Austrian GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

We're around an hour and a half away from FP3, so lets go ahead and get straight to the re-cap of FP2.

When it rains, it pours. Okay, so maybe that's not true for every situation. But rain was starting to come down when the GP2 drivers were on track, but it cleared up for the first half of FP2. But, by the end, the rain was coming down again.

Lots of drivers were locking up again and running wide. Mostly at Turn 1 and 8. No major accidents during this session, so everyone was able to set some good times. Let's move on to that now.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:09.542 / Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg - 1:09.919 / Mercedes

3. Fernando Alonso - 1:10.470 / Ferrari

4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:10.519 / Williams

5. Felipe Massa - 1:10.521 / Williams

6. Sebastian Vettel - 1:10.807 / Red Bull

7. Jenson Button - 1:10.813 / McLaren

8. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:10.920 / Red Bull

9. Kevin Magnussen - 1:10.936 / McLaren

10. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:10.972 / Toro Rosso

11. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:10.974 / Ferrari

12. Daniil Kvyat - 1:11.261 / Toro Rosso

13. Sergio Perez - 1:11.296 / Force India

14. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:11.491 / Sauber

15. Pastor Maldonado - 1:11.765 / Lotus

16. Adrian Sutil - 1:11.806 / Sauber

17. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:11.935 / Force India

18. Max Chilton - 1:12.229 / Marussia

19. Romain Grosjean - 1:12.262 / Lotus

20. Jules Bianchi - 1:12.279 / Marussia

21. Kamui Kobayashi - 1:12.937 / Caterham

22. Marcus Ericsson - 1:13.596 / Caterham

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Make sure to join us on Twitter @F1Insider78 for LIVE commentary coverage of Free Practice 3 in 1 Hour and 30 minutes!

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Austrian GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

Now that we've officially gotten into the GP Weekend, and FP1 has just finished up, how about a Re-Cap?

With nany drivers not having proper experience with this circuit, there was talk that many driver-errors could happen, but things turned out alright with a few exceptions. There were many having lock-up problems while Vettel managed to control his car after a 720 Double-Spin.

Some of the unlucky drivers included Adrian Sutil who had his session ended early when a hose broke on the turbo. Marcus Ericsson's session also ended in an unfortunate way with an ERS problem that caused plumes of smoke to come from his vehicle. 

Now, on to the times.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:11.295 / Mercedes

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:11.435 / Mercedes

3. Fernando Alonso - 1:11.606 / Ferrari

4. Felipe Massa - 1:11.756 / Williams

5. Jenson Button - 1:11.839 / McLaren

6. Sergio Perez - 1:12.009 / Force India

7. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:12.072 / Force India

8. Valtteri Bottas - 1:12.114 / Williams

9. Kevin Magnussen - 1:12.313 / McLaren

10. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:12.364 / Toro Rosso

11. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:12.365 / Ferrari

12. Daniil Kvyat - 1:12.372 / Toro Rosso

13. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:12.570 / Red Bull

14. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:12.984 / Sauber

15. Sebastian Vettel - 1:12.988 / Red Bull

16. Romain Grosjean - 1:13.168 / Lotus

17. Pastor Maldonado - 1:13.642 / Lotus

18. Jules Bianchi - 1:13.738 / Marussia

19. Max Chilton - 1:13.857 / Marussia

20. Kamui Kobayashi - 1:14.611 / Caterham 

21. Adrian Sutil - 1:14.691 / Sauber

22. Marcus Ericsson - 1:17.501 / Caterham

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Make sure to follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 as we'll be bringing all the live commentary coverage of FP2 later today and FP3 tomorrow!

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Marussia

Quotes from Marussia: 

Jules Bianchi - “I always enjoy the challenge of a new circuit. It isn’t new for everyone of course, but I think the starting point will be pretty similar for all of the teams as it’s been such a long time since F1 raced there. Adapting to a new circuit is one of my favourite challenges as a driver, both in terms of working with my engineers to tailor the car to the track and also putting to the test my own ability to get to grips with a new layout and characteristics. I really enjoy this. We’ve done some simulation work and the track looks really good; another interesting challenge for us. I hope we can continue the strong direction we have seen at recent events and get a nice result for the team.”

Max Chilton - “I’m really looking forward to my first Austrian Grand Prix and my first experience of Spielberg. So far this season it has been a case of consolidating my experience of tracks I raced at for the first time last year in my debut season, so it’s nice to shake it up a bit with an unknown quantity and level the playing field a bit. From our simulations the track looks fun and fast, so I’m sure I will enjoy getting to grips with it. The car is performing well at the moment so we’ll be looking to make the most of that and ensure a positive weekend for the team.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Caterham

Quotes from Caterham: 

Kamui Kobyashi - “The Red Bull Ring is a completely new circuit for me. I’ve seen a lot of on-boards of the track and it’ll be a good challenge. It’s quick, some of it really fast, and there’s a couple of big braking zones so, as usual, getting the setup right is going to be crucial. However, until I’ve actually driven there I don’t want to make any predictions about what it’ll be like for us so let’s see when we get on track. Whatever happens, I’m sure it’ll be a good weekend for the fans, and hopefully for us too. To be totally honest we would benefit a lot from a good weekend. We were unlucky again in Canada, with both cars having to retire because of reliability issues, something we’ve been focusing on from our side all year, and something Renault have improved dramatically from the early part of the season. Even though our pace in the early part of the Canadian GP was not where it should have been, our simulations have shown that, had we finished, we’d have been closer to the pack than it may have looked at the point where I had to retire, so this weekend it’s important we cross the line. We have to finish the races so we can be there if and when it counts, and that’s one of the main goals this weekend.”

Marcus Ericsson - "I’ve never raced in Austria before so it’ll be really interesting to go to a brand new track for me, even though I’m well aware of the history of the circuit. A bit like Monaco, Ronnie Peterson won there so it’ll be another race I go to in his footsteps and after Monaco, where I met his daughter Nina, that means even more to me so, honestly, I can’t wait! It’ll also be good to be able to get back in the car after only a few laps of the race in Canada. We’d had a hard weekend until that point anyway, so an early DNF was even more hard to take, but I came straight back to the factory with the boys after the race and everyone just went straight back to work to prepare for the next race. So, Austria and what looks like will be a quick track. It looks relatively simple, but, like everywhere we race, getting the balance right all weekend is a real challenge, especially for the downhill right at turn three and then through four and into the quick lefts at five and six. You’ll need a good flow through there, and for the whole lap, so you can build up a rhythm and really push and that’s what I want to do for the whole weekend. It would be good to leave Austria in a positive note - it’s been a while since we had one and with the big efforts everyone’s putting in across the team the whole time, I think it’s something we could do with.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

Quotes from Williams: 

Felipe Massa - “There are very few guys who have driven the circuit which is a little advantage but the track and limit may have changed and the cars have changed so it won't be the same as 11 years ago. It's not a difficult track to learn and we have the best drivers in the world in Formula One so they will be able to get up to speed very quickly. We can be competitive here but at the moment it's hard to tell where we will be compared to our competition.”

Valtteri Bottas - “I've spent a lot of time in the simulator to prepare of Austria as I haven't driven the circuit before. I have also spoken with Felipe as he is one of the four drivers who have raced this track in Formula One. Learning a new track has never been a problem for me and I have the practice sessions to get to grips with things. I have heard only good things about the track and the fans, so I am really looking forward to getting there. It's a little unknown how competitive we will be as there will be some upgrades, but we will as always give it our best.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

Quotes from McLaren:

Jenson Button - First, I think it’s great that we’re going back to Austria. Obviously, the Austrian Grand Prix has such a lot of history, the country has had some great drivers and champions in the past, and it’s also currently got a world-class Grand Prix team, so it makes a lot of sense for us to be racing there again. Second, I think it’s a great venue, a fantastic location for a Grand Prix. From my previous visits, I remember the clear mountain air, the cool morning temperatures before the sun hit the paddock, and the fast, sweeping corners that still largely exist, and which give this circuit a great feel from the cockpit. I remember the racing line for Turn 1 would lead us far out over the exit kerbs and onto the Tarmac run-off - it was crazy! It’ll be interesting to see what has changed in the intervening 10 years - I hear that the track has been left largely unchanged, but that the pits and paddock have been renovated. I think that’s a good call - the track is simple but great. A mini-classic.”

Kevin Magnussen - "It’s strange to be able to say it, but, of all the drivers on the F1 grid, I’ve probably got the most recent experience of racing at the Red Bull Ring, because two rounds of the World Series by Renault were held there last summer. It’s a very cool place - it’s a circuit where you never really get to rest in the cockpit because the track is always going somewhere; there’s only really one ‘straight’ straight, along the start/finish line, but it’s book-ended by fast corners so the opportunity you get to relax is pretty minimal. But that’s what makes it so enjoyable - every lap is a real adrenaline rush because the corners never stop coming. You need to really be on top of the car around here, you want it to be doing exactly what you ask of it, simply because the lap is so physical, the driver is actually doing a lot of work, so he needs his car to take as much of that burden as possible. I think this’ll be a great new addition to the calendar - the circuit is a hardcore racetrack, the fans are passionate and the venue is spectacular.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Quotes made by Drivers.

Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

More quotes, these ones from Toro Rosso drivers Daniil Kvyat and Jean-Eric Vergne.

Jean-Eric Vergne - "I have never raced at this track before, but I did drive it last year in a Formula One Show Car run for Red Bull at a Renault World Series event. I remember the race was very exciting. The track is short, but really nice and I am sure it will make for a very interesting race this weekend. It will be an important event for us as part of the Red Bull family and so I hope we will perform well. We have to consider it as a sort of home race for Toro Rosso."

Daniil Kvyat - "This is one of my favourite circuits. I raced here in Formula Renault Alps and had two wins there in 2012. I had a great weekend and really loved the track. Last year I went back to the Red Bull Ring with Formula 3 this time and again I had great memories taking three poles out of three, followed by three second places in the races. It's my kind of track, with heavy braking points and it is quite a technical track. It has some fast and medium speed corners which I really enjoy. Hopefully the STR9 will go well there. The scenery is beautiful, typical Austrian nature! It's going to be a big weekend for the Red Bull family, but I will be concentrating on the usual jobs of getting everything sorted and finding the right set-up from first free practice, having the right approach and seeing how it goes. You need to find a good balance there as there are some reasonably long straights. But it's mainly about high speed corners which is where you find most of the lap time."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

Next quotes are from Sauber!

Esteban Gutierrez - "The track in Spielberg is new for me and for many other drivers as well. It is always interesting to have new tracks on the Formula One race calendar. Last year there were quite a few tracks on which I drove for the first time, and now with Spielberg there is another new one. It is a fast circuit, so I am going to enjoy it. It will be an interesting event as the Austrians like Formula One and are nice and cheerful people. I hope we can feel the passion and the support for the sport, so that it can be a successful event. I am looking forward to the race weekend."

Adrian Sutil - "I am looking forward to the Austrian Grand Prix. I have never been to Spielberg with Formula One. I know the track from previous racing series in my career, and I really like it. At that time I was participating in Formula Ford and Formula 3. Obviously, I hope for a positive result there. In Canada it was good to finish the race and to get the maximum out of the car. The team also did a great job with the strategy and the pit stops. I hope we can build on this and make steps forward in every area. I am keeping up my motivation, and I am looking forward to the weekend in Spielberg."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Next quotes from the Force India drivers!

Nico Hulkenberg - "Together with Russia, this race is one of the big question marks for everyone this year. The track has some long straights and a few slow corners that should suit us, and we can count on making the most of softer compounds as we did in Canada. When you go to a new track it's even more important to maximise the practice sessions because there is so much more to learn. The lap is quite short so the gaps between the cars will be minimal and even small mistakes can make a big difference. We have shown once more to be both competitive and consistent, but we will need to keep our guard up and keep working hard as we did from the start. There will be tracks where we will be stronger and where we can capitalise on the opportunities we have, and tracks that will be more of a challenge. I know what plans the team has for the rest of the season and I see no reason why we cannot keep battling at the level we are at now."

Sergio Perez - "I don't really know what to expect because it's my first visit to the track, but I'm really looking forward to going there. It's a circuit that not many people know and so it can give you an opportunity to find a small advantage. You have to learn fast and be ready to adapt. A new circuit is always a bit more of a challenge, but it's interesting and I like the look of the track layout. I think the layout of the track will work well for our car. Hopefully we will have the opportunity for another strong performance there."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Lotus

Lotus have also put out quotes!

Romain Grosjean - “Competing in the Grand Prix will be my first experience there, which is a pretty cool way to get to know a track! It looks like quite a fun lap with some high speed sections and not too much low speed stuff - which hasn’t suited our car so far this year. The track has a bit of undulation too, which is always fun as a driver. A downhill approach to a corner means you have to drive it quite a bit differently than if it’s an uphill approach and Spielberg has both of those. It should be fun. We won’t know for sure until we’ve been out on track, but I don’t think the circuit should be as much of a challenge to us as Monaco or Montréal. Certainly there are fewer low speed corners which seem to have been more difficult for us this season and the downforce level could suit us better too. I am positive. Even though the end result in Canada might not show it, we’ve actually made good progress with the car and it’s starting to feel like a real racer in how it handles and how all the systems feel. This is very important to me as it helps you get the most out of the car through every corner to make the most of every lap.”

Pastor Maldonado - “I know the track, but it was maybe ten years ago when I last raced there and it will be new for me in an F1 car. I think it should be quite good for the E22. It looks like the circuit doesn’t have too many low-speed corners and the downforce and set-up is similar to Barcelona, which should help us. We will work hard to solve the problems we had in Canada so that we can reach our targets in Austria. I’m certainly optimistic Austria will suit us better than the last two rounds. (The last time I raced there) was in Formula Renault and I finished on the podium. Actually I think I won, but I don’t remember to be honest! It’s a high-downforce track. Most of the corners are very quick, especially in the second sector. It’s a lot of fun to race there and I’m happy to be going back.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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