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By: Geoff Creighton

Summary

Status: Stopped
Here's our report from that session, while we wait for more answers on what appears to be a misguided set-up direction for Mercedes on day one in Monaco:
Sebastian Vettel leads second Monaco GP practice for Ferrari
 
 
 
 
Button has caused some amusement by mugging Hamilton around the outside into the chicane. A bold pass, especially for free practice!
Chequered flag for FP2. Vettel ends the day 0.487s clear of Ricciardo, while both Mercedes drivers finish up more than one second off the pace.
If the drivers think traffic is bad now - just wait for the closing moments of FP3, and then Q1, when we're likely to have all 20 cars trying to get a quick lap in.
"People still drive like ****s, nothing's changed," says Button on the radio.
Don't expect any proper laptime "chasing" from Mercedes - Hamilton and Bottas have been into the pits, and while the Finn has rejoined, he's on used ultra-softs.
 
"I've got a Ferrari blocking me," says Verstappen. Traffic in Monaco is not particularly newsworthy, is it.
We're into the final 10 minutes of the session. Mercedes has tweeted that it's heading back out to "chase those laptimes" on super-softs, but whether that is on high or low fuel or not, we'll find out shortly. Vettel's 0.5s advantage at the head of the field is unlikely to be under threat in the final minutes of FP2, on a day that has looked very good for Ferrari (and Red Bull, and Toro Rosso).
Button asks how he can "turn off the DRS beeps" - maybe that's a function that's changed from last year's car.
And here's further evidence of VET's dominance so far<br><br>Full house of FASTEST SECTORS for the four-time world champion<br><br><a href='https://twitter.com/search?q=%23MonacoGP&src=hash'>#MonacoGP</a>  <a href='https://twitter.com/search?q=%23FP2&src=hash'>#FP2</a>  ???????? <a href=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DArL3cqXsAAlgDH.jpg"/>

And here's further evidence of VET's dominance so far

Full house of FASTEST SECTORS for the four-time world champion

#MonacoGP #FP2 ???????? https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DArL3cqXsAAlgDH.jpg

Verstappen isn't happy with his car, and its downshifts, calling it "unbelievable".
Lance Stroll's tough rookie F1 season continues, as his mechanics have a repair job on their hands following that crash. © LAT

Lance Stroll's tough rookie F1 season continues, as his mechanics have a repair job on their hands following that crash. © LAT

Palmer was an early casualty in this session, see if you can guess why... © LAT

Palmer was an early casualty in this session, see if you can guess why... © LAT

 
 
We're into race simulation territory, with a busy track and lots of cars lapping 3-4s off the pace.
 
Mercedes is "just thinking of a plan" to find Hamilton some clear space.
 
Plenty of cars straight out, including both Mercedes drivers, who are more than one second off the pace as things stand.
 
 
We have a queue at the end of the pits, showing how keen everyone is, and now those cars are released back onto the track.
So we'll have 30 minutes of running left when the track is green again. Plenty of work for the teams to get on with, still.
The session will restart at the top of the hour.
The Williams is being lifted away, with its right-front wheel hanging off.
Red flag now, as replays show Stroll lost the rear at the top of the hill before sliding into the barriers.
Virtual safety car deployed with the Williams stuck in the barriers and Stroll out of the car, which came to rest by the apex of the right-hander.
Stroll has crashed at Casino Square.
Top 10: 1 Vettel, 2 Ricciardo, 3 Raikkonen, 4 Kvyat, 5 Sainz, 6 Verstappen, 7 Perez, 8 Hamilton, 9 Magnussen, 10 Bottas.
Ricciardo improves his own best seconds later, he's 0.5s adrift of Vettel in second.
With Hamilton back in the pits, and Mercedes possibly doing some head-scratching - Vettel finds another fractional improvement with a 1m12.720s.
 
Hamilton cuts the chicane, and heads back to the pits.
 

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