Rosberg quickest despite 190 mph tyre scare

21/08/2015
NEWS STORY

Ahead of today's second practice session the air temperature is 22 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 36 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.

Nico Rosberg was quickest in FP1, despite suffering a technical issue earlier in the session which looked a lot worse than it clearly was. As a whole army of technicians and mechanics gathered around the rear of the Mercedes, one feared the German was in for an early bath.

Teammate Lewis Hamilton was second, just 0.242s off the pace, with Daniel Ricciardo and Kimi Raikkonen both within 0.4s.

As ever there are lots of updates, most notably the 'scooped' rear wing on the Mercedes, whilst Honda's much vaunted upgrade has yet to inspire.

There was one red flag, the cause of which was Pastor Maldonado, the hapless Venezuelan losing the rear of his Lotus on the exit from Les Combes. This afternoon sees teammate Romain Grosjean in action, the Frenchman having handed his car over to Jolyon Palmer for the opening session.

With Williams yet to show its hand - as is ever the case on Fridays - it's interesting to note that the Red Bull duo is up there with the Mercedes and Ferrari's though the Austrian cars are clearly losing out in S1, the uphill sector which requires serious grunt.

Tyre options are medium and soft, as in Hungary, the softer rubber making its first appearance of the weekend over the next ninety minutes.

The lights go green and Bottas gets proceedings underway. The Finn is subsequently joined by teammate Massa, Vettel and the Manor duo. Indeed, such is his eagerness, Vettel takes to the grass at the chicane as he passes Bottas.

Vettel, despite a wobble in T14, gets things going with a 52.606, Bottas posting 52.608 moments later.

Despite going quickest in S1, Perez can only manage 52.984, which puts him fourth, Massa having posted 52.884.

On his first flying lap Raikkonen goes straight to the head of the sheets, the Finn posting 52.292.

A big wobble for Bottas at Pouhon as Rosberg momentarily goes quickest (51.292) before being deposed by Kvyat (51.135).

Hulkenberg has to run wide at the chicane in his efforts to avoid a ludicrously slow Lotus.

A 51.052 sees Rosberg re-take the top spot as Hamilton goes third (51.580) and Verstappen runs wide in T9, a corner that is catching out a lot of drivers today. He subsequently runs wide again, this time at Pouhon.

"I think we should try again, before we try the option tyre" the Dutch youngster is told, "we need a clean lap." Elsewhere a lock-up for Rosberg in the chicane.

Twenty minutes in, with Maldonado yet to make an appearance, Ricciardo is the only other driver yet to post a time. However, the Australian in on track and subsequently posts 51.080 to go second.

Replay shows Kvyat very, very lucky not be hit by Nasr as the Russian leaves his garage totally unaware of the approaching Sauber. Elsewhere, Hamilton reports a problem with downshifts.

The stewards are investigating the earlier incident involving Hulkenberg and Grosjean.

Vettel is among the first to switch to the option rubber and immediately goes quickest, the German stopping the clock at 50.940. Rosberg, now on softs, responds with a 49.385 whilst Ericsson posts 50.709.

"We need more rear grip," says Button as he reveals that his front grip is much better than FP1.

Finally on track, Maldonado immediately runs wide in T15, the Lotus looking a real handful.

As Rosberg goes quickest in S1, Nasr posts 50.928 to go third overall. However, the Sauber driver is then demoted when Hamilton and Raikkonen go second and third, posting 49.687 and 50.461 respectively.

"Expected performance gap between Medium and Soft tyres 1.8s - 2s per lap so far," confirms Pirelli.

Verstappen reports "big moments" at T15 and the last chicane.

At 'half-time, it's: Rosberg, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Ericsson, Nasr, Vettel, Sainz, Ricciardo and Verstappen.

A lock-up in the chicane for Alonso sees the yellow flags flying as Hulkenberg improves to sixth overall (50.461).

Lotus tells Maldonado to pit as the team has spotted a problem with his left front brake caliper.

With around thirty-five minutes remaining, attention, as usual, switches to Sunday afternoon and race simulation.

Told to go for "grip 8" for his next practice start from the pitlane, Vettel responds... "OK, that's not the direction I would go, but grip 8". Teammate Raikkonen complains of blisters on his left-front. The team is currently running two strategies, Vettel on the primes and Raikkonen n options.

Red flag as the TV cameras pick up on Rosberg who has spun at high-speed following a right-rear tyre failure in Blanchimont, the one part of any race track where you don't want any kind of failure.

A nasty incident, that will almost certainly have repercussions throughout the paddock.

For some time Rosberg merely sits there, possibly contemplating the potential immensity of such an incident. He finally climbs from the car and begins a long, calming, walk back to the pits.

"Woah, woah, woah!!! What happened there?" tweets Mercedes "Red flags as Nico comes to a halt: thankfully no contact with barriers or cars and he's ok. Phew, that was rather nervy even from here!"

The session resumes at 15:15, around ten minutes later, Rosberg now back in the Mercedes garage having finally got a lift along with the car on a low-loader.

With 15 minutes remaining all but Rosberg, Bottas and Merhi are on track. Most on the softer rubber.

However, there's further drama when Ericsson goes into the barriers at the exit of Pouhon.

Out comers the red flag as an apologetic Swede advises his team. Replay suggests he carried too much speed into the corner, ran wide and then lost it over the kerbs. Thankfully he's out of the car and OK, only his ego damaged.

The session resumes at 15:25 giving the drivers just 5 minutes running. Nevertheless, there's a mad scramble to get back on track.

Verstappen runs wide in T6 as Ricciardo is warned to expect plenty of backing up at the final chicane. "Stick your elbows out," the Red Bull driver is told.

Woah! A nasty snap of oversteer for Ricciardo in Eau Rouge, the Australian doing magnificently to keep it all together. Elsewhere, Grosjean grinds to a halt on the approach to Pouhon. The Frenchman subsequently reports a loss of power.

Despite his trials and tribulations, Rosberg is quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Ricciardo, Kvyat, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Ericsson, Nasr and Vettel.

Perez is eleventh, ahead of Sainz, Verstappen, Bottas, Maldonado, Massa, Button, Alonso, Stevens and Merhi.

Check out our Friday gallery, here.

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Published: 21/08/2015
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