Rosberg bounces back as Hamilton suffers mechanical woes in FP2

Nico Rosberg managed to bounce back during the second practice session at the Autodromo di Monza, as preparations were ramped up ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. Although Lewis Hamilton managed to finish a close second, the Briton was struck with mechanical woes during the first half of the session. Kimi Raikkonen ended the session third for Ferrari.

Unlike the earlier session in the morning, the second practice session began with great gusto as many drivers immediately took to the Autodromo di Monza to continue with their preparations for the weekend ahead. Instead of completing the traditional installation laps, the likes of Romain Grosjean and Jules Bianchi immediately got down to business by immediately completing timed laps. The Lotus driver, who returned to driving duties after ceding his seat to Charles Pic for practice one, produced the first timed lap of the session with a 01:32.995.

Almost immediately the times began to tumble, with the likes of Daniil Kvyat, Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen all rising to the top, whilst numerous drivers pushed beyond the limits and ran wide at the various chicanes. This included initial pace-setter Grosjean, who ran wide at turn four. Whilst Championship leader Nico Rosberg asserted his authority over proceedings with 01:27.500, the other Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton remained stuck in the garage with mechanical gremlins once again striking the team with the Briton’s car failing to start.

As the Mercedes mechanics began to dismantle Hamilton’s car in a bid to inspect the various internal components to try and discover the issue, team-mate Rosberg continued with his own preparations by improving on his benchmark with a 01:27.005. However, the German’s reign was short-lived as both Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso momentarily rose to the top, before Rosberg managed to return to the sharp-end of the order with an even quicker 01:26.786. Further down the order Kamui Kobayashi ran wide at turn four in the Caterham, with the Japanese driver making his return to the sport after missing the Belgian Grand Prix.

Eventually the majority of the field elected for Pirelli’s medium tyre compound, which enabled the times to once again take a minor tumble, albeit with Rosberg still reigning supreme at the top with a 01:26.225 ahead of the Williams of Valtteri Bottas. Meanwhile Adrian Sutil made a mistake at turn four and bounced precariously over the speed bums in the Sauber, as the German began his preparations for the weekend ahead of making way for Giedo van der Garde in practice one.

Whilst the Mercedes mechanics continued to strive frantically to rectify Hamilton’s car in a bid to get the Briton back out before the end of the session, the Lotus duo of Grosjean and Maldonado continued a woeful day of practice, with both running wide on numerous occasions. The Frenchman in particular ran extremely wide at turn six, which resulted in a brief excursion through the deep retaining gravel trap.

Meanwhile Hamilton finally left the confines of his garage after loosing roughly an hour of track time, after his mechanics managed to rectify the issue on his car. The Briton took to the Autodromo di Monza on the hard tyre compound, initially rising to 12th position with a 01:27.352. As the 2008 World Champion continued with his preparations ahead of the weekend, Grosjean in particular continued to struggle greatly, running wide at turn seven and then bumping precariously once again over the speed bumps at turn one.

Eventually Hamilton switched to Pirelli’s medium tyre compound, which enabled the Briton to rise up to second position with a 01:26.286, just behind his German team-mate and arch-rival. As the session entered its closing stages Alonso ran wide at turn one in the Ferrari, as did Button several minutes later in fine style after trying to gain as much of an advantage as possible in the slipstream behind Kvyat, with Sutil exiting the pit-lane on the right.

The checkered flag was soon unfurled to signal the end of the second practice session, with Nico Rosberg fastest ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who ran wide at turn one in the dying seconds, with the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen a relatively surprising third. With the return of mechanical gremlins for Hamilton and Mercedes, the German marque will understandably be hoping that such issues do not return throughout the remainder of the weekend.

Image courtesy of Mercedes AMG Petronas

Nico Rosberg remains on top amid further rainfall during practice two at Brazil

Nico Rosberg has remained on top after another wet practice session around Sao Paulo’s Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace circuit, with the German ending the 90 minutes of track action ahead of the Red Bull duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. Heikki Kovalainen managed to finish 4th, ahead of Lewis Hamilton.

The teams and drivers were greeted with further rain for the second practice session in the afternoon, after a wet start to the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend. This led to a slow start to proceedings around Sao Paulo’s Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, as the majority of the teams elected to remain in the safe and dry confines of the pit-lane. After ceding driver duties to their respective team-mates, the second practice session marked the return of Paul di Resta, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Chilton.

Despite the increasingly wet weather conditions, Max Chilton became the first driver to take to the track for Marussia early on. The British rookie tiptoed around the circuit, before returning to the pits after only one installation lap. As one driver returned to the pits, another exited the pits in the form of Heikki Kovalainen. Unlike Max Chilton, the Finn elected to carry out a five lap stint which saw him produce the first timed lap of the session with a 01:31.658. The Lotus driver managed to improve upon his time on several occasions, eventually working his way down to a 01:30.537 as Jules Bianchi joined him out on track.

Mark Webber soon joined the track action in his Red Bull RB9, initially posting the 2nd fastest time before bettering Heikki Kovalainen’s time to rise to the top with a 01:29.088. Although the rain failed to ease off, many other drivers soon took to the track including the two Caterhams, Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg. Charles Pic ran slightly wide at Turn 5, before Nico Rosberg stormed to the top for Mercedes with a 01:28.873. The German soon returned to the pits after rising to the top, with Romain Grosjean slotting into 3rd position for Lotus.

As the second practice session progressed, Fernando Alonso joined the track action on the intermediate tyre. The Spaniard could only manage 10th fastest on his first run, before then catapulting himself further up the order to 3rd fastest a little later. Many drivers soon began joining the former World Champion on the intermediate tyres, including the likes of Mark Webber and Felipe Massa. As Sebastian Vettel finally took to the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace sporting Pirelli’s intermediate tyres, team-mate Mark Webber was once again struck by a KERS failure on his RB9.

Although the conditions seemed to be gradually improving, Charles Pic managed to run wide at Turn 1 as the majority of the field continued switching to Pirelli’s intermediate tyre. Sebastian Vettel’s first timed lap of the session saw him slot into 5th position, before improving a lap later to go 2nd fastest with a 01:28.939 behind fellow countryman Nico Rosberg. The Mercedes ace improved at the top with a 01:28.693, before Sebastian Vettel obliterated the opposition with a scintillating 01:27.993 in the tricky weather conditions.

Whilst the entire field, except the Marussia duo, circulated the short Brazilian circuit, Lewis Hamilton perilously spun on the exit of Turn 5. The 2008 World Champion was lucky avoid colliding with the barriers, as he continued to circulate before slotting into 3rd position behind his team-mate and Sebastian Vettel. The German Champion continued to assert his authority at the top as the session entered its closing stages, with the German producing a 01:27.531.

With the track conditions continuing to improve throughout the final minutes, the times up and down the order began to tumble as Jean-Eric Vergne popped up into 3rd position in his Toro Rosso. Mark Webber soon demoted the Frenchman as he slotted into 2nd position behind his Red Bull team-mate, as Pastor Maldonado spun at Turn 1. The departing Williams driver managed to continue circulating, as Nico Rosberg thwarted the Red Bulls with an impressive 01:27.306. The checkered flag was eventually revealed signaling the end of the second practice session, with Nico Rosberg once again fastest at the top ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

After a wet day of track action around the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, the teams and drivers will be hoping for a much dryer third and final practice session tomorrow before the all-important qualifying hour. However, the rain has been forecast to remain a threat over the legendary circuit, which could well spice up the action when the battle for the final pole position of the season is commenced.

Picture Copyright © Mercedes AMG Petronas

Sebastian Vettel returns to the top in second practice at Abu Dhabi

Sebastian Vettel has managed to return to the top for Red Bull during the second practice session ahead of this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after 90 minutes of track action around the Yas Marina Circuit. The German was followed by Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, with Lewis Hamilton 3rd.

After an intriguing opening practice session at the Yas Marina Circuit which was eventually topped by the Lotus of Romain Grosjean, the Formula 1 teams’ and drivers’ returned to the 5.554km circuit to continue with their preparations for the weekend ahead. The second practice session began with the sun setting over the glorious circuit, with both Max Chilton, Giedo van der Garde and Adrian Sutil returning to their respective outfits after ceding driving duties to their various reserve drivers.

Unlike the opening practice session which included the usual waiting game as the many drivers completed installation laps and waited for the track to clear, the second practice session instantly swung into motion as many drivers immediately left the confines of the pit-lane. Kimi Raikkonen unsurprisingly produced the first timed lap of the session with a 01:44.360, as Jean-Eric Vergne ran wide at Turn 8 after out-braking himself. As more drivers gradually began taking to the Yas Marina Circuit, the times at the top began to tumble as the likes of Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen and Sergio Perez traded fastest times.

Eventually Sergio Perez managed to produce a 01:43.564 in his McLaren, with team-mate Jenson Button slotting neatly into 2nd position to momentarily create a McLaren 1-2. Meanwhile Mexican rookie Esteban Gutierrez continued learning the tricky Yas Marina Circuit in his Sauber, as he heavily out-braked himself at Turn 9 and completely missed the apex. Sebastian Vettel soon stormed to the top of the timing screens in his Red Bull with a 01:43.062, before Kimi Raikkonen elected to become the first driver to opt for Pirelli’s softer tyre compound.

This saw the 2007 World Champion and former Abu Dhabi Grand Prix winner rise to the top in his Lotus with a 01:41.888, before improving a lap later with a 01:41.726. As several more drivers began joining Kimi Raikkonen on Pirelli’s soft tyre compound, a brake duct was discovered at the side of the circuit after having clearly detached itself from one of the cars. A later replay indicated the culprit was Marussia’s Max Chilton, who so far has a 100% finishing record this season. With yellow flags fluttering a brave marshal gingerly approached the piece of debris in question, before efficiently removing it.

Whilst the Marussia mechanics busied themselves around Max Chilton’s car back in the pit-lane, Paul di Resta’s preparations for the weekend ahead were dealt a minor blow when his Force India machine picked up a front-left puncture at Turn 9. This forced the Scotsman to limp back to the pits with sparks flying from the rear of his car, as Lewis Hamilton stormed to the top in his Mercedes with a 01:41.690. Mark Webber soon managed to thwart the 2008 World Champion, as the Australian ace managed to produce a 01:41.556. Jenson Button then became the latest driver to pick up a puncture on his McLaren, as the Briton limped back to the pits despite no visible signs of a rear-puncture.

As the floodlights surrounding the Yas Marina Circuit became more predominant, Max Chilton’s unusual return behind the wheel continued as the Briton spun on the exit of Turn 1. After several seconds sat stationary, the former GP2 driver half-spun his car back into the right direction and continued circulating. Meanwhile further mistakes ensued up and down the paddock, as Romain Grosjean ran extensively wide at Turn 12. Sebastian Vettel soon managed to return to the top for Red Bull with a 01:41.335, as the newly-crowned Champion once again asserted his authority over the field.

During the final half of the session the teams and drivers began carrying out race simulations on heavy fuel loads, in a bid to gain as much knowledge prior to the 55-lap race on Sunday. This enabled Sebastian Vettel’s reign at the top to remain unchallenged as the session drew to a conclusion, with the Red Bull ace eventually finishing the second session ahead of team-mate Mark Webber with the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton 3rd fastest. Kimi Raikkonen was 4th for Lotus, with the McLaren duo of Sergio Perez and Jenson Button proving surprisingly competitive after a frustrating season.

With three hours of track action now over, the teams and drivers will have only one hour of practice at their disposal before the all-important qualifying session tomorrow which will determine the grid for the race on Sunday. Sebastian Vettel once again looks indomitable in his Red Bull, however Romain Grosjean could well pose a threat when the serious track action begins tomorrow.

Pos Driver                Team                   Time      Gap     Laps
 1. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault       1m41.335s          33
 2. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault       1m41.490s  +0.155s 32
 3. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes               1m41.690s  +0.355s 37
 4. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault          1m41.726s  +0.391s 40
 5. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes               1m41.758s  +0.423s 39
 6. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes       1m42.006s  +0.671s 35
 7. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes       1m42.010s  +0.675s 30
 8. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari                1m42.171s  +0.836s 30
 9. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari         1m42.324s  +0.989s 40
10. Felipe Massa          Ferrari                1m42.440s  +1.105s 35
11. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari         1m42.509s  +1.174s 37
12. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault          1m42.607s  +1.272s 18
13. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes   1m42.806s  +1.471s 26
14. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault       1m42.952s  +1.617s 35
15. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes   1m42.998s  +1.663s 25
16. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m43.152s  +1.817s 28
17. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m43.271s  +1.936s 35
18. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault       1m43.565s  +2.230s 34
19. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault       1m44.138s  +2.803s 34
20. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth      1m44.459s  +3.124s 34
21. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault       1m44.525s  +3.190s 37
22. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth      1m45.565s  +4.230s 26

Picture Copyright © Pirelli

Sebastian Vettel remains unchallenged at India after practice two

Sebastian Vettel has remained unchallenged after the second practice session around New Delhi’s Buddh International Circuit, after heading yet another Red Bull 1-2 at the top. In a session dominated by severe tyre wear on the soft tyre compound, Romain Grosjean managed to finish 3rd fastest for Lotus.

After a rather straightforward opening practice session around New Delhi’s Buddh International Circuit in the morning, the teams and drivers returned to the track later in the afternoon for the second practice session as preparations continued ahead of Sunday’s 60-lap race. Once again the smog still hung in the air as the session turned green, with Paul di Resta back behind the wheel of his Force India after ceding driving duties to reserve driver James Calado in practice one.

Rookies’ Max Chilton and Valtteri Bottas eventually became the first drivers to take to the track, in doing so opening the proverbial flood gates as almost the entire field soon followed. The Williams of Valtteri Bottas soon produced the first timed lap of the session with a 01:29.663, before Kimi Raikkonen thwarted his fellow countryman with a 01:28.419. After the slow start to the opening practice session earlier in the day, proceedings for the second session instantly gathered momentum as the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel soon elected to take to the track.

As the early stages of the session wore on Lewis Hamilton and then Romain Grosjean rose steadily to the top, with the latter managing to produce a 01:27.531 as his Lotus team-mate half-spun at Turn 3 but managed to continue circulating. However, the Frenchman’s reign over proceedings was relatively short-lived, as the ever-dominant Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel rose straight to the top with a 01:27.360. Despite the German’s fearsome pace he was informed via the team radio that he had suffered yet another KERS issue, however that failed to stop him improving as he set a 01:27.059 shortly after.

After slotting into 2nd position behind his team-mate, Mark Webber soon managed to rise to the top with a 01:27.011. With Sebastian Vettel the only driver to have led a racing lap around the Buddh International Circuit, many drivers up and down the paddock are eager to challenge the runaway German. However, Mark Webber’s pace was soon bettered by the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg, who only just managed to pip the Australian ace with a 01:27.010. As the session progressed, many drivers began electing for Pirelli’s soft tyre compound including the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.

With the softer rubber bolted to his Red Bull, the reigning Champion instantly improved with a barnstorming 01:25.722, which propelled him to the top of the timing sheets. As more drivers gradually began opting for Pirelli’s softer tyre compound, many also began completing high-fuel race simulation work. This saw Sebastian Vettel’s time at the top remain unchallenged for the remainder of the afternoon, as all focus switched to race preparation. However, as the session continued many teams and drivers began suffering from excessive tyre wear on the soft compound, creating widespread skepticism up and down the paddock.

Pastor Maldonado’s session was brought to a premature conclusion during the latter stages, when the front-right wheel nut managed to work its way loose only moments after he completed a race-style pit-stop. With Williams coming under severe fire for a similar issue last time out at Suzuka when Pastor Maldonado lost a rear tyre during practice, the team instantly instructed the Venezuelan driver to pull over at the side of the track. With lots of worried faces within the Williams camp, the team also elected to bring an end to Valtteri Bottas’s session.

Meanwhile the remaining 21 drivers continued with their preparations for the weekend ahead, despite the ongoing issue with the soft tyre compound. With all of the drivers focusing solely on long runs in the latter half of the session, Sebastian Vettel remained fastest as the checkered flag was unfurled at the end of the session. The German ace once again finished ahead of his Australian team-mate, with the Lotus of Romain Grosjean 3rd fastest for Lotus. With the Red Bulls locking out the timing sheets with a 1-2 finish during both practice sessions throughout the day, the universal predictions throughout the motorsport fraternity is for yet another weekend dominated by the Austrian outfit. However, with severe tyre wear a possibility, anything could happen around New Delhi’s Buddh International Circuit.

Pos Driver                Team                    Time        Gap    Laps
 1. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault        1m25.722s           35
 2. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault        1m26.011s  +0.289s  38
 3. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault           1m26.220s  +0.498s  36
 4. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes                1m26.399s  +0.677s  36
 5. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari                 1m26.430s  +0.708s  39
 6. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes                1m26.582s  +0.860s  40
 7. Felipe Massa          Ferrari                 1m26.601s  +0.879s  41
 8. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault           1m26.632s  +0.910s  32
 9. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes        1m26.857s  +1.135s  40
10. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes        1m26.972s  +1.250s  39
11. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari      1m27.304s  +1.582s  17
12. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes    1m27.375s  +1.653s  36
13. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault        1m27.429s  +1.707s  31
14. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari          1m27.491s  +1.769s  40
15. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes    1m27.608s  +1.886s  38
16. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault        1m27.720s  +1.998s  23
17. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari          1m27.949s  +2.227s  34
18. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari      1m28.431s  +2.709s  30
19. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault        1m28.692s  +2.970s  39
20. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth       1m28.799s  +3.077s  32
21. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault        1m29.366s  +3.644s  37
22. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth       1m30.164s  +4.442s  27

Picture Copyright © Pirelli

Sebastian Vettel returns to the top in second practice at Japan

Sebastian Vettel has returned to the top of the timing sheets during practice two ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, after yet another incident-filled session around the iconic Suzuka circuit. The German ace was followed by team-mate Mark Webber, with Nico Rosberg 3rd for the German marque.

After a busy opening practice session around the iconic Suzuka circuit in preparation for the 29th running of the Japanese Grand Prix, the teams and drivers soon returned to the track for the second practice session in a bid to continue with their preparations for the weekend ahead. Once again the circuit was bathed in glorious sunshine and clear blue skies, despite a minor threat of rain earlier in the week.

Due to his heavy incident during the early stages of the opening practice session, Jules Bianchi was unable to partake in the second session. The incident in question damaged the Frenchman’s chassis, which would in turn require a lengthy rebuild overnight. After ceding his seat to reserve driver Heikki Kovalainen, Caterham’s Charles Pic returned to his driving duties in the afternoon alongside team-mate Giedo van der Garde.

Unlike the opening practice session there was no immediate hurry to take to the Suzuka circuit, with the Williams of Pastor Maldonado eventually becoming the first driver to leave the confines of the pit-lane. The Venezuelan ace was quickly followed out by both Max Chilton and Nico Hulkenberg, as the Williams driver produced the first timed lap of the session with a 01:36.722. Nico Hulkenberg instantly lowered the benchmark in his Ferrari-powered Sauber, by producing a 01:36.625.

As more drivers began taking to the track, the benchmark at the top quickly began to tumble as the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Romain Grosjean and then Sebastian Vettel rose to the top with the latter setting a 01:34.746 as Adrian Sutil cut the final chicane in his Force India. Despite quickly managing to rise to the top, reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel’s reign was relatively short-lived as Nico Rosberg proceeded to thwart his fellow countryman with a 01:34.690 as team-mate Lewis Hamilton slotted neatly into 2nd position.

After becoming the first driver to take to the track in his Renault-powered Williams, Pastor Maldonado’s session was soon brought to a premature conclusion after the Venezuelan driver carried way too much speed into Turn 9 and slammed heavily into the retaining tyre barrier. This destroyed the front-right of the car, and saw Pastor Maldonado become the third victim of Turn 9 along with Jules Bianchi Giedo van der Garde earlier in the day. Although the stricken Williams was quickly cleared, another incident occurred at the back of the circuit when Sergio Perez lost control of the rear of his McLaren and slammed into the retaining tyre wall at Turn 13.

The resulting impact initially shook the Mexican youngster, who was quick to inform the team that he was ok over the radio. Eventually Sergio Perez removed himself from the cockpit of his stricken McLaren, as the ever-efficient marshals began to clear away the car. This also sparked the end of Sergio Perez’s day, in what was becoming yet another incident-filled session at Suzuka. Whilst the two incidents occurred for both Pastor Maldonado and Sergio Perez, Red Bull ace Sebastian Vettel had managed to return to the top with a 01:34.487.

As some teams and drivers began shifting their focus to heavy fuel race simulations, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso came extremely close to becoming the next victim of Turn 9. The two-time Champion thoroughly clattered the kerb on the entry to the corner, which in turn assisted in tipping him into a perilous spin which he managed to masterfully control and keep out of the barriers. Meanwhile the times at the top were continuing to tumble, as both Mark Webber and then Sebastian Vettel lowered the benchmark even further with the reigning Champion producing a 01:33.852 to make it a Red Bull 1-2 at the top.

In traditional practice two fashion the majority of the teams and drivers soon found themselves engrossed in high fuel race simulation work, with the times at the top remaining rather unchanged as the session began to draw to a close. However, minor mistakes continued to ensued up and down the paddock, as Kimi Raikkonen spun out in his Lotus at Turn 7 and became frustratingly beached in his Lotus. Even Sebastian Vettel ran slightly wide at Turn 13, along with Esteban Gutierrez in the Sauber however both drivers managed to avoid collision with the barriers. Paul di Resta spun at the final chicane in his Force India, however the Scotsman was able to continue circulating.

Due largely to the focus on high fuel runs during the latter half of the session, Sebastian Vettel’s pace remained unchallenged as the session drew to a conclusion. Once again minor mistakes were carried out by many drivers up and down the paddock, from the likes of Nico Rosberg and Max Chilton. Both Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull looked incredibly competitive at the sharp-end of the order, with the German unquestionably aiming for his fifth successive victory on Sunday.

The teams and drivers will return to the iconic Suzuka circuit for one final practice session on Saturday morning, where the focus will once again switch from high fuel race simulations to low fuel qualifying runs as the teams finalize their preparations for the qualifying hour. Sebastian Vettel will undoubtedly head into qualifying as the favourite for pole, with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg hot on his heels.

Picture Copyright © Pirelli

Hamilton remains ahead of Vettel after second practice at Korea

Lewis Hamilton has managed to remain ahead of Championship leader Sebastian Vettel after the second practice session ahead of the Korean Grand Prix, with the leading duo finishing only just ahead of the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg. The top eight were separated by only a second, with a competitive battle between Mercedes and Red Bull emerging at the front.

After a frenetic opening practice session ahead of the Korean Grand Prix, the Formula 1 teams and drivers returned to the Korea International Circuit for the second practice session in the afternoon to continue with their preparations ahead of the race on Sunday. Both Paul di Resta and Jules Bianchi returned to their respective teams for the second session, after relinquishing their seats’ for their reserve drivers during practice one. Once the session got underway, Jules Bianchi was quick to become the first driver to take to the circuit, as many drivers immediately elected to begin producing timed laps.

As more drivers gradually took to the Korea International Circuit, Jules Bianchi set the first timed lap of the session with a 01:45.027. Unlike the morning session where many drivers elected to carry out the their traditional installation laps, the times quickly began to tumble during the early stages of the second practice session. Pastor Maldonado momentarily thwarted Jules Bianchi’s initial benchmark, before Jean-Eric Vergne stormed to the top for Toro Rosso with a 01:42.310. Nico Hulkenberg soon continued the trend of lowering the benchmark during the early stages of the session with a 01:41.191, before Sergio Perez and then Sebastian Vettel stormed to the top with an even quicker 01:39.696.

Eventually the entire field had produced a timed lap during the opening half of the second practice session, including the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen after his earlier incident. Mark Webber rose to the top for Red Bull with a 01:39.598 as the session progressed, before Lewis Hamilton once again asserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:39.510 for the German marque. As preparations continued up and down the paddock, Mark Webber, Nico Hulkenberg and Giedo van der Garde became the first drivers to opt for Pirelli’s super-soft tyre compound. This understandably saw Mark Webber rise to the top with a 01:38.844, before Lewis Hamilton quickly returned to the top with the Briton also sporting Pirelli’s softer tyre compound.

Whilst Sebastian Vettel rose to the sharp end of the order, albeit behind the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, Mexican rookie Esteban Gutierrez spun at Turn 1. The Sauber driver simply lost control of the rear of his C32 machine upon the apex of the corner, yet managed to continue circulating despite momentarily disabling the first DRS zone. Eventually Sebastian Vettel opted for the super-soft tyre compound on his Red Bull, however the German was still unable to thwart to pace of the Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes. Shortly after his first run on the softer compound, Vettel unexpectedly returned to the pits with a suspected KERS issue.

As the second session gradually drew to a conclusion, the classification remained relatively unchanged due largely to the focus on heavy fuel runs in preparation for the race on Sunday. Charles Pic also spun during the final minutes in his Caterham at Turn 9, however the Frenchman was able to avoid the barriers and managed to continue circulating albeit after a trip through the grass. Eventually the checkered flag was unfurled to signal the end of the second practice session, with Lewis Hamilton once again fastest ahead of Sebastian Vettel and team-mate Nico Rosberg. The 2008 World Champion will understandably be keen on continuing his pace at the front into tomorrow’s final practice session, as preparations for qualifying intensify.

Pos Driver                Team                   Time        Gap    Laps
 1. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes               1m38.673s           31
 2. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault       1m38.781s  +0.108s  30
 3. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes               1m38.797s  +0.124s  32
 4. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault       1m38.844s  +0.171s  35
 5. Felipe Massa          Ferrari                1m39.114s  +0.441s  30
 6. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault          1m39.226s  +0.553s  34
 7. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari                1m39.444s  +0.771s  31
 8. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault          1m39.757s  +1.084s  33
 9. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes       1m39.774s  +1.101s  29
10. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes   1m40.006s  +1.333s  34
11. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes   1m40.007s  +1.334s  34
12. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes       1m40.152s  +1.479s  31
13. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari         1m40.186s  +1.513s  33
14. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari         1m40.210s  +1.537s  34
15. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m40.446s  +1.773s  30
16. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m40.552s  +1.879s  26
17. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault       1m41.117s  +2.444s  35
18. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault       1m41.289s  +2.616s  34
19. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault       1m42.461s  +3.788s  36
20. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault       1m42.798s  +4.125s  35
21. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth      1m43.108s  +4.435s  31
22. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth      1m43.441s  +4.768s  29

Picture Copyright © Mercedes AMG Petronas

Nico Rosberg Fastest After Productive Second Practice At Silverstone

Nico Rosberg has ended the second practice session fastest for Mercedes, in what was unquestionably a highly productive 90 minutes of track action for the majority of the field after the washout that was practice one. The German ace was followed at the top by the Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.

After the atrociously wet conditions during the opening practice session earlier in the morning, the Formula 1 paddock was treated to improving weather conditions over the Silverstone circuit for the second practice session. Although the track was still slightly damp in places, the lack of rainfall meant only intermediate tyres were called upon by the drivers in the opening few minutes of the session. The Red Bull duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber were the first to take to the track at the start of the session, with the reigning Champion producing the first timed lap with a 01:44.038.

Although the majority of the drivers elected for Pirelli’s Cinturato intermediate tyres, Jules Bianchi played it safe during the early stages of the session after electing for the full wet tyre compound in his Marussia. Sebastian Vettel’s reign over proceedings was short-lived, as Valtteri Bottas stormed to the top for Williams with a 01:43.929. Nico Hulkenberg momentarily rose to the top for Sauber, before local hero Paul di Resta rose to the top for Force India with a 01:43.207. With the track conditions improving greatly by the minute, Jean-Eric Vergne became the first driver to switch to slick tyres, which enabled the Frenchman to rise straight to the top for Toro Rosso with a 01:41.868, a time he improved upon next time around with a 01:37.102.

As the second session progressed, the Force India duo of Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta traded fastest times at the top as the Silverstone-based outfit strive for a competitive weekend on home soil. Adrian Sutil eventually worked his way down to a 01:35.677, before Mark Webber lowered the benchmark even further with a 01:34.648. Despite the improving weather conditions, Felipe Massa found himself spearing towards the barrier once again in his Ferrari. The Brazilian driver sustained light damage to the front of his machine, in what was his third successive incident for Ferrari since Monaco.

After Felipe Massa’s stricken Ferrari was cleared by the ever-efficient Silverstone marshals, Nico Rosberg stormed to the top of the timing sheets for Mercedes with a 01:34.327. As the German improved upon his time at the top, team-mate Lewis Hamilton slotted into 2nd position for the German marque to create a Mercedes 1-2 at the top. However, the outfit’s reign at the top was quickly quelled by the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo who produced a highly competitive 01:33.550 as light rain once again began to fall upon the Silverstone circuit.

Adrian Sutil once again returned to the top for Force India as the session progressed, as Jean-Eric Vergne, Romain Grosjean, Charles Pic, Sebastian Vettel and Giedo van der Garde all became the first drivers to switch to Pirelli’s P Zero medium tyres. On the softer rubber, Sebastian Vettel blitzed the timing screens with a 01:33.068, improving a lap later with a 01:32.680. However, Nico Rosberg continued to improve for Mercedes, producing a 01:32.248 to return to the top as the majority of the field turned their attention on high-fuel runs in preparation for the race on Sunday.

As the session drew to a conclusion, the majority of the order remained unchanged with Nico Rosberg leading the Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel at the front. Paul di Resta managed to finish an impressive 4th ahead of fellow countryman Lewis Hamilton, in what was a highly productive session in comparison to the morning period. The drivers will be hoping the rain stays away from the Silverstone circuit for the remainder of the weekend, as they strive to enjoy as much dry running as possible in the build-up to the all-important race on Sunday.

Pos Driver                Team                  Time      Gap        Laps
 1. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes              1m32.248s             33
 2. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault      1m32.547s  + 0.299s   26
 3. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault      1m32.680s  + 0.432s   31
 4. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes  1m32.832s  + 0.584s   34
 5. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes              1m32.911s  + 0.663s   28
 6. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m33.171s  + 0.923s   34
 7. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m33.290s  + 1.042s   38
 8. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes  1m33.313s  + 1.065s   34
 9. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault         1m33.322s  + 1.074s   38
10. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari               1m33.494s  + 1.246s   32
11. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes      1m33.740s  + 1.492s   29
12. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari        1m33.896s  + 1.648s   36
13. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault         1m34.120s  + 1.872s   30
14. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes      1m34.130s  + 1.882s   29
15. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari        1m34.998s  + 2.750s   32
16. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault      1m35.070s  + 2.822s   29
17. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault      1m35.127s  + 2.879s   35
18. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth     1m35.802s  + 3.554s   27
19. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault      1m35.984s  + 3.736s   32
20. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault      1m36.079s  + 3.831s   35
21. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth     1m37.329s  + 5.081s   33
22. Felipe Massa          Ferrari               1m43.466s  + 11.218s   7

Picture Copyright © Getty Images

 

Nico Rosberg Continues To Assert His Authority At Monaco

Nico Rosberg has continued to assert his authority over proceedings around the legendary Monte-Carlo street circuit, with the German leading a Mercedes 1-2 ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton. The duo were followed by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, after yet another intriguing practice session ahead of the race on Sunday.

Once again the Formula 1 teams and drivers were welcomed back to the Monte-Carlo street circuit by glorious sunshine blue skies over the legendary circuit. Unlike the slow start to proceedings during the opening practice session, the teams and drivers immediately elected to complete timed laps with the Sauber duo once again becoming the first to take to the circuit.

Esteban Gutierrez therefore once again became the first driver to set a timed lap for Sauber, with a 01:24.850. However, the Mexican’s early benchmark was unsurprisingly instantly bettered by Max Chilton, who produced a 01:22.121. Monaco expert Pastor Maldonado soon rose to the top for Williams with a 01:18.863, before team-mate Valtteri Bottas did likewise with a 01:18.360. The times naturally continued to tumble throughout the opening stages of the session, with Sergio Perez, Kimi Raikkonen and then Romain Grosjean rising to the top with the latter setting a 01:16.999 and continuing his competitiveness from the opening session.

Nico Rosberg momentarily rose to the top for Mercedes, before Romain Grosjean instantly returned to the top with a 01:16.096. However, the Frenchman’s reign was brought to a end when Nico Rosberg continued to improve for Mercedes with a 01:15.843. Fernando Alonso became the next driver to assert his authority over proceedings with a 01:15.519, as Sebastian Vettel finally took to the track after his mechanics carried out several major setup changes to his Red Bull machine.

Eventually Daniel Ricciardo, Jean-Eric Vergne and Kimi Raikkonen became the first drivers to opt for Pirelli’s super-soft tyre compound, as Nico Rosberg continued to improve at the top with a 01:14.759. After setting scintillating lap times throughout the opening session, Romain Grosjean came unstuck at Turn 1 as he slammed into the retaining tyre barrier and destroyed the front-left of his Lotus. This caused the Monaco marshals to expertly retrieve his stricken machine, with the session remaining green despite a local yellow.

The session was then momentarily red flagged, after a piece of kerb became damaged at Turn 13 forcing the marshals to carry out a quick fix. The delay was short-lived, as the kerb was almost instantly fixed allowing the session to resume with Nico Rosberg and Adrian Sutil becoming the first two drivers to return to the circuit.

As proceedings were resumed, the majority of the field elected to begin carrying out long-fuel race simulations in preparation for the race on Sunday. This resulted in very little action in relation to the timing screens, as Nico Rosberg remained at the top as the session progressed with team-mate Lewis Hamilton a close 2nd ahead of the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso. Whilst the drivers completed their race simulations, many missed the apex at Turn 10 including the likes of Adrian Sutil, Giedo van der Garde, Mark Webber, Valtteri Bottas and Max Chilton.

After a productive opening day of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Nico Rosberg and Mercedes managed to finish both sessions fastest. Lewis Hamilton followed his team-mate in 2nd position at the end of practice two, with the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso 3rd for the Scuderia. The teams and drivers will not return to the Monte-Carlo street circuit until Saturday morning for the third and final practice session.

Pos Driver                Team                   Time       Gap     Laps
 1. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes               1m14.759s            45
 2. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes               1m15.077s  + 0.318s  50
 3. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari                1m15.196s  + 0.437s  37
 4. Felipe Massa          Ferrari                1m15.278s  + 0.519s  38
 5. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault       1m15.404s  + 0.645s  41
 6. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault          1m15.511s  + 0.752s  38
 7. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault          1m15.718s  + 0.959s  10
 8. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes       1m15.959s  + 1.200s  39
 9. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault       1m16.014s  + 1.255s  32
10. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes   1m16.046s  + 1.287s  42
11. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes   1m16.349s  + 1.590s  43
12. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes       1m16.434s  + 1.675s  40
13. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari         1m16.823s  + 2.064s  42
14. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault       1m16.857s  + 2.098s  40
15. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari         1m16.935s  + 2.176s  44
16. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m17.145s  + 2.386s  37
17. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m17.184s  + 2.425s  42
18. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault       1m17.264s  + 2.505s  46
19. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth      1m17.892s  + 3.133s  40
20. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault       1m18.212s  + 3.453s  43
21. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth      1m18.784s  + 4.025s  40
22. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault       1m19.031s  + 4.272s  30

Picture Copyright © Getty Images

Sebastian Vettel Returns To The Top In Second Practice At Spain

Reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel returned to the top during second practice ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix for Red Bull, in a dry session which saw the German finish ahead of the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso. Mark Webber ended the session 3rd overall, after a frenetic day of track action.

After the damp start to the weekend during the opening practice session earlier in the morning, the teams and drivers were greeted with glorious sunshine and a dry track for the start of the second practice session. As the session got underway, reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel became the first driver to take to the track for Red Bull, along with many other drivers all eager to take to the dry Circuit de Catalunya. The Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg set the initial benchmark with a 01:27.063, as many drivers opted to set timed laps as soon as possible rather than complete installation laps.

As more drivers gradually took to the track, the benchmark at the top began to tumble as the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Esteban Gutierrez and Jean-Eric Vergne rose to the top with the latter setting a 01:25.705. Daniel Ricciardo momentarily returned to the top for Toro Rosso, before 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton asserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:23.900. Nico Rosberg was quick to thwart his team-mate and rise to the top, as Lewis Hamilton spun at Turn 11 in his quest for more speed in his Mercedes.

Jean-Eric Vergne became the first driver to switch to Pirelli’s medium tyre compound as the session progressed, and was quickly followed by the likes of Mark Webber who stormed to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:23.112 with team-mate Sebastian Vettel a close 2nd still on the hard tyre compound. Local hero Fernando Alonso continued to please his adoring fans, as the Spaniard went fastest with a 01:23.030 on the hard tyre compound as Nico Rosberg out-broke himself and ran wide at Turns 1 and 2.

Despite Ferrari’s reign of supremacy throughout the morning period, Red Bull were quick to make their mark on proceedings once again when Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel rose to the top in quick succession, with the latter setting a 01:22.808. The German’s time remained unchallenged as the session panned out, with the majority of the drivers focusing on long fuel runs in preparation for the race on Sunday.

Yet another tyre failure struck during the closing stages of the second session, this time plaguing the Force India of Paul di Resta. As the Scotsman exited the final corner, his left-rear tyre completely shredded itself forcing him to park his Mercedes-powered machine at the side of the track down the start/finish straight. The same issue struck Lewis Hamilton towards latter stages of practice last time out in Bahrain, with tyres set to remain the focal point of the track action this weekend.

As the checkered flag emerged signaling the end of the session, Sebastian Vettel ended ahead of the Ferrari of local sensation Fernando Alonso, with the German’s team-mate Mark Webber a close 3rd. The top three were separated by only +0.083 seconds, setting the scene for what will surely be a closely fought Spanish Grand Prix weekend. The teams and drivers were naturally continue crunching the numbers well into the evening, before the final practice session tomorrow morning prior to the all-important qualifying hour.

Pos Driver                Team                  Time      Gap       Laps
 1. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault      1m22.808s            34
 2. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari               1m22.825s  + 0.017s  35
 3. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault      1m22.891s  + 0.083s  36
 4. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault         1m23.030s  + 0.222s  32
 5. Felipe Massa          Ferrari               1m23.110s  + 0.302s  37
 6. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes              1m23.140s  + 0.332s  35
 7. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes              1m23.398s  + 0.590s  45
 8. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes  1m23.840s  + 1.032s  37
 9. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m24.058s  + 1.250s  31
10. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes  1m24.104s  + 1.296s  25
11. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m24.175s  + 1.367s  32
12. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes      1m24.306s  + 1.498s  35
13. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes      1m24.854s  + 2.046s  31
14. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault      1m24.888s  + 2.080s  38
15. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari        1m25.167s  + 2.359s  38
16. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault      1m25.321s  + 2.513s  32
17. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari        1m25.441s  + 2.633s  37
18. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault         1m25.851s  + 3.043s  35
19. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault      1m25.963s  + 3.155s  30
20. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth     1m26.078s  + 3.270s  31
21. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault      1m26.930s  + 4.122s  35
22. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth     1m26.970s  + 4.162s  25

Picture Copyright © Getty Images

Kimi Raikkonen Leads Red Bull After Second Practice At Bahrain

Kimi Raikkonen has ended the second practice session fastest overall, ahead of the Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. The Finn displayed a strong race simulation pace, which could see him master a two-stop strategy during the race on Sunday.

After a light rain shower between the two practice sessions, the second session began with overcast weather conditions over the Bahrain International Circuit. Despite the earlier rain, the heat meant the track was still bone dry as the Marussia duo of Max Chilton and Jules Bianchi took to the track as the session turned green. The Briton set the initial pace for the Banbury-based outfit, with a 01:41.419. However, the times quickly began to tumble as the likes of Giedo van der Garde, Jenson Button and Sergio Perez all rose to the top.

As more drivers gradually took to the Bahrain International Circuit, several drivers including Pastor Maldonado and Lewis Hamilton made minor mistakes and ran off of the track as they pushed too hard in their respective machines. Jenson Button managed to momentarily return to the top of the timing sheets for McLaren, before the Red Bull of Mark Webber displaced the former World Champion with a 01:34.664. Sebastian Vettel struggled to match his team-mates pace early on, as the reigning World Champion ran extensively wide at Turns 14 and 15, therefore ruining his timed lap.

Fernando Alonso became one of the first drivers to opt for Pirelli’s medium tyre compound as the session progressed, which in return saw the Spaniard storm to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:34.317 for the Scuderia. Felipe Massa slotted into 3rd position behind Alonso and Webber, as Ferrari continued their strong display of pace around the circuit. Mark Webber soon joined the two-time Champion on the medium tyres, and subsequently set a 01:34.184 to leapfrog the Ferrari driver.

Many drivers soon decided that the medium tyres were the way ahead, as the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton carried out the switch. Esteban Gutierrez’s poor start to the season continued at Turn 8, when the Mexican rookie ran wide and made minor contact with the Caterham of Charles Pic who was in the process of allowing the GP2 graduate through. This caused a front-left puncture for Gutierrez, who was forced to limp back to the pits.

Kimi Raikkonen rose to the top for Lotus with a 01:34.154, as the Enstone-based outfit continued to work well with Pirelli’s unpredictable P Zero tyre compounds. All of the drivers unsurprisingly elected to run race simulations as the second practice session wore on, with Lotus and Ferrari in particular standing out as looking competitive for the race. Felipe Massa ran a touch wide on the exit of Turn 7, as the majority of the drivers still continued to push over the limit in a bid to fully prepare themselves for the weekend ahead.

As the session drew to a close, Kimi Raikkonen’s time at the top of the timing sheets remained unbeaten, as the former World Champion ended the session ahead of the Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. The Finn’s race simulation throughout the session indicated that he could carry out a two-stop race strategy on Sunday, which could well enable him to secure his first ever victory around the Bahrain International Circuit. However, both Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso can never be discounted, and the battle at the front will inevitably be close once proceedings continue tomorrow morning during practice three.

Pos Driver                Team                   Time      Gap       Laps
 1. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault          1m34.154s             31
 2. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault       1m34.184s  + 0.030s   26
 3. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault       1m34.282s  + 0.128s   29
 4. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari                1m34.310s  + 0.156s   28
 5. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes   1m34.543s  + 0.389s   35
 6. Felipe Massa          Ferrari                1m34.552s  + 0.398s   34
 7. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault          1m34.631s  + 0.477s   33
 8. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes               1m34.666s  + 0.512s   37
 9. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes   1m34.932s  + 0.778s   33
10. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes               1m34.976s  + 0.822s   29
11. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes       1m35.356s  + 1.202s   32
12. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m35.506s  + 1.352s   36
13. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes       1m35.5$9s  + 1.435s   36
14. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m35.761s  + 1.607s   33
15. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari         1m36.133s  + 1.979s   36
16. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault       1m36.279s  + 2.125s   33
17. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault       1m36.579s  + 2.425s   28
18. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari         1m36.616s  + 2.462s   34
19. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault       1m37.061s  + 2.907s   32
20. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth      1m37.313s  + 3.159s   33
21. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth      1m37.363s  + 3.209s   29
22. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault       1m37.970s  + 3.816s   34

Picture Copyright © Lotus F1 Team