Good morning/afternoon/evening (it can get quite confusing sticking to European times in Singapore), and welcome to ESPNF1's coverage of FP3. There's even more importance on today's final hour of running as the team's lost more than half an hour yesterday due to loose kerbs and Heikki Kovalainen's traditional Marina Bay fire. |
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The sun is currently setting in Singapore, and the threat of rain is slowly increasing as both the clouds and humidity build up. There's currently a 50% chance of rain at some point this evening, so the teams will be keen to get out on track immediately to get as much running in as possible. |
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The FIA has been working with the grand prix organisers to try and find a solution to the problems with the kerbs which blighted FP1 yesterday. It's expected that the kerbs on the outside of turns three and seven will be painted on to the track surface, marking out the track limit which the drivers were allowed to ignore yesterday. |
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If you want to get in touch with us during this session than you can do so using the link above or by dropping us a tweet @ESPNF1_live |
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An idea of the teams' programmes on a Saturday morning from Lotus (MyTeamLotus) on Twitter: "Normally we do three or four runs with the last one being a low fuel performance run in quali spec" |
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It's still pretty warm in Singapore, with an air temperature of 31C and track temperature up at 35C. It doesn't really cool down once the sun disappears either, so they're testing conditions for the teams and drivers |
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Darkness is setting in quickly, as pictures show us the modified kerbs on the outside of turn 14. There's a wider exit and the kerbs have been painted on, with the track boundary much closer to the wall. In fact, drivers won't be able to exceed the boundary because they will hit the wall if they do |
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The kerb on the outside of turn five is also painted on to the track surface. The good news for the mechanics is that less diffusers will be broken by cars running wide! |
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Senna locks up on his installation lap. Renault has abandoned its updates for the R31 this weekend, and Senna admitted it has a lot of work to do to be competitive |
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Button is the last man to leave the pit lane. No times set yet |
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Vettel and Button complete their laps and return to the pit lane, so the track is quiet again. That won't last long though... |
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Renault has just taken a lot of bodywork off the rear of Senna's car, so obviously some work going on before he heads back out |
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D'Ambrosio pierces the silence in the Virgin |
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Ferrari is happy to wait until carrying out more running: "At least 20 minutes to see our drivers back on track." |
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D'Ambrosio skips the turn ten chicane. There's been a lot of that this weekend and we can expect to see more of it when the drivers are pushing harder on supersoft tyres |
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D'Ambrosio's first timed lap is a 2:01.917 |
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Hamilton is out on track, as McLaren is obviously in more of a hurry than Ferrari. McLaren did seem a touch off the pace in FP2 yesterday |
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D'Ambrosio lowers his best to a 1:58.174, but Kobayashi is going quicker than the McLaren |
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And Kobayashi goes fastest with a 1:52.574, Hamilton second on a 1:55.324 |
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Kerb watch: The kerb at the apex of turn 13 is much smaller than yesterday, but there is now a kerb there - it had been removed for FP2 |
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Kobayashi improves to a 1:52.198 |
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Button goes quickest on a 1:50.707. That's still some way off yesterday's best time from Vettel of a 1:46.374 |
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Rosberg is bottoming out all of the way down between turns five and turn seven - plenty of sparks flying off the bottom of the car |
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Schumacher goes second, 0.369s slower than Button |
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He may be running close to the ground, but Rosberg is going very quickly. He sets the fastest lap but was blocked at the end of the lap by a Toro Rosso |
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Button then beats Rosberg by a second with a 1:49.490 |
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If you're looking for a sign of who the most comfortable teams are, Red Bull and Ferrari are yet to come back out on track |
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We have an angry Michael Schumacher. He gets held up by Maldonado through turns 20 and 21, almost running in to the back of the Williams. Schumacher then gestures at Maldonado and pits |
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Sutil goes third quickest with a 1:50.948. We're yet to see any supersoft tyre runs though so these won't end up as the quickest times |
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McLaren tells the BBC that this is the first time it has run the car in race spec, having tested parts all day yesterday |
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Hamilton locks up at turn seven and has to use the run-off area before spinning the car around again |
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Button improves the best time to a 1:48.421, and Alonso goes second on a 1:48.937. Ferrari and Red Bull have decided it's time to join the party |
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Webber goes third and Vettel fourth on their first laps |
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Button tells McLaren over the radio that his car is unstable under braking |
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Button will want to get that sorted, as it is clearly losing him time - Vettel goes quickest with a 1:47.737 |
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Alonso getting very crossed up on the exit of turn three, just holding the slide as he headed towards the wall |
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That slide didn't slow Alonso down though, as he sets the fastest first sector |
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Alonso goes second, 0.178s slower than Vettel, and then gets blocked in turn three as a Force India leaves the pits |
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Schumacher heads out on supersoft tyres |
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Vettel improves to a 1:47.313 |
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Hamilton currently down in 18th and slower than both Lotus cars |
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Maldonado goes sixth with his lap on supersoft tyres, still 2.6s slower than Vettel. That shows the big gaps we've been getting this weekend |
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Schumacher now second after a 1:47.837 on supersoft tyres |
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Vettel improves again on the soft tyre, now a 1:47.064 - just 0.7s slower than he went yesterday on supersofts |
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The busiest man up to now has been Hamilton, despite being so far down the field |
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D'Ambrosio's just snatched that title from him as he starts his 15th lap. Virgin and HRT will be keeping an eye on the 107% time this afternoon |
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Rosberg winds it up and starts another flying lap on supersoft tyres |
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Ferrari (ScuderiaFerrari) on Twitter: "Message from Meteo France: a new shower is growing up in the North-West at 18 Km away, it is too far for the moment. No rain expected over the circuit" |
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Rosberg goes second, only 0.006s quicker than his team-mate Schumacher |
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Pretty surprisingly for a street circuit, we haven't had any yellow flags in this session so far... |
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10 minutes to go and the track is going to get very busy as teams carry out qualifying simulation runs |
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Glock gets very out of shape as he exits turn 22 and ends up wide on the astroturf |
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Alonso on supersofts and he sets the fastest first two sectors, despite hitting the wall exiting turn 12 |
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Alonso goes fastest with a 1:46.452 - 0.612s quicker than Vettel |
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Vettel and Button start their flying laps. Button 0.2s off in sector one, while Vettel's backed off |
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Button with the quickest middle sector and he's found almost half a second on Alonso |
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Button's first flying lap on the supersofts this weekend is quickest by 0.344s with a 1:46.108 |
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Hamilton and Webber begin their flying laps. Webber 0.2s down through sector two |
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Alonso improves to a 1:46.396 |
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Webber just goes quickest with a 1:46.081, 0.027s quicker than Vettel |
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Hamilton goes fifth but is a second off the pace |
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Vettel completes his lap and is third, 0.264s slower than Webber although he seemed to be held up in the middle sector |
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Hamilton ran wide at turn seven, and those kerbs are making a habit of ruining diffusers as bits of carbon fibre go everywhere |
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Vettel's started another flying lap, as has Webber |
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Webber can't improve on his best time |
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Vettel backs off too, as does Button and they both pit |
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Hamilton improves to a 1:46.936 |
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So Mark Webber ends the final session on top having found more time overnight. Button is a very close second ahead of Vettel, but you can't help feeling Vettel had more pace than he was able to show. Likewise Hamilton down in fifth. Interestingly, it's close at the bottom between the new teams as Kovalainen is less than 0.2s quicker than d'Ambrosio, and Trulli and Glock are just 0.006s apart with Ricciardo 0.1s ahead of the pair. |
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Does Vettel have more up his sleeve? What's Hamilton's true pace? Can Button or Alonso prevent it being a 14th straight pole position for Red Bull this season? All of these questions will be answered in qualifying in two hours. Join us then. |