Hamilton fastest in second practice, Rosberg second
Mercedes dominate practice with upgraded engine
Ricciardo has gearbox problem, Verstappen spins
Get involved: #bbcf1 your awkward F1 small talk
The times they are a tumbling. Nico Rosberg goes faster, only for Lewis Hamilton to eek a little more out of his Mercedes and he leads the way with a 1:25.285.
Meanwhile, Felipe Massa pops back into the pits briefly. He's got a piece of cable stuck to the rear of his Williams, which got caught there after Romain Grosjean ran over the gravel at Ascari.
Rubbish small talk with F1 personalites
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
"The performance of Mercedes’ upgraded engine was something of a talking point over the lunch break, with more than one engineer rolling his eyes at the pace - both over a lap and down the straight of the silver cars.
"Mercedes F1 engine boss Andy Cowell says producing the new design - which uses all the company’s development tokens in one go - for this race was a ‘challenge’. It is as yet only available to the works team, with no date for when the customer teams will receive it.”
Straight into P1 for Lewis Hamilton with a 1:25.683, but Nico Rosberg is on his flyer and knocks his Mercedes team-mate off the top with a 1:25.617.
A 1:26.252 was the fastest time in FP2 last year and that has already been bettered 10 minutes into this session courtesy of Sebastian Vettel's 1:26.225.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton is out on the circuit and is embarking on his first timed effort of the afternoon...
Nico Hulkenberg briefly pops into P1 with 1:26.439 but Sebastian Vettel slices off a couple of tenths of a second to move back on top.
Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo is touring round very slowly, his Red Bull seemingly stuck in gear.
A few times on the board with eight or so minutes gone in the session and it is Sebastian Vettel who leads the way early on with a 1:26.548. That is almost two seconds off Lewis Hamilton's pace setting time in FP1.
Rubbish small talk with F1 personalities
James Allen
BBC Radio 5 live F1 commentator
Quote MessageI know there is not a great deal of appetite for Malaysia and Singapore to be back to back. Certainly the feeling is that Malaysia is on the move.
Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst
Quote MessageStarting late and then a very long run in towards December will be pretty tough for everybody.
Off we go then. Ninety minutes of second practice is under way with Fernando Alonso's McLaren glinting under the midday sun as it charges out on to the circuit.
BBC Radio 5 live's Allan McNish: "Sunny FP2 starting at Monza in a few minutes. First runs on soft tyre will give us an idea performance but always watching for rear tyre graining."
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You can listen to James Allen and co on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra right now.
Image source, Getty ImagesInteresting stuff from Autosport here,, external with the 2016 calendar apparently stretching into December and Malaysia will host the season finale.
"At present a record-breaking 21-grands prix schedule, external is condensed into just eight months, due to a later-than-usual start in Australia on April 3, with Abu Dhabi hosting the finale again on November 27," Autosport reports.
"However, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed to AUTOSPORT that following a request from the race organisers in Singapore, the Malaysian Grand Prix will revert to either December 4 or 11."
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
“Williams have released interim financial results, which as expected show a significant improvement from last year. The team posted a £42.5m loss in 2014, a result of a financial quirk that meant their pay-off for Pastor Maldonado breaking his contract having to be accounted for in 2013 rather than in 2014, when the money was actually spent.
"Over the first six months of 2015, Williams’s losses have reduced to just £1.4m, a trend the team they say they expect to continue."
BBC Weather's Ian Fergusson: "No problems for P2 – dry with sunny spells; warm. Later this evening (and more specifically into tonight), expect increasing likelihood of heavy, thundery downpours affecting Monza and the Milan area. Some of these could yield torrential rainfall rates with frequent lightning. Some showers / storms likely to linger into Saturday morning."
Congratulations!
I think, though, the more pressing matter here is why are there a pair of legs seemingly with no body behind Lisa!
Image source, Getty ImagesDuring the break between sessions I had a little read of Formula1.com's, external 'In conversation with Bernie Ecclestone and Maurizio Arrivabene' and it is quite fascinating insight.
What in particular caught my eye was a question put to Ecclestone. He is asked of all the famous names in music he has met, who has impressed him the most. Now Bernie must have met some of the biggest names in the industry, so who will it be? Michael Jackson? Kyle Minogue? One Direction even!
"Leo Sayer," is his answer.
Yep. Didn't expect that.
Image source, Getty ImagesAnon, via text: Once served Paul Stoddart in a cookware shop in 2007. Asked him about Hamilton/Alonso battle. He thought (if I remember right) McLaren were handling it all wrong.
Rubbish small talk with F1 personalities
This morning we were asking for your moments of engaging in rubbish small talk with F1 personalities - the more mundane the better like, for instance, one person bumping into Ross Brawn in a butchers in Henley.
Send us your anecdote to #bbcf1, external on Twitter, or text in on 81111 (UK only)