Italian Grand Prix – Practice

They’re like buses: nothing for five weeks and then two races arrive just days apart! 🙂

The Belgian Grand Prix last weekend started with a jump start and an accident, followed by another accident, a near miss and two pit lane incidents – the result was a 1-race ban for Romain Grosjean (he’ll be replaced by Lotus reserve driver Jerome D’Ambrosio), two 5-grid spot penalties for Pastor Maldonado, and a 10,000 Euro fine for Caterham after they released Heikki Kovalainen too soon after a pit stop. Oh, and Jenson Button made a lights-to-flag victory.

Tyre compounds this weekend: prime=hard; option=medium

Two DRS zones: on the main straight and the back straight.

Free Practice 1
FA switched off his Ferrari and parked in the 1st chicane
PM pulled off – hydraulic problems
MS was fastest (1:25.422) followed by JB, NR, FA, FM, LH, KR, SP, MW & PM.
SV clocked the slowest speed through the speed trap at 205mph!

Free Practice 2
Air temperature 28°C; track 40°C; wind 3m/s
SP misses his braking point and cuts across the first chicane
KR 1:25.934
NK cuts the 1st chicane … as done JD
ditto CP – everyone’s trying to find their optimal braking point
NR 1:25.446
MS has a telemetry problem
FA 1:25.350 – that’s faster than MS in FP1
HK runs wide out of the 2nd chicane; it’s the only spot where they can legally put all 4 wheels off the track
30mins in to FP2 = 60mins left
Radio for NR warning him of a DRS problem – rear wing isn’t resetting correctly
MS complaining about the bumps in the chicane run-off areas
FA misses turn 1 – can’t even make it through the run-off area – takes to the grass
JB 1:25.328
LH 1:25.290
30mins left of FP2
NH told he’s not getting the most from KERS
More problems for FA – stuck in 2nd gear
Speed commentators report Ferrari not rushing to fix FA’s car; says they’ll fix it overnight
Replay shows part of FM’s helmet blows off at high speed!
Radio from JB – getting lots of vibration with these tyres
MS slides his Mercedes a little sideways through Ascari
Chequered flag
LH fastest (1:25.290) followed by teammate JB, FA, FM, NR, KR, PRe, NH, SP, MS

Free Practice 3
LH was fastest (1:24.578) with FA just 0.001sec behind, followed by PRe, FM, JB, NR, SP, KR, NH and PM.