Hello and welcome back to our LIVE Formula 1 weekend coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix. Free Practice 2 is about to get underway in Suzuka where the drivers are expected to get the soft tyres out after exploiting the decent conditions and sticking to hards in FP1.
Formula 1 | Japanese Grand Prix
Suzuka Circuit | 05.10.2012
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Completed
Free Practice 2
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Updated 05/10/2012 at 07:34 GMT+1
- All
- Highlights
7:30
So Webber fastest in FP2 which saw plenty of spills and frustrations. Thanks for joining us and be sure to stop by for live text coverage this time tomorrow as the final FP session is followed by LIVE qualfying.
90'
The flag brings practice to an end as Petrov spins his Caterham at the first corner of the grid re-start.
88'
Hamilton getting positive feedback from the garage on his long run pace, which is running quicker than Vettel at the moment, and traffic is limiting progress for any of the remaining drivers as the session winds down.
86'
Raikkonen is able to head out after all for the closing stages on a low-fuel test run.
84'
Massa has switched to hard rubber after wearing his tyres down big time, leading to the recent struggles.
82'
Track is now all clear again after the Schumacher thud with eight minutes left.
80'
Vettel reports issues on the team radio as Massa struggles at Degner.
78'
Replays show Schu's crash is almost identical to the di Resta mistake.
76'
Vettel is 11 laps into his long stint, Webber on seven... and Schumacher has gone into the Spoon curve barriers.
74'
Webber remains fastest on 1'32.493 ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Grosjean.
72'
He will at least get more than Raikkonen, who remains stuck in the garage thanks to KERS repairs.
70'
Schumacher's chances of a long run in this session are dwindling as he heads out for the final minutes.
68'
Hamilton is staying with soft rubber as Rosberg on lap seven is told by HQ to cool his rear tyres as they are well above target.
66'
Webber fastest at present with 1'32.493 as he returns for a long drive, as does Button with hard tyres to test with a heavy car.
64'
A cluster of returns to the circuit now for what appears to be long runs for durability testing. Rosberg moves to 13th on 1'34.254.
62'
Rosberg, still on hard compounds, is foregoing the common strategy on those tyres of speed-slow-speed and building gradually in pace. Vettel back for run number five and it looks to be high fuel preparation time.
60'
Three laps at a time appears to be the general Red Bull strategy as Webber like Vettel goes for just the one flying lap on soft tyres.
58'
Hamilton pits as quickly as he came out and took the fastest time as Grosjean re-emerges and Schumacher clocks a disappointing 1'33.750 on softs.
56'
Schumacher and de la Rosa head back out.
54'
Hamilton blitzes the early sectors and can weather a slower finish to the lap to still take top billing with 1'32.707.