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Bahrain 2010 - Free Practice 2 highlights - Coverage of a busier F1 session in the desert

Published by Christine

Free Practice 2 was a bit busier than the first session of the day, and we even saw a spin, and one car out of the running completely, albeit after the timer hit zero. The full results are available, but here's what happened step by step.

As it happened: 2010 Bahrain - Free Practice 2

  • 10:30

    Hello everyone, welcome back.

  • 10:31

    Let's get straight on with the good stuff. From @MikeGascoyne: Some new aero parts on the car for this afternoon and moving the weight distribution forward. Track will also improve

  • 10:34

    From the BBC live thread earlier, Lee McK: Karun Chanhok is frustratingly watching from the sidelines as his Hispania car won't be ready in time for him to make his F1 bow during first practice... Karun, who lives in Brackley where his local Indian restaurant has named a dish in his honour, really needs to get some running under his belt as this is Hispania's shakedown.

  • 10:37

    For reference, the BBC live thread and video: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8560745.stm. It's not started yet though.

  • 10:39

    From @Marissali: There's a #lotus chassis in the paddock in bubblewrap and a cardboard box... Fresh off. The jet, I imagine :) #F1

  • 10:44

    BBC live thread discussing who they think will win the title: The names mentioned: Alonso, Hamilton, Button, Schumacher and… Adrian Sutil. The colleague who mentioned the Force India driver then changed that prediction to Alonso but the deed is now done and we are holding him to it.

  • 10:46

    Heikki says the problem regarding the burning air is fixed. Eh-hem. http://twitter.com/H_Kovalainen/statuses/10366632849

  • 10:46

    From @redbullf1spy: Air temp 33°C; track temp 48°C before P2. It's hotter than the accumulated temperature of the three winter tests combined…

  • 10:47
  • 10:52

    A pic of Heikki in the car: http://twitpic.com/182r3m

  • 10:53
  • 10:58

    Maurice says Toro Rosso and other teams struggling with rear tyre wear.

  • 11:00

    Green light is on, Alguesuari out first.

  • 11:03

    Michael Schumacher asked to have the garage switched around when he arrived.

  • 11:05

    Di Grassi is out early this session.

  • 11:06

    Alguersuari sets the first lap time of FP2 - 2:02.757, immediately beaten by Kobayashi.

  • 11:07

    From A-Live: Petrov has a problem with his Renault - the headrest foam has come loose on the main straight and he will be pitting to have that fixed.

  • 11:10

    Button puts down the first realistic benchmark - 1:56.944.

  • 11:12

    Drivers still to come out of the garage - Rosberg, Chandhok, Senna, Glock.

  • 11:15

    Legard on BBC Live: "Bruno Senna finally took the Hispania car out on track during first practice in Bahrain and has reported back that he still needs the cockpit to be made more comfortable - apparently he keeps banging his elbows. He also wants the headrest to be adjusted."

  • 11:15

    Hamilton on the radio: "Rears are destroyed."

  • 11:21

    Williams having a quiet day so far, Nico 5th, Rubens 6th. FP1 leader Sutil down in 8th.

  • 11:21

    From @EliGP: Carabante now says Chandhok could go out in about half an hour

  • 11:23

    Just four drivers out on track, Petrov, Massa, Webber, di Grassi.

  • 11:24

    Vettel had a bit of a wobble, ran wide, messed up his tyres a little.

  • 11:24

    Good explanation from Alia: You can use up to 10 sets of tyres in FP2, but if you use more than 2, you'll have worn tyres among the 8 you have left on Saturday morning, which isn't ideal (1 set got handed back at the end of FP1).

  • 11:25

    Small piece of rear wing end plate fell off Trulli's Lotus. This morning his mirror fell off.

  • 11:27

    Hamilton gets a purple first sector on softs.

  • 11:27

    Hamilton runs off track on softs!

  • 11:28

    Senna leaves the garage.

  • 11:30

    Fastest sectors after half an hour:

    • S1 - SUT 246 km/h
    • S2 - BUT 272 km/h
    • S3 - LIU 287 km/h
    • Trap - KUB 311km/h
  • 11:30

    Track temperature - 47. Air temperature - 34.

  • 11:31

    Top three after half an hour - Rosberg, Hamilton, Schumacher.

  • 11:32

    BBC's Sarah Holt says: "The word is that Adrian Sutil's table-topping time for Force India from first practice was set with just a splash of fuel in the tank."

  • 11:35

    5live reports that Vettel is having his brakes changed.

  • 11:35

    The Williams team and their many screens: http://twitpic.com/182wx0

  • 11:38

    Massa has completed the most laps so far with 17. Buemi has the least completed with 1, whilst Chandhok and Glock have still to leave the garage.

  • 11:42

    5live say: From Spain onwards, F1 stewards will be separate for GP2 stewards so decisions should be coming quicker.

  • 11:46

    Senna's time: 2:09.115 - 13 seconds off the pace.

  • 11:47
  • 11:49

    From @VirginRacing: Timo is being belted in. Lucas very happy with the aero balance.

  • 11:50

    Alguersuari spun on track, narrowly missed the barrier, continues onwards.

  • 11:51

    From @TonyFernandes: arrived in bahrain. At the track. Second practise. Heikki out on track. our team looks very professional. Jarno going out.

  • 11:52

    Chandhok on 5live: "Problem with clutch and gearbox, can't seem to get it fixed, not confident they'll get out this afternoon."

  • 11:53

    Webber is out of the car, wandering around the pitlane, talking to Christian Horner.

  • 11:55

    Chandhok says that four weeks ago they just had two monocoques sitting in the garage, and they've all pushed hard to get here. He's disappointed he can't get out but knows everyone is doing their best.

  • 11:56

    From @VirginRacing: The virgins are on the track! First time we've had both cars on the circuit at the same time. Good feeling!

  • 11:57

    From @rf1paddockpass: Car bouncing about in the new section of track. Both guys commented that it's pretty bumpy

  • 11:58

    Fastest sectors after one hour:

    • S1 - ROS 248 km/h
    • S2 - PET 273 km/h
    • S3 - LIU 287 km/h
    • Trap - KUB 311 km/h
  • 11:58

    Track temperature - 39. Air temperature - 34.

  • 11:58

    Fastest three after one hour: Rosberg, Hamilton, Schumacher.

  • 11:58

    Glock has finally left the garage.

  • 11:59

    Massa still completed the most laps with 21, Vettel and Senna the least (of those setting times) with 7. Buemi and Chandhok have no time.

  • 12:01

    From @EliGP: Seven GP2 drivers went quicker in practice than what Senna has managed so far in the HRT

  • 12:01

    Webber really unhappy, the car has a driveshaft problem.

  • 12:06

    Vettel radio: It's breezy out there, the car is sliding a lot, doesn't feel quick. Grip is better on his tyres, but generally a bad feeling all round.

  • 12:07

    Down the field, only two drivers are improving their times. Hulkenberg has done two green sectors, de la Rosa just put in a first green sector, and Senna is improving at the rear of the field.

  • 12:08

    Make that three for Nico.

  • 12:08

    The cars will be 25% heavier at the start of the race now they are stocked up with fuel.

  • 12:09

    From @rf1paddockpass: Vitaly's back out for a longer run. He's still in top 10, a good first day at the office

  • 12:13

    An update from @EliGP: All F1 cars are now quicker than a GP2 one. At least those who have set a time

  • 12:15

    From @Jamesallenonf1: Lotus and HRT are outside 107%, if that rule were in place now. Lotus only just. Todt is speaking this afternoon, see if 107% comes up

  • 12:16

    Nick Heidfeld watching proceedings: http://twitpic.com/1832qd

  • 12:16
  • 12:18

    More overtaking during practice - Alonso passes Vettel.

  • 12:19

    And Kobayashi took to the dust to get past Senna.

  • 12:21

    Glock is faster than di Grassi by a tenth of a second, but has only completed 3 laps to Lucas' 16.

  • 12:24

    We're seeing a vast field spread so far in 2010. Top ten within two seconds, which is what we would have seen last year. Followed by the remainder of the field at varying degrees off the pace. From 4 seconds, to 5, 6, 9 and 12.

  • 12:27

    All drivers out on track bar Hamilton, Webber and Glock, plus Buemi and Chandhok who have not been out at all.

  • 12:28

    Kovalainen appears to be the only man improving at the moment.

  • 12:28

    From @autosportlive: Hamilton has ended his running earlier than most of the others and is chatting to the engineers in the McLaren garage.

  • 12:29

    With no sign of Chandhok, he will go into Saturday practice without having turned a wheel out on track. Tough ask for the rookie.

  • 12:31

    Session over. Top ten - ROS, HAM, MSC, BUT, VET, HUL, MAS, PET, ALO, DLR.

    Full results soon.

  • 12:31

    Bruno Senna pulls to a halt out on track.

  • 12:32

    Wheel nut came off the rear right wheel of the HRT.

  • 12:39

    Full results: Free Practice 2

  • 12:41

    Thanks to everyone for two fabulous sessions. Factbyte Factbox will be back tomorrow. See you then!

All content in the series Bahrain 2010