Australia – FP2: New best time for Hamilton on the streets of Melbourne
The times continued to fall during practice at Albert Park, with Hamilton once again achieving the performance of a single lap under 1'24. The second session was full of incidents, with a few expeditions into the gravel pits and, above all, a red flag caused by Palmer's exit at the last corner.
The focus was on garage work at the start of the second free practice session. As the green light flashed, only Magnussen and Grosjean took to the track, before being joined by Vandoorne, who had been at the back of the field in the first session. There were many wheel lock-ups under braking for the Haas drivers. After nine minutes of running, Magnussen was instructed by his team to slow down and return to the pits, while Grosjean ran wide in turn 1 after a botched braking attempt.
The drivers gradually took to the track, and the top of the timesheet became highly coveted. Initially held by Massa with a 1:26.331, the best time then belonged to Bottas, followed by Hamilton, before Räikkönen reclaimed it from the Briton by three hundredths with a 1:25.033. After an aborted first attempt due to being hindered in the third sector, Vettel went out again and clocked a 1:24.928.
On board with Sebastian Vettel who goes fastest!
VET 1:24.926
RAI +0.107
HAM +0.170#AusGP #FP2 #F1 pic.twitter.com/RcbJJdW0ZW— Formula 1 (@F1) 24 mars 2017
Two single-seaters took their time to appear on the track, those of Verstappen and Alonso. The Dutchman finally showed up twenty minutes into the session, but the MCL-32 remained in its garage. Its outing was short-lived; at the moment of re-acceleration in the last corner, Palmer lost control of the Renault, which ended up in the tire wall. Red flag in this session, the Briton is uninjured, but his car will require a lot of work on the suspension.
🔴 RED FLAG 🔴 @JolyonPalmer crashes into the barriers at the final corner #AusGP #F1 #FP2 pic.twitter.com/fMiujuQS5T
— Formula 1 (@F1) 24 mars 2017
The efficiency of the marshals in Melbourne allows the session to resume after just a few minutes, giving Verstappen the opportunity to quickly get back on track and allowing Alonso to exit the pits for the first time in this session. Red Bull number 33 recorded the sixth fastest time while Massa reported over the radio that he had to stop the Williams, yellow flag at turn 10.
New assault for the top of the timesheet, the times dropped into the minute twenty-four range, Bottas then Vettel showed the fastest with 1’24″1 but Hamilton’s response calmed the competition with a 1’23″620. Behind the Mercedes-Ferrari battle, Red Bull appeared to be lagging. Ricciardo, who had been quite discreet until then, leaped to fifth place, while his teammate, in a new attempt to improve, went beyond the curb in turn 12. Even off the track, the cars remain grounded.
📻 “Yep, I went off there…” Scary moment for @Max33Verstappen at turn 12 #AusGP 🇦🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/2mW3DYFObR
— Formula 1 (@F1) 24 mars 2017
Brief overview of the standings after one hour of the session
With 30 mins of #FP2 to run it’s HAM from VET from BOT #AusGP 🇦🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/qbjZiqmsZK
— Formula 1 (@F1) 24 mars 2017
The last part of Free Practice 2 was dedicated to long runs. The work focused for many teams on the ultra-soft tires. These race simulations highlighted the weaknesses of the C35, which was lapping beyond one minute thirty while other teams were well below, between 1:28 and 1:29 for the best. Ericsson, searching for the limits of his car, lost control in turn 6, causing a virtual safety car.
With few laps completed, Alonso returned to the track ten minutes before the end of the session. At the same moment, a yellow flag was waved by the race management, and some cynics might have made a connection, but it was actually due to a bollard on the inside of the last corner.
Another driver is off! @Ericsson_Marcus beached in the gravel between turns six and seven #AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/MUjRahTkyM
— Formula 1 (@F1) 24 mars 2017
What to remember
Unfortunate last year, Hamilton wants to show that he will be the main challenger this season. With a 1’23″362, the Briton leaves his mark on the competition, just like in the first session with a half-second gap. Ferrari is close to Mercedes, and Red Bull seems slightly behind. With little running, the Austrian team did not trouble the leaders, especially since Verstappen, after a bold off-track excursion, damaged his car.
The silent surprise comes from Toro Rosso, on the cusp of the top 10 this morning, the Italian team is making progress and positions itself as the fourth strongest on this Friday. With the eighth fastest time, Grosjean matches his performance from FP1, but the Frenchman once again experienced problems with his brakes and flirted with the gravel twice. Meanwhile, Magnussen experienced issues with his Haas and only completed a few laps.
Ninth place Hülkenberg holds high the Renault, confirming the form of the French engine with five cars powered by the Viry-Châtillon block in the top 10. His teammate Palmer is the only one out, the Brit experienced a premature end of the session after losing the rear in the last corner. The midfield is highly contested, and in this game Force India stands out. Greater concern for Williams, the performance of the English car is well below what it had suggested during winter testing, especially since Massa had to stop at the side of the track to preserve his car.
If the performance is not yet up to par with more than two and a half seconds conceded at the top of the timesheet, McLaren can cover as many laps as the competition, even if Alonso could only take to the track after the first half-hour. Still behind, Sauber clings as best as it can to the midfield pack, but the 2016 Ferrari engine is a handicap. Ericsson managed to stand out at the end of the session, the Swede searching for the limit lost the rear of the C35 entering turn 6, causing a slow end to the session.
*The final standings of the session*
FP2 FINAL CLASSIFICATION: HAM is looking 💪 #AusGP 🇦🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/IMTF22wIXr
— Formula 1 (@F1) 24 mars 2017
