaves his garage. Still no sign of Hamilton or Alonso.
Merhi and Stevens are the first drivers to switch to the option rubber. With the track temperature still 30 degrees, it seems a bit early.
Interestingly, Merhi has been quicker than his teammate in both previous sessions.
Maldonado goes second (17.573), ahead of Massa and Raikkonen, as Rosberg's first lap sees the German go fifteenth (20.846). Like most, Rosberg is struggling getting heat into his tyres for his first flying lap.
Perez is the latest driver to be 'advised' about the correct procedure at T13/14, indeed Charlie Whiting's name is mentioned just to make clear the severity of the warning.
Rosberg goes quickest with a 16.783, the German quickest in all three sectors. Bottas goes second (17.053).
Ricciardo resorts to expletives in an effort to make clear the lack of grip he has. "It will get better with more laps," he is told.
Hamilton, now on track, posts 22.558, the Briton locking up and running wide at his favourite corner (T10). Teammate Rosberg gets it wrong in the final corner.
Approaching half-time, it's: Rosberg, Bottas, Massa, Vettel, Maldonado, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Kvyat, Perez and Nasr.
Frantic activity in the McLaren garage where the crew is working on Alonso's car... overseen by Ron Dennis.
"OK, I still have issues," says Vettel, "I have lost the K (MGU-K) for some reason".
Kvyat switches to the option rubber. With 27:00 remaining that seems a trifle early. Hamilton is back in the pits, yet to post a competitive time.
On the softer rubber Kvyat posts 17.021 but remains 0.259s off Rosberg's best, set on primes.
On the harder rubber, Grosjean bangs in a 16.900 to go second, whilst Ricciardo also switches to the supersofts.
Back on track, on primes, Raikkonen goes quickest with a 16.761, just 0.001s quicker than Rosberg. You can't get much closer than that.
Red flag! Nasr has gone in to the wall on the straight after T12, losing the car as he weaved from side to side trying to generate heat. "I've had a big shunt," he tells the team, a masterpiece of understatement, "the tyres were way too cold".
The right-hand side of the car is badly damaged, it is unlikely it will be repaired in time for qualifying. Nasr is out of the car, only his pride slightly dented.
Replay shows it was a nasty incident, the Sauber spearing straight into the barriers on what is one of the fastest parts of the circuit.
As the clock continues ticking, this will be compromising the many drivers who have yet to try the options today.
The session will resume at 10:48, giving the drivers twelve minutes in which to try the options. Which means it is going to be busy. Hamilton, by the way, has only completed 5 laps and is nineteenth.
The lights go green and unsurprisingly Hamilton leads the way. Alonso also heads out.
With almost all drivers on options, and so little time remaining, the timing sheet is going to be ablaze with colour.
Massa gets might close to the WoC after a slight mistake in T13, with Hamilton getting it wrong at T1 moments later.
Raikkonen improves to 16.233 but Rosberg is on a hot lap, the German subsequently posting 15.660. Grosjean (options) posts 16.72 to go third.
As Button stops at T7 out come the yellow flags, subsequently replaced by the red flag. With 6:00 remaining this is a disaster - especially for Hamilton who has yet to post a competitive time today... on either compound.
The current order is: Rosberg, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Bottas, Perez, Kvyat, Massa, Vettel, Sainz and Maldonado.
"I had a massive loss of power, like the KERS isn't working," says Button. "I think we have a bigger problem," he adds, "I've stopped the car."
When he asks if the red flag means the session is over, Hulkenberg is told to stay in his car.
With less than a minute remaining, the session is declared over.
To add to Button's woe, it is revealed that the Briton will need to change the engine in his car which cannot be done in time for him to take part in qualifying.
Rosberg is quickest, ahead of Raikkonen, Grosjean, Bottas, Perez, Kvyat, Massa, Vettel, Sainz and Maldonado.
Ericsson is eleventh, ahead of Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Nasr, Button, Verstappen, Stevens, Alonso, Merhi and Hamilton.
Mercedes is quick to point out... "Of course, that time from Lewis Hamilton (is) not representative".
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