Formula 1

Rosberg leads FP2 as hydraulic issue sidelines Hamilton

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Nico Rosberg - Credit: Octane Photographic Ltd

Nico Rosberg set the pace in second practice at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on Friday, but Mercedes AMG PETRONAS team-mate Lewis Hamilton had a troubled session that ended with the Briton in the pits with a suspected hydraulics issue.

After finishing fifth and in the wall in opening practice, Rosberg made amends in the best possible way under the floodlights in Singapore, setting a best lap of 1:44.152, 0.275 seconds faster than second placed Kimi Raikkonen in the leading of the Scuderia Ferrari machines.

After setting the pace in the first session, Max Verstappen ended third quickest in the second session, 0.380 seconds down on Rosberg, while his Red Bull Racing team-mate Daniel Ricciardo was only a further 0.025 seconds adrift in fourth, although the Australian spun at turn eleven early in the session after clipping the wall.

Singapore specialist Sebastian Vettel, who has four wins and six podium finishes in the eight races at the circuit, was fifth fastest in the second Ferrari, just ahead of the leading Sahara Force India of Nico Hülkenberg.

Hamilton was down in seventh having messed up his qualifying simulation, locking up his brakes heading into turn one, and then missed out on some long run time when the hydraulic issue kicked in.

Both Carlos Sainz Jr and Daniil Kvyat once again finished inside the top ten for Scuderia Toro Rosso, with the Spaniard eighth and the Russian tenth, either side of the McLaren-Honda of Fernando Alonso. Alonso however failed to get back to the pits at the end of the session when he appeared to have a gearbox issue on his MP4-31.

Sergio Perez missed out on the top ten by 0.034 seconds in the second Force India, while Jenson Button was twelfth in the second McLaren ahead of the leading Haas F1 Team entry of Esteban Gutierrez.

Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas were down in fourteenth and fifteenth respectively for the Williams Martini Racing team, ahead of Renault F1 Sport duo Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer.

Felipe Nasr was eighteenth for the Sauber F1 Team despite a verbal attack mid-session from Ricciardo over the radio when the Brazilian appeared to get in the way of the Australian as the Sauber driver exited the pits.

Romain Grosjean had another tough session in the second Haas, finishing nineteenth fastest. The Frenchman had failed to set a time in first practice due to a technical issue and then spun and hit the wall at the final corner mid-way through the second session, damaging his rear wing and left rear suspension.

Marcus Ericsson ended twentieth in the second Sauber, with the struggling Manor Racing team bringing up the rear, Pascal Wehrlein three-tenths of a second ahead of Esteban Ocon as both drivers continue to learn the Singapore track.

Marina Bay Free Practice 2 Result

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