Mark Webber set the pace in the second practice session in Suzuka on Friday afternoon, with a time that was two-tenths of a second faster than Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren, with Sebastian Vettel third and Nico Hulkenberg fourth. Fernando Alonso was next, ahead of Romain Grosjean, Jenson Button, Bruno Senna, Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher, although the veteran crashed out late in the session at the entry to Spoon Curve. Earlier in the session Paul di Resta had a similar accident which brought out red flags. Also in trouble was Vitaly Petrov, who lost the rear wing off his Caterham.
Nico Rosberg was 10th, ahead of the two Saubers, Kimi Raikkonen (who had a KERS problem), Pastor Maldonado the two Toro Rossos, with Daniel Ricciardo ahead of Jean-Eric Vergne, the two Caterhams, the two Marussias and the two HRTs.
It may be too early to say after the Friday testing but it looks as if McLaren & Red Bull even without flexing wings are still in front of Ferrari….
That’s bad news for Pat Fry & Nikolas Tombazis. And it’s very annoying to hear that Ferrari is still struggling with their wind tunnel. That makes it official : Costa’s sacrifice hasn’t changed anything.
Here is to hoping for a Mark Webber win to get his title chances back in order!!!
Joe, I read Mallya has “voluntarily grounded his airlines”. The beginning of the end?
Just the next step in something I think is inevitable.
Lets hope Webber has woken up for this race. He sure has been asleep since Silverstone.