SAO PAULO: Nico Rosberg completed an encouraging ‘double’ yesterday when he topped the times in second free practice session for this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
The 29-year-old German, who is 24 points behind Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ championship with two rounds remaining, was fastest ahead of the Briton in both the morning and the afternoon sessions. Hamilton is seeking his sixth win in succession and 11th of the season in tomorrow’s race, but Rosberg is bidding to end that momentum.
Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari was third fastest ahead of Australian Daniel Ricciardo for Red Bull, Valtteri Bottas and his Williams team-mate and local hero Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, who was seventh in the second Ferrari.
Daniil Kvyat was eighth for Toro Rosso ahead of four time champion Sebastian Vettel and Kevin Magnussen in the leading McLaren.
Jenson Button was 16th in the second McLaren on a steaming hot day at Interlagos where the prospective 18-car grid was reduced to 17 on Friday when Spanish test driver Daniel Juncadella crashed Sergio Perez’s Force India car during morning free practice.
Perez had to sit out the afternoon session which was equally disjointed with three separate red-flag interventions.
Earlier, in the first session, Rosberg topped ahead of his Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Hamilton.
The session was red flagged to a halt when Force India driver Daniel Juncadella crashed with half an hour remaining, hitting the barriers with a force that left the front end of his car severely damaged.
Meanwhile, Button dropped a hint on Thursday that he is ready to leave McLaren and F1, provoking widespread reactions mostly in support.
Former team-mate Hamilton said: “If I had a team, I would want him in it because he is such a great asset - a great driver, one of the strongest and a very decent guy.” The session was halted for eight minutes to clear the track following Juncadella’s crash and his example was almost followed when Raikkonen spun his Ferrari at Turn Six without mishap, but this was a session that was overshadowed by news of Marussia’s collapse.
“It goes without saying that it is deeply regrettable that a business with such a great following in Britain and worldwide has had to cease trading and close its doors,” said joint administrator Geoff Rowley of FRP Advisory in a statement.AFP
