14/05/2016
NEWS STORY
Whilst Nico Rosberg topped the timesheets in yesterday's second session, it should be noted that the time posted by Sebastian Vettel, when the Ferrari driver was also on softs, was only 0.029s slower.
Indeed, Kimi Raikkonen's best from FP1 was only 0.167s off Rosberg's FP2 time, whilst Lewis Hamilton got no closer than 0.689s of his teammate.
With Ferrari the only team using the soft in FP1 and barely using them in FP2 we head into today not knowing exactly where we stand, but it is certainly worth bearing those times in mind, after all, in pre-season testing Raikkonen was very strong here on the softs.
Fifth quickest yesterday was Carlos Sainz which raises all sorts of speculation over Red Bull's driver line-up for Monaco, though both Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen gave a good account of themselves.
Another welcome addition to the top ten was Fernando Alonso, McLaren running a serious raft of updates. Unfortunately, teammate Jenson Button had a difficult day but is optimistic things will improve.
A number of drivers suffered handling issues yesterday, none more so than Romain Grosjean, who declared his Haas undriveable, while Jolyon palmer suffered a mysterious tyre failure.
Air temperature as we await the green light is 17 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 26 degrees.
The lights do indeed go green and Grosjean leads the way, followed by Haryanto, Gutierrez, Nasr, Button, Wehrlein and Bottas. Alonso is another early riser.
Distracted as he waves to the fans, Alonso gets out of shape as he almost misses the pitlane entrance.
Whilst most return to the pits, Nasr becomes the first man to post a time, the Sauber driver crossing the line at 27.137.
In the Ferrari garage, work continues on Raikkonen's car, the Finn understood to have had a new floor fitted.
Ericsson is the second driver to post a timer, the Swede going second to his Sauber teammate with a 27.231.
Whilst Sainz can only manage 28.993, Hulkenberg, who along with teammate Perez was impressive yesterday, goes quickest with a 25.988. Moments later said teammate ups the ante with a 25.832, having been quickest in the first two sectors.
Kvyat splits the force India duo with a 25.954, as the Manor duo go sixth and seventh ahead of Sainz.
Fifteen minutes in and Raikkonen leaves the pits. Clearly unperturbed by his earlier issue the Finn goes quickest in all three sectors, on mediums, finally crossing the line at 24.916. Replay shows a beautiful power slide in T10.
As Raikkonen consolidates his top spot with a 24.906, teammate Vettel looks set to leapfrog him, the German going quickest in all three sectors to bang in a 24.187.
The German's reign doesn't last long however, moments later Rosberg posts 23.078, over a second quicker, albeit on the softs compared to the Ferrari's times on the mediums.
A 24.555 sees Alonso (softs) go third, as Button heads back to the pits having failed to post a time. Interestingly, the Briton is running the team's elaborate new front wing.
Despite being quickest, Vettel complains that he "f***** up" the final sector of his lap.
Hamilton (softs) goes second (23.485), 0.407s off his teammate's pace.
In the meantime, Bottas has gone fifth on the softs and the Haas duo seventh and eighth.
"Rosberg on the softs has gone 0.8s quicker than he did yesterday," confirms Pirelli. "More rubber on the track and higher temperatures."
Some of the bravest marshalling ever witnessed. A pitlane marshal asks Bernie Ecclestone to move, the F1 supremo standing in the pitlane and not wearing a tabard.
Verstappen goes sixth and Massa eighth, as Button and Ricciardo remain the only drivers yet to post a time.
"Fastest medium time of the weekend so far for Vettel 1:24.187," reports Pirelli. "Strong race pace for Ferrari. Seb also third-quickest overall."
A minor improvement from Verstappen who posts 24.563 to move up to fifth.
With 24:23 remaining, Button and Ricciardo are on track.
The Briton goes tenth with a 25.051 but is demoted when Ricciardo goes seventh with a 24.776. Both are on the mediums.
TV cameras pick up on the legendary Keke Rosberg, one of the sports true - and very, very, very fast - characters.
With 18:50 on the clock, Haryanto has the track to himself. The Indonesian is currently 21st (38.030).
Rosberg heads out on a brand new set of softs as he looks ahead to qualifying. He is followed by Hamilton who is also on a new set of softs.
Reporting a problem, Rosberg is at first told it's OK but then told to pit using "protective limp home mode". No such issues for his teammate.
Going quickest in the first two sectors, Hamilton loses time in S3 and can only manage 23.204 which leaves him second, 0.126s down on Rosberg.
Hamilton is informed that Rosberg has pitted with an issue.
Hulkenberg goes seventh (24.585) as more and more drivers head down the pitlane.
A 24.356 sees Bottas go fourth as Rosberg heads back down the pitlane.
On a new set of softs, Raikkonen goes quickest in S1. A PB in S2 is followed by a poor S3, the Finn going third, 1.032s down on Rosberg.
As Mercedes confirms Rosberg had a sensor issue, Ricciardo goes third (23.816), only to be demoted moments later by his new teammate who posts 23.719. Relay shows the Australian making a mistake at T9.
As Rosberg posts a PB is S1, Vettel heads out on a brand new set of softs.
Rosberg loses time in S2 as Vettel goes quickest in S1. Rosberg fails to improve and remains quickest, but Vettel maintains his pace and goes quickest in S2. At the line the German posts 23.225 to go third, just 0.147s down on Rosberg.
Perez, Grosjean and Magnussen appear to think its Sunday, the three battling for position, the Frenchman running wide in T5 in the process. He is not happy. "That's not nice, he turned into me," he cries as he identifies Magnussen as the culprit.
The session ends with Rosberg quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Bottas, Perez, Kvyat and Alonso.
Hulkenberg is eleventh, ahead of Massa, Sainz, Grosjean, Button, Magnussen, Gutierrez, Palmer, Nasr, Ericsson, Wehrlein and Haryanto.
So, Rosberg and Mercedes lead the way once again, but that sensor issue, not to mention the pace of the Ferrari, suggests another Silver Arrows 1-2 , be it this afternoon or tomorrow, is no formality.
Watch out for Red Bull also, whilst Williams, Toro Rosso and McLaren are looking strong.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.