Brazil – Free Practice 2: Ferrari 1-2 on Dry Track
First weekend running on a dry track puts Ferrari in the lead, Vettel ahead of Leclerc with a 1:09.217. Verstappen completes the podium for Red Bull. Nightmare session for Toro Rosso, with none of their cars finishing the race.
The second free practice session in Brazil kicks off under a cloudy and threatening sky. The drivers experience dry track conditions for the first time this weekend. Everyone starts with a standing start simulation at the end of the pit exit.
The first mark is set by Giovinazzi at 1:11.744, quickly beaten by Bottas at 1:10.812 on medium tires. The red flag is waved after five minutes of running due to Kubica. He went wide after the Senna esses and drove over the curbs still filled with water, causing a spin that the Polish driver couldn’t recover from. Ending the session in the barriers is problematic for him, as he didn’t run in the first practice session.
Big lap from Verstappen, eight-tenths ahead of Bottas, beaten shortly after by Hamilton with a time of 1:09.938, the first driver to go under the one minute ten mark. All drivers are on medium tires except for Norris on hard tires.
Front wing attachment problem for Verstappen shortly before the half-hour of the session. The repeated passage over the high curbs of Interlagos damaged the link between the wing and the car. A repair was made in the garage as the rain slightly appeared.
Ranking-wise, we find the two Ferraris in the lead ahead of Hamilton and the two Red Bulls, Bottas in 6th followed by a strong Gasly in 7th. There remains an hour in the session.
At mid-session, the cars are fitted with soft tires, with similar testing programs between the teams. Bottas hinders Hamilton and Vettel on their first flying lap, with no serious consequences except for the lap time. The drivers work on long runs with the two softest compounds after losing the first practice session to rain.
Difficult session for Toro Rosso as both cars will end up on a tow truck. First, an engine problem for Gasly due to a broken part. The car stopped smoking on the side of the track with thirty minutes of running left, and the virtual safety car was deployed. Second engine problem for Kvyat at the end of the session. The car shut down and caused the rear wheels to lock. Off-track excursion for the Russian at turn 13 with no damage.
The red flag will be out and the session will not restart, shortened by the incident.
N° | Driver | Team | Times | Gap | Laps |
1 | Vettel | Scuderia Ferrari | 1:09.217 | 30 | |
2 | Leclerc | Scuderia Ferrari | 1:09.238 | +0.021 | 35 |
3 | Verstappen | Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Tag Heuer | 1:09:351 | +0.134 | 33 |
4 | Bottas | Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport | 1:09.373 | +0.156 | 37 |
5 | Hamilton | Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport | 1:09.440 | +0.223 | 39 |
6 | Magnussen | Haas F1 Team | 1:10.143 | +0.926 | 38 |
7 | Ricciardo | Renault F1 Team | 1:10.194 | +0.977 | 32 |
8 | Räikkönen | Alfa Romeo Sauber Ferrari | 1:10.210 | +0.993 | 39 |
9 | Albon | Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Tag Heuer | 1:10.275 | +1.058 | 31 |
10 | Sainz Jr. | McLaren Renault F1 Team | 1:10.310 | +1.093 | 38 |
11 | Hülkenberg | Renault F1 Team | 1:10.325 | +1.108 | 31 |
12 | Gasly | Scuderia Toro Rosso | 1:10.352 | +1.135 | 26 |
13 | Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo Sauber Ferrari | 1:10.419 | +1.202 | 36 |
14 | Kvyat | Scuderia Toro Rosso | 1:10.424 | +1.207 | 34 |
15 | Perez | Racing Point Force India Mercedes | 1:10.443 | +1.226 | 31 |
16 | Grosjean | Haas F1 Team | 1:10.504 | +1.287 | 38 |
17 | Stroll | Racing Point Force India Mercedes | 1:10.568 | +1.351 | 33 |
18 | Norris | McLaren Renault F1 Team | 1:10.700 | +1.483 | 41 |
19 | Russell | Williams Racing | 1:11.818 | +2.601 | 36 |
20 | Kubica | Williams Racing | DNF | 2 |
