Russian GP Friday practice
By: Geoff Creighton
Summary
Verstappen fastest for Red Bull in FP2 as team-mate Albon suffers problems | |
Leclerc second after topping the morning session, Vettel fifth | |
Bottas the fastest Mercedes driver in third, Hamilton fourth |
Status: Stopped
Here's the session report, with Verstappen on top! We'll see you tomorrow for FP3 and qualifying at Sochi!
And the rest: 11 Norris; 12 Kvyat; 13 Magnussen; 14 Ricciardo; 15 Raikkonen; 16 Grosjean; 17 Sainz; 18 Giovinazzi; 19 Russell; 20 Kubica.
Final order: 1 Verstappen; 2 Leclerc; 3 Bottas; 4 Hamilton; 5 Vettel; 6 Gasly; 7 Perez; 8 Hulkenberg; 9 Stroll; 10 Albon
Magnussen is told he has an issue right at the end of the session, and to cruise back to the pits (which he has done).
"******* Force India" says Leclerc. We've made that mistake in the heat of the moment plenty of times too, Charles.
Verstappen remains out on his own in the 1m38s. With five minutes on the clock, he's told his current lap will be his last.
Albon is back on track, but almost immediately in trouble as Hamilton catches him at speed accelerating through Turn 3. There's a deep intake of breath as the Mercedes driver gets a wobble on when running over the kerb, but he keeps it together.
Red Bull reckons it's seen enough from Verstappen on mediums, and switches the current pacesetter onto a pair of softs for the final 12 minutes of the session.
Hamilton's latest effort on softs is a 1m40.188s which is better, but still a bit off what Verstappen and (to a lesser extent) Leclerc are managing.
Verstappen sets a 1m39.429s after a slow lap, which is three tenths faster than Leclerc's latest effort.
Perez and Hulkenberg are setting pretty similar times in the midfield. They're both in the low-1m40s.
Kvyat reports "again, anti-stall". He first experienced that going over the kerb at Turn 2 early on in the session.
Right, long runs. Leclerc's first lap was a 1m40s, but his second is a 1m39.659s. Vettel matched that to the thousandth on his first lap on softs.
Gasly's team radio was slightly muffled, but Kvyat was quick to check in and said, "Sorry I didn't see him".
Replays show the Toro Rossos getting perilously close on-track. It's even possible Gasly tagged the rear of Kvyat, who had just come out of the pits, exiting Turns 2 and 3.
Steady stream of cars out on track now. Most have gone for softs, but Ferrari has split its running for now. Vettel has that red-walled rubber, while Leclerc is on yellow-walled mediums (as is Verstappen).
Some news elsewhere while there's a bit of an on-track lull. Former Williams, McLaren and Red Bull driver and 13-time grand prix winner David Coulthard has been elected president of the BRDC.
And the rest: 11 Kvyat; 12 Magnussen; 13 Ricciardo; 14 Raikkonen; 15 Grosjean; 16 Sainz; 17 Albon; 18 Giovinazzi; 19 Russell; 20 Kubica.
Qualifying simulations done, here's how the order stands: 1 Verstappen; 2 Leclerc +0.335s; 3 Bottas +0.776s; 4 Hamilton +0.991s; 5 Vettel +1.039s; 6 Gasly +1.809s; 7 Perez +1.836s; 8 Hulkenberg +1.864s; 9 Stroll +2.014s; 10 Norris +2.061s
Bottas forfeits close to half a second down on Verstappen through the first sector alone on his fast lap.
Hmm. While one Red Bull sits at the top of the times, the other is sat on stilts in the garage. Albon is out of the car, which looks like it's going nowhere fast.
Hamilton is the best part of a second down on Verstappen on his first timed lap on softs, which puts him third.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves; remember, all four Honda-powered drivers have grid penalties here.
"Not a perfect last sector, but yeah," says Verstappen, who sounds more underwhelmed than wowed by his lap.
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