2014 Chinese Grand Prix Friday - Practice
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Magnussen goes second for McLaren, 0.104s slower than Kvyat.
We've had 12 cars out so far, still waiting to see Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Williams, Gutierrez and Hulkenberg.
Grosjean sets 'purple' times in the first and third sectors, but is only third overall, 0.4s off Kvyat and 0.001s off Vergne.
Raikkonen looks poised to join the action. He desperately needs to make up for the laps he lost this morning.
Stopwatch
Daniil Kvyat now goes fastest with a 1m41.279s, with Toro Rosso team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne slotting into second.
Stopwatch
Adrian Sutil is our initial pacesetter on a 1m45.104s. He had to hand his Sauber to reserve driver Giedo van der Garde this morning so is in catch-up mode.
Drivers ran on the medium tyres in FP1 and struggled to get heat into them, but they should find the going a little easier when they switch to the softer option in this afternoon's session.
Green flag
We're underway for practice two, with Pastor Maldonado and Jules Bianchi first to exit the pitlane.
Marginally warmer conditions this afternoon, with air and track temperatures 14 and 21 degrees Celsius respectively.
Five minutes to go until practice two. Practice one was all about Ferrari: the new boss turned up (and kept his sunglasses on), Alonso was quickest, but Raikkonen didn't run at all due to a technical problem.
Hamilton was eighth fastest overall in FP1 and could only complete nine laps. The reason?
"It was a suspension issue this morning that limited running," says Mercedes. "Hoping to be back out in FP2!"
"It was a suspension issue this morning that limited running," says Mercedes. "Hoping to be back out in FP2!"
We're expecting the full explanation from the FIA of its rejection of Red Bull's appeal to be published at some point today.
The team contended that Daniel Ricciardo's car had stayed within the fuel-flow limits based on its own data during the Australian GP, but the court disagreed.
Here's EDD STRAW's summary of how events unfolded in court, and his analysis of what the judgement means for F1.
Meanwhile Red Bull has made clear it will be sticking to what the fuel sensors say from now on - even when it thinks they're not working...
The team contended that Daniel Ricciardo's car had stayed within the fuel-flow limits based on its own data during the Australian GP, but the court disagreed.
Here's EDD STRAW's summary of how events unfolded in court, and his analysis of what the judgement means for F1.
Meanwhile Red Bull has made clear it will be sticking to what the fuel sensors say from now on - even when it thinks they're not working...
EDD STRAW: "Track temperature is up to 21C now, that's slightly warmer than this morning's first session. Ambient up to 14C. Again, tyre warm-up will be a challenge."
Just over half an hour to go until practice two begins. Last year it was Massa setting the pace in this session for Ferrari, with a 1m35.340s.
Meanwhile dawn is breaking across Europe, which means several major racing paddocks are stirring into life.
There's a huge amount going on around the racing world over the next three days, and in AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live you'll be able to follow commentary and updates from the British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park, the World Touring Car Championship and Auto GP at Paul Ricard, the Blancpain Sprint Series at Nogaro, and top of the bill, the opening round of the World Endurance Championship at Silverstone.
With Porsche, the 2014 WEC is hugely anticipated. In fact, according to AUTOSPORT's sportscar specialist GARY WATKINS, it's "the most eagerly-anticipated season of international sportscar racing ever":
WEC 2014: a sportscar fan's dream
Meanwhile dawn is breaking across Europe, which means several major racing paddocks are stirring into life.
There's a huge amount going on around the racing world over the next three days, and in AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live you'll be able to follow commentary and updates from the British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park, the World Touring Car Championship and Auto GP at Paul Ricard, the Blancpain Sprint Series at Nogaro, and top of the bill, the opening round of the World Endurance Championship at Silverstone.
With Porsche, the 2014 WEC is hugely anticipated. In fact, according to AUTOSPORT's sportscar specialist GARY WATKINS, it's "the most eagerly-anticipated season of international sportscar racing ever":
WEC 2014: a sportscar fan's dream
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And here's long-time Maranello man Massa's view:
"Ferrari made some changes in a few months: me and some changes on the technical side as well.
"I have a great relationship with Stefano, I wish the best for him, I hope he has a great future even if it's not in Formula 1.
"He's a big professional and he can be very important for many different companies.
"I hope the best for Marco Mattiacci, who I know from Ferrari. He was working on the road cars.
"I hope he can help Ferrari to be better."
"Ferrari made some changes in a few months: me and some changes on the technical side as well.
"I have a great relationship with Stefano, I wish the best for him, I hope he has a great future even if it's not in Formula 1.
"He's a big professional and he can be very important for many different companies.
"I hope the best for Marco Mattiacci, who I know from Ferrari. He was working on the road cars.
"I hope he can help Ferrari to be better."
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Button has also had his say on Ferrari's appointment of Mattiacci, pointing out that it was an easier transition for McLaren's new racing chief Eric Boullier as he transferred from Lotus this year.
"It's different with everyone. Obviously with Eric, he's more experienced in Formula 1 whereas the guy who's taking over at Ferrari I don't think has that much experience of motor racing,
"But I don't think they would have employed him if they didn't think he was correct for the job and he'll be up to speed quickly.
"It's sad to see Stefano leave the sport, he's a real character and I got on with him very well, but this is a very tricky sport and a very competitive sport and when things aren't going right things need to change."
"It's different with everyone. Obviously with Eric, he's more experienced in Formula 1 whereas the guy who's taking over at Ferrari I don't think has that much experience of motor racing,
"But I don't think they would have employed him if they didn't think he was correct for the job and he'll be up to speed quickly.
"It's sad to see Stefano leave the sport, he's a real character and I got on with him very well, but this is a very tricky sport and a very competitive sport and when things aren't going right things need to change."
AUTOSPORT
There's plenty more from Button in this week's AUTOSPORT magazine, where the cover star speaks at length about his F1 career and prospects for the future, having passed the milestone of 250 grands prix last time out.
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Todt's visit to the paddock came as the spats over the 2014 F1 spectacle and sound were coming to a head. Thankfully all of that was overshadowed by the spectacular race that followed - which Jenson Button was still raving about when BEN ANDERSON heard from him yesterday:
"I thought it was great – one of the most exciting races I've watched," said Button.
"It was unusual to see team-by-team all the way down to 10th – apart from me! I enjoyed being in the mix.
"I don't know if it's going to happen again this year, but there was some really good team rivalries out there. It was close to the edge but it all looked pretty good.
"It was great for the sport. We've had too much talk about the sound of the cars, but nobody noticed they were quiet when the cars were fighting and people were cheering at the TV."
But will it be the same again this weekend...?
"Bahrain was strange because we don't normally see that much overtaking. It was good to see.
"The first two [in Australia and Malaysia] weren't fantastic but they never are.
"This one should be better with the long straight, but hopefully it won't be too easy. With they way the power unit works there should be other opportunities to use the extra power to throw it up the inside.
"It should be a good race, I just hope we're all close in pace because it makes it more fun."
"I thought it was great – one of the most exciting races I've watched," said Button.
"It was unusual to see team-by-team all the way down to 10th – apart from me! I enjoyed being in the mix.
"I don't know if it's going to happen again this year, but there was some really good team rivalries out there. It was close to the edge but it all looked pretty good.
"It was great for the sport. We've had too much talk about the sound of the cars, but nobody noticed they were quiet when the cars were fighting and people were cheering at the TV."
But will it be the same again this weekend...?
"Bahrain was strange because we don't normally see that much overtaking. It was good to see.
"The first two [in Australia and Malaysia] weren't fantastic but they never are.
"This one should be better with the long straight, but hopefully it won't be too easy. With they way the power unit works there should be other opportunities to use the extra power to throw it up the inside.
"It should be a good race, I just hope we're all close in pace because it makes it more fun."
Breaking news
FIA president Jean Todt was present at the last round in Bahrain, and as usual when a big chief is in the paddock, it doesn't take many words to trigger a host of major news stories.
One of Todt's revelations a fortnight ago was that F1's latest cost cap plan had been abandoned.
That prompted anger and concern from the smaller teams in particular, and JONATHAN NOBLE has been hearing more from Sauber chief Monisha Kaltenborn this weekend. Kaltenborn reckons the big teams needs to stop thinking of themselves and think of the sport...
Sauber: F1's big teams have cost-cut duty
One of Todt's revelations a fortnight ago was that F1's latest cost cap plan had been abandoned.
That prompted anger and concern from the smaller teams in particular, and JONATHAN NOBLE has been hearing more from Sauber chief Monisha Kaltenborn this weekend. Kaltenborn reckons the big teams needs to stop thinking of themselves and think of the sport...
Sauber: F1's big teams have cost-cut duty
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Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri Bottas was among the drivers absent from practice one as his Williams was in the hands of reserve driver Felipe Nasr.
But Bottas says missing the first session shouldn't be a huge handicap.
"Of course it's not ideal and it hurts a little bit but you just need to focus really well for FP2 and FP3 because in the end it is what it is and you can't change it.
"It's not a big problem so I'm not worried that it will hurt my performance on Sunday."
Back when it was Bottas on the Williams subs bench in 2012, he hopped in Bruno Senna's car on Friday mornings more often than not, which began to grate for the Brazilian after a while.
The expectation was that the news would be dominated by Mercedes' incredible intra-team Bahrain battle and the Red Bull Australian GP appeal hearing in the fortnight between Sakhir and Shanghai, but then Ferrari burst into the headlines on Monday with news of Stefano Domencali's shock departure.
His replacement Marco Mattiacci was swamped by photographers as he made his way into the paddock this morning during practice.
But Mattiacci's star employees seem nonplussed so far. Both Alonso and Raikkonen were quick to pay tribute to Domenicali when quizzed yesterday, and Raikkonen's "I don't know him. I've probably met him" summary of Mattiacci was pretty telling.
The F1 world gets to find out more about Mattiacci when he appears in the official press conference later today, and here are EDD STRAW's thoughts on why he got the nod:
ANALYSIS: Why Ferrari picked Mattiacci
His replacement Marco Mattiacci was swamped by photographers as he made his way into the paddock this morning during practice.
But Mattiacci's star employees seem nonplussed so far. Both Alonso and Raikkonen were quick to pay tribute to Domenicali when quizzed yesterday, and Raikkonen's "I don't know him. I've probably met him" summary of Mattiacci was pretty telling.
The F1 world gets to find out more about Mattiacci when he appears in the official press conference later today, and here are EDD STRAW's thoughts on why he got the nod:
ANALYSIS: Why Ferrari picked Mattiacci
This hasn't been a bad venue for Alonso over the years.
With two wins in China (2005 and last year), he ties Lewis Hamilton for the most Shanghai triumphs, and he's led more laps here than anyone else with 119 at the head of the field over the years (32 more than next-best man Hamilton).
Alonso and Button are the only drivers who have finished every single time in the 10 Chinese GPs held to date.
More Chinese GP stats on FORIX
With two wins in China (2005 and last year), he ties Lewis Hamilton for the most Shanghai triumphs, and he's led more laps here than anyone else with 119 at the head of the field over the years (32 more than next-best man Hamilton).
Alonso and Button are the only drivers who have finished every single time in the 10 Chinese GPs held to date.
More Chinese GP stats on FORIX
Breaking news
Alonso
Here's our comprehensive report from FP1, with Alonso beating Rosberg to the top spot in the opening session at the Chinese Grand Prix.
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Stick with us on AUTOSPORT Live as we keep you up to date with everything going on in China between now and FP2.
Raikkonen was the only driver not to set a timed lap due to a technical issue, while Vergne had the most productive morning with 26 laps under his belt.
Here's how the top six stacked up in that first session:
1 Alonso 1m39.783s
2 Rosberg +0.398s
3 Ricciardo +0.989s
4 Button +1.187s
5 Hulkenberg +1.392s
6 Magnussen +1.583s
1 Alonso 1m39.783s
2 Rosberg +0.398s
3 Ricciardo +0.989s
4 Button +1.187s
5 Hulkenberg +1.392s
6 Magnussen +1.583s
Checkered flag
And with that, FP1 finishes with Alonso at the top of the timesheets, ahead of Rosberg and Ricciardo.
Grosjean is another man who runs wide at Turn 14.
Raikkonen clearly won't be out at all this morning.
Bianchi is making up for lost time and goes 18th, 0.2s behind Kobayashi and ahead of Gutierrez, Chilton, Ericsson and Raikkonen.
Massive lock-up for Kvyat as he approaches Turn 14. The Russian spins as a result but no harm done.
Marussia succeeds! Bianchi joins the session with seven minutes left.
The only other driver finding time at present is Gutierrez, who is creeping forward after his earlier clutch problems.
He is still behind Kobayashi's Caterham in 18th. Reserve driver van der Garde is 14th in the other Sauber.
He is still behind Kobayashi's Caterham in 18th. Reserve driver van der Garde is 14th in the other Sauber.
Best lap so far from Williams number three Nasr, who does a 1m42.265s and goes up to 13th. Massa is 10th in the sister car.
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Marussia says it is "pushing like mad to get Jules out on track" at the end of this session.
Rosberg improves and reduces Alonso's advantage to 0.398s. The second-placed Mercedes is now on 1m39.783s.
Perez isn't running at the moment due to a reported DRS problem with his rear wing.
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Temperature update, courtesy of Caterham:
"The official air temp has gone up by a mighty 1c from 13 to 14... while track temps are positively racing up from 18 to 21c!"
"The official air temp has gone up by a mighty 1c from 13 to 14... while track temps are positively racing up from 18 to 21c!"
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Ricciardo is told to "get stuck into these tyres on the first lap," as he embarks upon a race-like run.
Pacesetter Alonso is among the other cars back on track.
By: Matt Beer, Dan Cross, Ben Anderson, Edd Straw, Glenn Freeman, Pablo Elizalde
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