Finally back home after the four “fly away” races, many of the teams have new updates for their cars.
Friday Practice 1:
The tyre options are the Bridgestone hard and soft compounds
JB was fastest (1:21.799) followed by JT and RK.
Both the McLarens and FM’s Ferrari ran with KERS, but both BMW Saubers and Renault have abandoned it for the weekend to focus on other issues.
Friday Practice 2:
First on track are SV, JT and NR
SV 1:26.109
NR 1:26.021
SBu stops on track – smoke from both rear wheels – did the brakes lock? He’d only just left the pit lane
RK 1:25.197
RK 1:24.304
NP 1:24.198
RK 1:24.100
TG 1:24.010
RB 1:23.348
15mins gone; 75ins left of this session; HK & AS yet to join the circuit
JB 1:23.057
NP 1:22.740
KN 1:22.551
KN 1:22.452
SV 1:22.400
30mins gone; 60mins left; still no sign of AS
KN 1:21.805
KN 1:21.758
45mins gone = halfway through this session; order is KN, SV, RB, MW, NP, NR, JB, TG, LH, KR, JT, FA, RK, SBo, FM, NH, HK, GF; no times from SBu or AS.
Force India say AS’s car has a major fuel system problem, which is why he’s still in the garage
NP has beached the Renault in Turn 9; the marshals dig him out and NP heads back to the pits
30mins left
SBu is back on track
20mins left
NR 1:21.731
NP spins and dips his rear tyres into the gravel again
10mins left; order is NR, KN, RB, FA, MW, SV, JB, NP, GF, KR, SBo, HK, FM, RK, SBu, LH, NH, TG, JT, AS.
NR 1:21.588
3mins left
NR parks the BMW on the grass – seeing him weaving on the replay suggests he ran out of fuel
Chequered flag is out to end the session
So NR was fastest (1:21.588) followed by teammate KN and then FA on his home circuit.
Saturday Practice:
FM was quickest (1:20.553) followed by KR and JB.