1. Mark Webber (RBR): 1:26.831
2. Sebastian Vettel (RBR): 1:27.158
3. Fernando Alonso (FER): 1:27.749
4. Nico Rosberg (MER): 1:28.152
5. Rubens Barrichello (WIL): 1:28.430
Comments:
The first car onto the practice track for 2011 was also the first car into a wall. Karun Chandhok, reserve driver for Team Lotus, accelerated too hard out of turn 6, resulting in him plowing into the wall to his right. It was a horrible start not just for the Indian driver, but also for Jarno Trulli, the man who's car Chandhok broke apart. Along with the Hispania Racing Team, the Lotus would not set a time in this practice session.
There was a scare for Sebastian Vettel, who returned to the pits after an eight lap stint, to find a portion of his front left tyre worn down to the canvas. It looked to be another excuse to scorn Pirelli for rapid tyre wear, but the lack of wear around the worn portion suggested contact with debris and not aggressive degradation.
Felipe Massa also managed to eat up his Pirelli's, but the reasons in his case were more obvious to see. Massa looked in trouble as he locked up on the approach to turn 6, but managed to keep the car out of danger, albeit at the cost of a chunk of left front tyre.
Red Bull started 2011 like they finished 2010, in winning fashion. Mark Webber became the first person to move under the 1:30 mark, and his teammate and World Champ Sebastian Vettel was never far behind. The pair continued to eat away at their times, eventually finishing over half a second in front of their closest rival from Ferrari, Fernando Alonso.
Had the 107% rule been applied, where those who fail to fall within 107% of the top qualifying time are excluded from the Grand Prix race, both Virgin drivers wouldn't have made the cut.
Session 2 Top Five:
Jenson Button: 1:25.854
Lewis Hamilton: 1:25.986
Fernando Alonso: 1:26.001
Sebastian Vettel: 1:26.014
Mark Webber: 1:26.283
Comments:
Rain was on the horizon at the start of the second practice session, but that didn't deter most teams having a run on the soft Pirelli compound.
Seven time World Champion Michael Schumacher drove his Mercedes into first place with the fastest time of the day, a 1:26.590. He was the lead time for several laps before the McLaren and Red Bull launched an assault on the leaderboard. Unlike session one, session two belonged to the McLarens of Button and Hamilton, who eventually would top the session with a 1-2 respectively. Red Bull looked content to let McLaren take those spots, using the remaining time to let the RB7 get solid track time and conserve rubber.
Competitive lap times dried up with about half an hour left. After some dominant times from the McLaren and Red Bull teams, most began to spend time simulating racing laps as opposed to qualifying laps, particularly when rain began to come down in drips and drops. Jarno Trulli managed to get his car off track for the second time in the day, but for the first time in his own hands.
Wet track was eventually declared by race control with just 8 minutes to go, and that brought most teams back into pit lane, bar a few willing to continue simulate racing conditions. Just as the wet track was declared, Maldonado piloted his Williams way off at turn 1. Luckily, the rain didn't set in and wreak further havoc on drivers still coming to grips with the new Pirelli's.
With just 2 minutes, Hispania Racing Team finally brought their car out for a run. Although the run was free from any technical hitches, their late start meant they were unable to set a time.
Heikki Kovaleinen took a tour into the sand at turn 6, narrowly missing the wall in a repeat of his team mate's detour earlier in the session.
Ferrari didn't really figure strongly throughout the day's practice, but little can be read from practice times. The cars will show their true colours come qualifying tomorrow.
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