Nico Rosberg was unbeatable on day one of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, which was not without incident at the daunting Spa-Francorchamps.
After setting the pace in the morning session, Rosberg was once again the man to beat in the afternoon as he hogged the top of the timing screens for most of the 90 minutes session.
However, around the hour mark the right rear Pirelli on the number six Mercedes appeared to delaminate before eexploding, sending the Mercedes spinning as it approached Blanchimont at high speed.
Rosberg did well to keep the car out the barriers as it spun up the road, and said afterwards, “It was not a nice experience. A 360 degree spin at 200mph is not something you expect at all.”
“Luckily I did not hit the wall. I didn’t feel anything before, there was no warning. There will be a big analysis. I was feeling quick before then, comfortable,” added the German whose best time of 1:49.385 was enough to keep him on top of the timing sheets, again (as in the morning) about a quarter of a second up n teammate and title rival Lewis Hamilton.
Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat were third and fourth respectively, suggesting something of a revival for the energy drinks outfit at the venue where Ricciardo won last year. Kimi Raikkonen was fifth in the Ferrari.
Earlier in FP1 Pastor Maldonado smashed the barriers in his Lotus, and shortly after Rosberg’s incident in FP2, Marcus Ericsson lost control of his Sauber and crunched into the tyre wall at Pouhon.
Report in progress…Belgian Grand Prix, Free Practice 2 – Friday, 21 August 2015
1 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:49.385 19
4 26 Daniil Kvyat Red Bull Racing 1:50.399 +1.014s 18
5 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:50.461 +1.076s 23
6 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1:50.461 +1.076s 21
7 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:50.489 +1.104s 21
8 9 Marcus Ericsson Sauber 1:50.709 +1.324s 18
9 12 Felipe Nasr Sauber 1:50.928 +1.543s 24
10 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:50.940 +1.555s 23
11 11 Sergio Perez Force India 1:50.971 +1.586s 21
12 55 Carlos Sainz Toro Rosso 1:51.037 +1.652s 24
13 33 Max Verstappen Toro Rosso 1:51.117 +1.732s 25
14 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:51.250 +1.865s 25
15 13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:51.317 +1.932s 16
16 19 Felipe Massa Williams 1:51.588 +2.203s 26
17 22 Jenson Button McLaren 1:51.854 +2.469s 16
18 14 Fernando Alonso McLaren 1:52.570 +3.185s 14
19 28 Will Stevens Marussia 1:54.065 +4.680s 17
20 98 Roberto Merhi Marussia 1:54.253 +4.868s 14
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