23\u00b0C in the air, 36\u00b0C on the track, conditions are more than suitable for this second session.<\/p>\n
First on track, Grosjean sets the initial time at 1:21.454, but on his second flying lap while improving, he loses control of his Haas entering turn 7 and ends up in the gravel trap. Session over for him, he triggers the virtual safety car.<\/p>\n
\n\u26a0\ufe0f Virtual Safety Car<\/p>\n
GRO: “Oh fudge… I think I'm stuck in the gravel mate” \ud83d\ude15<\/p>\n
Grosjean is beached at Turn 7#F1<\/a> \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 #SpanishGP<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/qJkKCkPqbU<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Formula 1 (@F1) 11 mai 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Once the virtual safety car is withdrawn, the chase for the fastest lap resumes. Vettel takes the advantage with a 1:19.421 shortly before Verstappen steals the spotlight with a 1:19.050. The top 5 after this first round consists of Verstappen, Bottas, Vettel, Hamilton, and Ricciardo.<\/p>\n
Wearing medium tires, Alonso is within a tenth of Ricciardo for 6th, ahead of Pierre Gasly, who confirms the form of Toro Rosso on Catalan soil. In his first flying lap, R\u00e4ikk\u00f6nen moves up to 5th place, pushing these three opponents down by one position.<\/p>\n
Shunned this morning, the super-soft tires are still ignored this afternoon. At the end of the first half-hour of the session, Vandoorne finally takes to the track and completes a lap in 1:20.617, placing him 13th.<\/p>\n
\nApr\u00e8s 30 mins des essais libres 2 du #SpanishGP<\/a> \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8, @LewisHamilton<\/a> d\u00e9tient le meilleur temps devant @danielricciardo<\/a> et @Max33Verstappen<\/a> <\/p>\n
Il reste 1h des essais libres 2 du #SpanishGP<\/a> en direct sur CANAL+SPORT pic.twitter.com\/kW5OdC1n1r<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 La F1\u00ae sur CANAL (@LaF1SurCanal) 11 mai 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The performances seem to be tightening within the top 3 teams. The top six are within less than 7 tenths of each other. Even better for the rest of the top 10 after some improvements, Magnussen, P\u00e9rez, Vandoorne, and Alonso are within 1 and a half tenths. Ocon in 11th is less than 2 tenths behind Alonso.<\/p>\n
Perplexed by the behavior of the car and the tires this morning, H\u00fclkenberg manages to extract something from his RS18 with the super-softs and places it in 11th position, 1.9s off Hamilton’s time. Sainz remains stuck in 16th position.<\/p>\n
Like other drivers this morning, R\u00e4ikk\u00f6nen takes a trip into the gravel trap of turn 4 but manages to get out. This excursion doesn’t discourage the stoic Iceman who goes back on the attack the following lap, before easing off.<\/p>\n
\nA brief trip to the gravel for the Iceman \ud83d\ude2c<\/p>\n
But Kimi gets it back on track#F1<\/a> \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 #SpanishGP<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3wHHsMlTT0<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Formula 1 (@F1) 11 mai 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
A few laps later, the Scuderia driver is instructed by his race engineer to cut his engine. A slow-motion shot on the back straight shows a cloud of smoke escaping from the rear of the Ferrari, accompanied by an unusual sound over the microphone. He manages to reach his pit in neutral.<\/p>\n
Good news for Grosjean who can get back on the track. Fitted with super-softs, he goes after the lap time. The Frenchman jumps from the bottom of the table to climb to 7th place, in the same tenth as Magnussen. For the rest of the field, it’s time for long stints and race simulation.<\/p>\n
The yellow flag is out again in the second sector, Leclerc took his Sauber into the gravel trap at turn 4. He ends his simulation stint by returning to the pits at the end of the lap.<\/p>\n
As the final ten minutes approach, the virtual safety car is announced once again. P\u00e9rez’s Force India is immobilized between turns 9 and 10 due to a poorly fastened front left wheel.<\/p>\n
\nThe marshalls trying to shift that @ForceIndiaF1<\/a>…#SpanishGP<\/a> \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 #F1<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/BNB8MIrW8A<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) 11 mai 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The final ranking at the end of the session:<\/b><\/p>\n
\nFP2 CLASSIFICATION@LewisHamilton<\/a> on top, with @redbullracing<\/a> breathing down his neck<\/p>\n
This could get interesting \ud83d\udc40#F1<\/a> \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 #SpanishGP<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/y0TkWzFVnq<\/a><\/p>\n