SOCHI: Felipe Massa topped the times in Friday’s forlorn and rain-swept second free practice session for Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix, the Brazilian clocking the best lap in the closing seconds as only eight cars set times.

After a morning session reduced to an hour following a diesel spillage that left the Sochi Autodrom circuit in a slippery and treacherous condition, the afternoon was hit by torrential rain which left the surface of the track awash with water in many places.

Massa in his Williams took top spot away from Finnish team-mate Valtteri Bottas in a final flurry of action that also saw four-time champion German Sebastian Vettel jump up to second in his Ferrari. Bottas fell to third.

Massa’s best lap was two minutes and 0.458 seconds, two-tenths quicker than the time set by Bottas, as the track improved marginally, but a long way off last year’s pole time set by world champion Lewis Hamilton in one minute and 38.5 seconds.

Dutch teenager Max Verstappen was fourth for Toro Rosso ahead of two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso, in his 250th Grand Prix, in a McLaren-Honda running with an updated engine.

Local hope Russian Daniil Kvyat was sixth for Red Bull ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz in the second Toro Rosso and Briton Jenson Button in the second McLaren.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2015

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