Acropolis Rally, Mugello MotoGP weekend
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FR3.5 - Spa: As things dry out (for now) at Spa, the FR3.5 teams are getting ready for their second free practice session which kicks off around 35 minutes.
F3 FP1
European F3 - Spielberg: Here's a taster of the kind of weather the drivers have just been putting up with. That's three years out of three that it's been raining as AUTOSPORT has arrived on Friday for the DTM/F3 weekend here.
FR3.5 - Spa: This morning, local boy Stoffel Vandoorne led the way in wet conditions for Fortec. DAMS team-mates Kevin Magnussen and Norman Nato were next up. Carlos Huertas - who dominated the wet race at Aragon - took fourth, ahead of Carlos Sainz Jr, who only made his debut in this series last weekend in Monaco.
FR3.5 - Spa: Sainz's performance was especially eye-catching as he had less track time than most after going off on his outlap.
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FR3.5 - Spa: As for Vandoorne, he is relieved to be racing again so he can forget about last weekend's Monaco event, where he was in the headlines for crashing into cars that were being recovered by marshals. "We stopped arguing about the decision [to give him a 5-place grid penalty] after Saturday morning. It was a tough weekend but it is the perfect situation to have another race the week after so we can focus on that and forget about what happened."
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FR3.5 - Spa: Here's how the track conditions are looking ahead of this afternoon's free practice session.
Nico Muller
FR3.5 - Spa: Nico Muller comes into the Spa FR3.5 weekend on a high having taken his maiden series win at the championship's premier venue: Monaco.
That brought Muller up to third in the standings, ahead of pre-season favourite Antonio Felix da Costa.
At the top of the table, it's Kevin Magnussen leading rookie and fellow McLaren protege Stoffel Vandoorne.
FR3.5 standings after five of 17 rounds:
1 Kevin Magnussen 75
2 Stoffel Vandoorne 61
3 Nico Muller 45
4 Antonio Felix da Costa 41
5 Will Stevens 36
FR3.5 - Spa: Magnussen was the winner of a wild Spa race two when the series was last in Belgium a year ago.
2012 Spa FR3.5 report: Magnussen wins, Stanaway injured
While seven years ago in FR3.5 at Spa, a future triple world champion nearly lost a finger...
2012 Spa FR3.5 report: Magnussen wins, Stanaway injured
While seven years ago in FR3.5 at Spa, a future triple world champion nearly lost a finger...
MotoGP - Mugello: Looks like the extent of Marc Marquez's injuries will be limited to a swollen chin.
That's a very fortunate escape from the worst crash of his rookie season so far.
That's a very fortunate escape from the worst crash of his rookie season so far.
IndyCar - Detroit: First sighting of Derrick Walker in an IndyCar uniform rather than a team one. Ed Carpenter Racing's loss is very much the series' gain.
FR3.5 - Spa: Minor delay to the start of FP2 as one of the Megane Eurocup cars has stopped in the pit entry and needs to be recovered. Both Lucas Foresti and Yann Cunha will be unable to run at the beginning of this session as a penalty for yellow flag infringements in FP1.
Auto GP - Silverstone: In preparation for this weekend's round, Super Nova's Vittorio Ghirelli completed a virtual Auto GP lap of Silverstone in reigning champion Adrian Quaife-Hobbs's simulator.
Ghirelli's predicted pole lap of 1m45.8s was one second faster than this afternoon's practice benchmark, which was set without the benefit of new tyres.
Ghirelli's predicted pole lap of 1m45.8s was one second faster than this afternoon's practice benchmark, which was set without the benefit of new tyres.
Green flag
FR3.5 - Spa: After that minor delay, the second free practice session of today is up and running on a reasonably dry track.
Auto GP - Silverstone: Formula 2 champion Luciano Bacheta is hoping his Silverstone troubles are behind him ahead of qualifying this afternoon.
Bacheta experienced a gearbox up-shift problem in FP1 and a master relay issue in FP2.
"It has meant we're a little bit lost on set-up," admitted Bacheta. "I think I just have to go out in quali now and push as hard as I can."
Bacheta experienced a gearbox up-shift problem in FP1 and a master relay issue in FP2.
"It has meant we're a little bit lost on set-up," admitted Bacheta. "I think I just have to go out in quali now and push as hard as I can."
MotoGP - Mugello: The last of Friday's world championship sessions is over as Moto2 free practice ends with Tito Rabat fastest.
Richard Burns
Acropolis Rally: As the event gets underway in Athens, chairman of the stewards Robert Reid joins AUTOSPORT for a cup of coffee to reminisce about his and Richard Burns' 1999 Acropolis win.
Red flag
FR3.5 - Spa: Dry track time can be at a premium here, which explains why 23 of the 26 cars headed straight out onto the track. But we've had a stoppage just six minutes in. Looks like Zoel Amberg had stopped at La Source.
European F3 - Spielberg: Bad news for Van Amersfoort Racing driver Dennis van de Laar. He's been found guilty of not respecting yellow flags in practice and has been given a five-place grid penalty for Saturday's opening race.
Green flag
FR3.5 - Spa: That stoppage might take the record for the shortest red flag break ever. Seconds after the last car returns to the pits, the track is 'live' again.
Auto GP - Silverstone: Championship challenger Sergio Campana has revealed he took the decision to sacrifice track time in second practice for an engine change as he was sceptical there was sufficient time to complete the work thoroughly between FP2 and qualifying.
MotoGP - Mugello: AUTOSPORT understands that Bradley Smith did not break any bones in his practice crash.
He is keen to race but could require an operation next week.
He is keen to race but could require an operation next week.
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MotoGP - Mugello: Honda's Livio Suppo on Marc Marquez's crash - "When we saw the images we were really worried, but thank God we were OK."
Auto GP - Silverstone: Campana has competed at Silverstone just once, in Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup in 2008, when the circuit had a different configuration.
The Italian is competing in the series on a race-by-race basis. An appearance at his home round at Mugello in July is likely - but outings in the last three rounds hang on continued good results.
The Italian is competing in the series on a race-by-race basis. An appearance at his home round at Mugello in July is likely - but outings in the last three rounds hang on continued good results.
DTM - Spielberg: On the support bill this weekend is the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany. Practice has just finished with Britain's Sean Edwards on top from Norbert Siedler and Nicki Thiim.
DTM - Spielberg: And speaking of the Carrera Cup, series rookie Bas Schothorst drove through this to get to the track this morning. I'm pleased to report that conditions have improved. It's still raining though...
European F3 - Spielberg: Just been told that a gearbox problem was the cause of Lucas Auer's non-appearance in FP2. A shame for the Austrian at his home circuit.
MotoGP - Mugello: AUTOSPORT's Simon Strang has been at Honda to find out how Marc Marquez's crash unfolded.
It seems he slightly locked the front tyre, lifted the bike, but by then it was too late to recover and he went onto the grass too fast to avoid an accident.
To recap, Marquez escaped with a swollen jaw but no broken bones after crashing at the end of a 200mph straight in second practice.
It seems he slightly locked the front tyre, lifted the bike, but by then it was too late to recover and he went onto the grass too fast to avoid an accident.
To recap, Marquez escaped with a swollen jaw but no broken bones after crashing at the end of a 200mph straight in second practice.
Breaking news
MotoGP - Mugello: Bradley Smith has been diagnosed with a left wrist scaphoid fracture and an injury to his left little finger, but has medical clearance to ride on Saturday.
FR3.5 - Spa: As Kevin Magnussen leads the way in second practice, Renault has confirmed that DRS use will be limited to 450 seconds in both FR3.5 races this weekend.
FR3.5 - Spa: At the halfway stage of second practice the top six is: 1 Magnussen; 2 Move; 3 Sirotkin; 4 da Costa; 5 Stevens; 6 Vandoorne.
Twitter
MotoGP - Mugello: It's been a long hard slog for Colin Edwards since he joined the CRT ranks with Forward last year, but his Twitter feed suggests today was a good day: "Finally, bike is feeling more comfortable. Still got a couple tricks to make it better though."
FR3.5 - Spa: 15 minutes to go in free practice and most cars are in the pits. Top six: 1 Magnussen; 2 Vandoorne; 3 Sorensen; 4 da Costa; 5 Sainz; 6 Webb.
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MotoGP - Mugello: Dani Pedrosa says he has no idea what caused Honda team-mate Marc Marquez's practice two crash but that there shouldn't be any need for a safety furore.
"The wall is close but it's been there for many years. We spoke about it years ago in the safety commission but they said they cannot change it or something. It's a fast point."
"The wall is close but it's been there for many years. We spoke about it years ago in the safety commission but they said they cannot change it or something. It's a fast point."
Red flag
Auto GP - Silverstone: Red flag.
Vittorio Ghirelli
Auto GP - Silverstone: Super Nova's Vittorio Ghirelli had just set the fastest time of the weekend, a 1m46.579s, to take provisonal pole. But the Italian has now stopped at Turn 9 and brought out the red flags.
FR3.5 - Spa: Championship leader Magnussen has 0.302s over the field as free practice enters its final 10 minutes. Only his countryman Marco Sorensen has got ahead of him at any point in this session, and that was short-lived.
Green flag
Auto GP - Silverstone: The session has resumed with 18 minutes left to run.
DTM - Spielberg: A bit of football banter. Down at Audi, Miguel Molina's rear wing is sporting a Bayern Munich badge ahead of the German Cup final. Mercedes, meanwhile, has decked out Pascal Wehrlein's C-coupe in the colours of opponent Stuttgart (which, of course, is where Mercedes HQ is situated).
Stopwatch
FR3.5 - Spa: With three minutes left on the clock Monaco winner Nico Muller goes fastest.
IndyCar - Detroit: IndyCar practice in Detroit begins shortly.
This weekend is the first of the series' double-header events, with full-length races on both Saturday and Sunday.
There is just one practice session on Friday, ahead of the usual knockout qualifying format for race one.
A half-hour qualifying session for race two, with the field split into two groups, runs on Saturday morning.
This weekend is the first of the series' double-header events, with full-length races on both Saturday and Sunday.
There is just one practice session on Friday, ahead of the usual knockout qualifying format for race one.
A half-hour qualifying session for race two, with the field split into two groups, runs on Saturday morning.
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, Peter Mills, Mark Glendenning, Jamie O'Leary, Glenn Freeman, Scott Mitchell, Gary Watkins, Charles Bradley
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