The Free Practice 2 began different for Red Bull. After their morning issues, Max Verstappen could go on track after Red Bull solved the RB14’s problems. The dutch driver hadn’t time to rest doing the job of the 2 practices in one.

The first problems arrived with Marcus Ericsson’s Sauber spinning in the second corner due accelerating to much, despite he returned to track. However, nobody expected Ferrari’s performance in this track. They reached the top with Vettel and also Räikkönen.

Finnish driver setted the pace in the race simulation with the fastest time followed closer by his teammate. Mercedes placed at 0.5s behind the two red cars, leaded by Bottas, who got the Pole Position last year. Red Bull setted 0.3s slower than Brackley’s team, as they fixed a good performance. But Pierre Gasly was the surprise putting Toro Rosso in 8th.

After that, teams have done racing simulations. Ferrari had also setted the pace and they showed that soft-tyres would be the race rubber, and it may be a possibility to see the medium-tyres during the race. Supersoft are too soft for the track because of the high temperature and the sand. In some cases, these tyres have lowered their performance in the early first lap.. We have to pay attention in race strategy.

 

Gasly doesn’t have to be an important enemy to McLaren, Renault, Force India or Haas who in this practice hadn’t got the same performance as the first session. Maybe the night is not good for the american team, but in both practices we saw them outside Top 10. Leclerc had a good performance also, setting as the best of the lower zone, excepting Gasly, of course.

The action will return tomorrow with the Free Practice 3 and the Qualifying where everything could happen.

 

POS DRIVER TEAM TIME SET DIF. LAPS
1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:29.817 32
2 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:29.828 +0.011s 37
3 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:30.380 +0.563s 31
4 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:30.472 +0.655s 32
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:30.745 +0.928s 32
6 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing 1:30.751 +0.934s 31
7 Nico Hulkenberg Renault 1:31.220 +1.403s 34
8 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso Honda 1:31.232 +1.415s 38
9 Fernando Alonso McLaren Renault 1:31.282 +1.465s 29
10 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren Renault 1:31.422 +1.605s 35
11 Romain Grosjean Haas 1:31.591 +1.774s 33
12 Carlos Sainz Renault 1:31.601 +1.784s 34
13 Esteban Ocon Force India 1:31.809 +1.992s 31
14 Sergio Perez Force India 1:31.868 +2.051s 34
15 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:31.969 +2.152s 35
16 Charles Leclerc Alfa Romeo Sauber 1:32.372 +2.555s 37
17 Lance Stroll Williams 1:32.382 +2.565s 30
18 Sergey Sirotkin Williams 1:32.474 +2.657s 37
19 Marcus Ericsson Alfa Romeo Sauber 1:32.733 +2.916s 32
20 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso Honda 1:32.908 +3.091s 38