Malaysia: Free Practice 2
The first free practice session at Sepang threw up a couple of things worth keeping an eye on for the next hour and a half, and in fact for the rest of the race weekend.
Firstly Kimi suffered yet more troubles, and coupled with rumours that he simply ran out of fuel (maybe for the second time in 7 days), it may mean Ferrari are heading for another disastrous weekend. Jean Todt’s on hand to calm the chaos, but wasn’t in uniform when we saw him.
The second thing to keep and eye on is the Red Bull’s reliability (and I’m counting Toro Rosso in this mix). While DC’s car fell to pieces after what appeared to me a minor trip over the curbs, Webber pulled over in a plume of smoke, and then in the dying minutes Vettel appeared to suffer a brake failure similar to that experienced by Webber last week. As far as we can tell Bourdais is the only man capable of regularly getting the damn car back to the pits in one piece and even he didn’t make it full distance during Sunday’s race.
So what of now, and what of session #2? Well, it’s still dry at the circuit, which isn’t exciting at all and teams are preparing to head out for the final 90 minutes of Friday running. If you’re going to blow an engine, now is the time to do it, so we should expect a fist full of laps from anything running Ferrari horsepower.
This really doesn’t need repeating, but it’s always handy to have a link nearby - live timing is available as always on F1.com. We’re watching the ITV live stream in the UK, and as Nelson pointed out earlier - for the technically inclined, a UK proxy hack will get you ITV’s coverage anywhere in the world. Also, you can try TVlizer if all else fails.
Yell if you’re still awake, or if you slept a little and managed to wake yourself again. Or even if it’s midday in your part of the world and you just fancied rubbing it in a bit.
March 21st, 2008 at 5:57 amSteveintheUK said:
Just got woken up for FP2 by my F1 engine sound alarm clock on ITV.Com
March 21st, 2008 at 6:01 amScott Dryden said:
Woah! Le Seb was released out right into the path of Rosberg.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:02 amScott Dryden said:
Yet another Ferrari engine.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:03 amme said:
i may have spoken to soon
March 21st, 2008 at 6:03 amSteveintheUK said:
WOW, that was close, Bourdais’s pit crew just let him out into the pit line right into the path of another car, do the pit crew ever look back down the pit line before letting their drivers out?
OK bad Karma for Bourdais, he’s now being rolled backwards along the side of the track by marshals
March 21st, 2008 at 6:04 amMichael Roberts said:
Are the BBC not doing commentary? Grr…
March 21st, 2008 at 6:05 amNelson said:
I’m up I’m up! Wow!
March 21st, 2008 at 6:05 amScott Dryden said:
There’s commentary on Five Live Sport Extra.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:05 amSteveintheUK said:
So at least I now know that ‘Le Seb’ is Bourdais, now just have to work out why?
March 21st, 2008 at 6:05 amme said:
? why on earth not ?
if they’re gonna be half-arsed about it, why bother?
March 21st, 2008 at 6:06 amme said:
x2 seb’s in toro rosso. one german, one french.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:07 amMichael Roberts said:
Has anyone seen this article on Autosport - clicky.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:07 amSteveintheUK said:
@me, so has Christine woken up for FP2?
March 21st, 2008 at 6:07 amChristine said:
Maurice Hamilton back on 5Live Extra. Woohoo!
March 21st, 2008 at 6:08 amme said:
wow. that’s all i can say.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:09 amme said:
just about!
March 21st, 2008 at 6:09 amme said:
kimi flying, x2 purple sectors.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:09 amSteveintheUK said:
It’s all slowly starting to make sense now, Thank you, was to ashamed to ask earlier.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:10 amChristine said:
I’m here, but being awake? That’s a different matter.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:10 amNelson said:
C’mon christine, you are wide awake and you know it.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:11 amme said:
never, we don’t bite.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:12 amme said:
ian phillips on radio five is brilliant. much improvement on the other guy. can stand to listen to this show.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:14 amNelson said:
Wow, I was about to ask if you guys knew what had happened to Kimi and then read again. Run out of fuel eh, not good, specially after only running 8 laps.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:14 amSteveintheUK said:
Track Temp up, Aur temp up, Wind speed down, humidity down, air pressure down (Live Timing) So should this mean faster lap times then FP1? Raikkonen/massa already doing 1min 36’s
March 21st, 2008 at 6:15 amme said:
unless they did it on purpose to find the absolute limit. but you’d have thought they would know that from winter testing wouldn’t you?
rumours abound that the same things happened during melbourne qually. that would be super-embarrassing if true.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:15 amScott Dryden said:
Yeah, Mark Hughes - from Autosport - doesn’t really seem comfortable working in broadcasting.
Funny thing is, I never thought Ian Phillips was particularly good on the Guardian’s F1 podcast, but he’s excellent on Five Live.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:16 amSteveintheUK said:
Air Temp, sorry, guess I’m not fully awake from my power nap
March 21st, 2008 at 6:17 amme said:
wind was coming from down the main straight which is usually a good thing. except at this track, you have an identical straight heading in the opposite direction. so less wind is good.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:18 amChristine said:
Alonso P4.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:18 amNelson said:
That is pretty weird no seeing him dressed in red.
Let’s hope not. I really want them defending the title properly.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:19 amme said:
last year he came out with loads of good insight. especially when talking about his own team. didn’t listen to the ‘cast, but i heard people thought it was a bit of a sterile environment.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:21 amChristine said:
Holly Samos says 20% chance of rain today, 90% chance for qualifying tomorrow.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:22 amMichael Roberts said:
Listening to Ian Phillips I’m slightly worried that if we have a wet race we won’t have anyone finishing!
March 21st, 2008 at 6:23 amme said:
alonso overcooked it into the final corner. spun safely all by himself, no damage. he continues.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:23 amSteveintheUK said:
DID they just say on BBC 5 Live Extra that DC’s spare car is in parts under a dust cover in park firma bacause the team can’t touch it till tomorrow morning due to the rules?
March 21st, 2008 at 6:24 amme said:
echos what jenson was saying earlier in the day. sounds like it’ll be fun once, but wear pretty thin if races only last to the first corner.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:25 amScott Dryden said:
Yeah, I felt it was aimed people who hadn’t seen the race. It was generally just a 15 minute review of what went on, without any real discussion, debate or insight.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:26 amChristine said:
I think Philip’s was talking about a previous experience for Force India, rather than Coulthard.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:26 amNelson said:
So basically today we are watching pretty cars go around a track really fast and tomorrow we’ll be watching the nutcracker on ice (or water).
I’m not really looking forward to all the sliding around track.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:27 amSteveintheUK said:
Thanks, that makes a lot more sense, turned on to Live 5 Extra half way though the guy talking about it.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:28 amme said:
if they follow a safety car for 19 laps, am not gonna be particularly happy
March 21st, 2008 at 6:30 amSteveintheUK said:
Sorry Christine, I know this is a family show/site, but I’m I the only one looking forward to SEEING Holly Samos on the BBC coverage in 2009?
March 21st, 2008 at 6:30 amChristine said:
Was thinking, ooh, I like this guy, because he was saying Speed was a waste of space. I like someone with opinions.
Then he said Bourdais might not quite be ready for F1. Maybe I don’t like him quite so much
March 21st, 2008 at 6:32 amme said:
am hoping she doesn’t read this, but she’s a bit older when you’re up close and personal! so no, not much.
*ducks*
March 21st, 2008 at 6:32 amSteveintheUK said:
Bourdais equals future F1 champ
March 21st, 2008 at 6:33 amme said:
vettel doing well, that year old car’s looking pretty handy right now.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:35 amSteveintheUK said:
hey, she the same age as me, and i wish i looked that good
from her wiki page-
quote
Holly Samos (born 1971 Guildford, Surrey), also known as Holly Hotlips, is a radio researcher and presenter. A former member of Chris Evans’s Zoo Squad, she now is the Formula 1 pit lane reporter for BBC Radio Five.
end quote
March 21st, 2008 at 6:36 amNelson said:
FAIL! I think Vettel is a future F1 champ, no doubt about that, I just don’t think Bourdais has it in him. I was quite excited last week, if the Toro Rosso were a little more reliable and the race had 10 more laps, I think he would’ve won by default.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:38 amme said:
ok, i’ll re-phrase that then.
i assumed she was quite young, and then we met her and i realised she was a little bit older than i’d imagined.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:39 amSteveintheUK said:
I was thinking about 4 to 6 years for Bourdais, he has to get into a better car first, or his team needs to improve, so plenty of championships for Lewis to share with Vettel and others before then.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:41 amNelson said:
Don’t you mean Kimi?
March 21st, 2008 at 6:42 amme said:
if the vettel to ferrari rumours turn out to be true and massa exits, who’ll replace vettel at toro rosso?
March 21st, 2008 at 6:42 amSteveintheUK said:
Yeah, I was a little shocked to find out shes nearly 37, though she was in her mid twenty’s, but still, Holly or Louise? sorry Louise, it was nice knowing you.
Of course if Christine was to apply for the job, we would all be happy to see her in the pit line in 2009
March 21st, 2008 at 6:43 amChristine said:
Or whatever they are called by then.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:43 amSteveintheUK said:
Kimi has his championship, no need for him to be greedy
March 21st, 2008 at 6:44 amMichael Roberts said:
Probably depends on who buys Toro Rosso. Maybe Narain will get a drive?
March 21st, 2008 at 6:45 amNelson said:
Oh, Alonso can’t use 2nd. That can’t be good.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:45 amSteveintheUK said:
Kimi, on hard tires, fastest in first two sections
March 21st, 2008 at 6:46 amme said:
even on the soft tyres alonso doesn’t have much pace.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:47 amScott Dryden said:
Romain Grosjean would make sense, particularly if Nicolas Todt is involved in a STR buyout.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:47 amme said:
ahh, that may explain some lack of the pace.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:47 amSteveintheUK said:
Where’s Massa going then?
March 21st, 2008 at 6:48 amChristine said:
Maybe Massa will end up at STR.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:48 amNelson said:
He’s not going anywhere, we are all very happy where we are, let’s not go around changing things.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:48 amMichael Roberts said:
Early retirements or NASCAR.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:49 amme said:
well, he’s struggling sans TC. todt’s effectively out of the picture and as his son manages massa, you’d have to assume the guys in a pretty weak position.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:51 amme said:
oooh, hadn’t heard that. interesting.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:55 amme said:
webber showing none of that prodigious pace he found last week.
he is still running though.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:55 amSteveintheUK said:
Prove that not all F1 design have common sense - The pit lane limiter button works IN all gears not just first/second, how stupid is that.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:57 amme said:
incredibly.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:58 amScott Dryden said:
He was linked to wanting to buy the team around the middle of last year, but Berger came out publicly and said that he hadn’t spoken to Todt. However, we now know that Mateschitz is looking for a way out.
March 21st, 2008 at 6:58 amme said:
kimi on the white stripes. damn fast!
March 21st, 2008 at 7:00 amMichael Roberts said:
Massa is now purple in Sector 1. Not literally purple, that would be worrying.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:00 amScott Dryden said:
Paddy Lowe has said since Melbourne that McLaren will look to change the operation of their limiter.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:01 amme said:
fantastic lap, massa can’t quite live with that pace, but he’s not far off of it.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:02 amme said:
they’ve got to haven’t they? ron looked gutted when alonso took that place back. my bet is he’s gone back to the uk to design a solution himself
March 21st, 2008 at 7:03 amNelson said:
Not good blurting out in laughter like a maniac at 3:00am. Thanks though, woke me up pretty good.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:03 amme said:
fissi did “a coulthard”, didn’t smash he car to pieces though.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:07 amNelson said:
Excellent lap by Massa, just 0.060 from P1.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:07 amme said:
massa consistently dropping the bar in sector one, but losing out in s2 / s3.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:09 amNelson said:
They are still 0.235s off of FP1.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:10 amme said:
is massa’s front left tyre looking a bit worn?
he’s on the harder compound. may just be the picture quality.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:10 amSteveintheUK said:
another dumb question from a tired mind - If gearboxs have to last for 4 races, how comes Lewis changed his gearbox ‘for free’ after FP1, just heard that on Radio 5 Live
March 21st, 2008 at 7:11 amme said:
rules only apply from saturday morning (FP3), friday is essentially a practice day. using different components today.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:11 amNelson said:
I wonder why the McLaren’s can’t keep up, what has changed since last week?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:12 amme said:
humidity up, pressure down, i guess it’s affecting their times?
cloud cover too.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:13 amScott Dryden said:
A blinder by Massa, on hard tyres.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:14 amme said:
good question. they don’t appear to have an answer at the moment.
massa put in the fastest time on the hard tyre. pretty impressive going.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:14 amNelson said:
Nevermind, he’s faster than FP1 now. I think Sutil is running the Baja next year, he seems to be getting a lot of practice off road.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:14 amSteveintheUK said:
So they have to put last weeks gearbox/engine back in for tomorrow?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:15 amme said:
nice to see aguri putting in more laps than last friday.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:16 amme said:
the ones that finished the race yes, all down to kazuki. everyone else gets a fresh one.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:16 amSteveintheUK said:
Thats funny, would like to see now well an F1 driver would do in the Baja
March 21st, 2008 at 7:18 amSteveintheUK said:
Who comes up with these rules? Seems like the chimpanzees have been playing with the typewriters again.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:19 amMichael Roberts said:
According to Autosport Ron will be here tomorrow:
March 21st, 2008 at 7:20 amme said:
with a new steering wheel?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:22 amNelson said:
Wait, is someone pushing the wrong buttons again?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:22 amme said:
interesting graphics showing kovi carrying more pace around an apex than lewis
March 21st, 2008 at 7:23 amSteveintheUK said:
We all need to go to Sepang next year, they go to the local shopping malls on saturday night and give away free tickets to the race, just to fill the stands, nice track, but wrong place
March 21st, 2008 at 7:24 amme said:
hamilton purple in sec 1, but will it carry?
again fastest in sector two. macca finally showing their hand?
fastest so far!
March 21st, 2008 at 7:24 amSteveintheUK said:
Lewis fastest 1.35.055
March 21st, 2008 at 7:25 amme said:
crazy, crazy place to hold a race. what was bernie thinking? there were more people at spanish testing over winter.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:26 amMichael Roberts said:
4th to 17th are covered by just over a second!
March 21st, 2008 at 7:27 amme said:
should make for a wonderful race.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:28 amSteveintheUK said:
Lewis second section 31.4sec, Massa 33.1, Rraikkonen 32.2, on they fastest laps
March 21st, 2008 at 7:29 amSteveintheUK said:
Who has the biggest suitcase full of cash.
Bernie is only interested in money, none, if any, interest in actual racing
March 21st, 2008 at 7:30 amChristine said:
Button 4th!
March 21st, 2008 at 7:31 amScott Dryden said:
It’s strange that Indianapolis always drew a reasonable sized crowd, but Bernie tells us that Formula 1 is just not popular enough in America to justify a Grand Prix. Then we’re supposed to believe that they can’t get enough of F1 in emerging markets.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:31 amNelson said:
Ok, so we are done for the night. Great pace by the top 3, but, since there will be 90% chances of rain tomorrow, all bets are off. I don’t even want to try and guess who will finish.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:32 amme said:
my bet is the safety car will lead more laps than any f1 car
March 21st, 2008 at 7:33 amSteveintheUK said:
Lewis is fast he has time to look at a huge wrist watch when driving an F1 car. Now much does that weight?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:34 amme said:
really, it’s a poor track, zero attendance, and no sign of any increased interest. has to be cut from the calendar soon, right?
especially with the introduction of singapore.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:34 amNelson said:
What was kimi doing sitting there on the pit entrance?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:36 amSteveintheUK said:
NO, don’t say that, now the safety car is going to spin of the track and crash, then the safety car will need a safety car?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:38 amme said:
alrighty, hamilton leads massa and kimi, at the close of friday practice.
thanks once again to one and all for sticking around. we’re off in about 10 mins (gotta get me some sleep, it’s been 24hrs). podcast roundup coming later today, and we’ll be back here for Fp3 11am local time (3am GMT).
March 21st, 2008 at 7:38 amNelson said:
Well, as much as I’d like to stay, it’s 3:38am. So I’ll be heading do bed. I will see you all tonight.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:39 amme said:
saw it, but couldn’t tell ya? maybe he was winding up his pit crew?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:40 amme said:
March 21st, 2008 at 7:40 amme said:
whilst still in the car?? is that allowed?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:40 amOut_reach said:
I’ll bring my umbrella to the next session!
March 21st, 2008 at 7:41 amScott Dryden said:
Agreed, they’ve had ten years to make it work, but there’s clearly little interest in the race. However, I’m sure Bernie will be threatening Britain, France and Australia before he gets round to dealing with Malaysia.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:41 amSteveintheUK said:
Oh Christine, Sorry forget to say, Great Preview video
Do we still say ‘GoodNight’ if we are going to bed at 7.41am?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:43 amme said:
i do!! although murphy’s law says it’s the brightest day in the whole freakin’ world.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:43 amSteveintheUK said:
I can’t think why else he would need to be wearing it?
March 21st, 2008 at 7:44 amme said:
choc-a-bloc, checking out. look after the place while we sleep won’t ya
thanx again, all.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:46 amme said:
i’d bring a canoe if i were you.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:46 amSteveintheUK said:
Guess the Malaysia government puts more money into it then the others do, or at least into Bernie’s pockets.
GoodNight
March 21st, 2008 at 7:48 amScott Dryden said:
‘Good night’ everyone.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:49 amlou said:
I fell asleep while watching FP2. promise i will be around for quali.
March 21st, 2008 at 12:28 pmthe Blue Orange Lion's Grandfather said:
I hear my kid was swearing here, aye? I’ll kick him in the… Ooops, sorry, runs in the family.
So, he can’t be around today & that means I’ll do all the posting for him today.
What’s with RBR-Renault’s suspension? Newey went mad in search of speed? I hope we’ll see them in the race.
March 21st, 2008 at 4:54 pmbrendanstallard said:
If anybody wants to write Andrew Mackinlay at the house of commons. You can access his email address at this page.
http://tinyurl.com/389wp2
brendan
March 21st, 2008 at 7:08 pmSteven Roy said:
My alarm wento off 10 minutes before the session started but I couldn’t quite force myself to get out of bed.
ITV are not showing FP3 only quali so we need to find another video feed.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:41 pmme said:
TVlizer saved the day last week, they’ll be broadcasting again won’t they?