European Grand Prix – Practice

Yet again the European Grand Prix is in Valencia, Spain – isn’t it time to move on to another circuit?

Apart from rumours about future contracts, there’s not been much in the way of F1 news:

• Sky F1 commentator and former F1 driver Anthony Davidson suffered breaks to his T11 and T12 vertebrae in an accident at Le Mans 24 Hour – his injuries which are expected to heal in “approximately three months”. [source: BBC]
• Former banker Gerhard Gribkowsky has admitted taking $44m in bribes from Formula 1 president Bernie Ecclestone at a trial in Germany. [source: BBC]

Tyre compounds available: primes = medium (white band), options = soft (yelllow)

My GridBids picks for this race weekend: SV, JB, LH, FA, PRo & SP.

Free Practice 1 (FP1)
Many people ran wide in Turns 2 and 12
PM was fastest (1:40.890) followed by SV, MW, JB, FA, PRe, MS, LH, NR, KR

Practice 2
Radio from MS – engine “runs a bit funny”; “drive issue”?
PRo runs wide in Turn 14 and buries the HRT’s front left into the tyre wall – he’s OK but the car has to be lifted off track
Radio from PRo – “Sorry guys, I made a mistake”
Marshals make a mess of lifting PRo’s car, letting it smash into the ground – well done!
(PRo is one of my picks for the race, so I hope the team fix his car quickly!)
45mins in to FP2 = half way through the session; FA fastest (1:39.733)
MS 1:39.601
Everyone bar FA are using the option (soft compound) tyres
SV 1:39.334
SP spins in Turn 17; takes a moment but rejoins the track – SP is another of my picks – maybe I’ve jinxed them 🙂
30mins left of FP2
VP in garage; tells his mechanics that his foot is catching on something – that’s not good
There’s 3 distinct groups on the timing chart – the top 7 under 0.4sec from the lead time (SV); the middle group 0.5sec to 2.0sec behind SV; and the bottom of the timings have CP, TG, NK & PRo over 3.5secs off the pace.
Chequered flag
SV fastest (1:39.334) followed by NH, KK, MS, BS, PRe, FA, RG, MW, NR (JB P12, LH P14)