F1 Qatar GP: Valtteri Bottas puts Mercedes on top under the lights in FP2

Valtteri Bottas set the pace for Mercedes during second practice at Formula 1’s inaugural Qatar Grand Prix. 
Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Mercedes AMG F1 W12.
Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Mercedes AMG F1 W12.
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The Finn led ൲the way on both the medium and soft compounds and finished over two-tenths clear of the field to top the more representative session that took place under the lights at the Losail International Circuit. 

Bottas had a faster lap deleted for track limits befo❀re he produced his quickest legal effort, a 1m23.148s, during his second soft tyre run. 

Just as he was in FP1, AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly sat second as he continued his impressive start🍰 to the weekend, while championship leader Max Verstappen was 0.350s down in his Red Bull. 

Verstappen needed two attempts on softs to outpace title rival Le꧃wis Hamilton, who wound up fourth-quickest and 0.422s adr𒉰ift of his Mercedes teammate. 

As it dꦕid during qualifying at Interlagos last weekend, the Red Bull rear wing was seen behaving oddly at the end of the straights. A DRS issue briefly kept Verstappen in the garage ♑before his qualifying simulation run. 

McLaren’s Lando Norr𓆉is got within half a second of Bottas to sit fifth, ahead of the lead Aston Martin of Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTa💦uri. 

Sergio Perez could only set a time good enough for eighth in his Red Bull, with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz complet🌄ing🏅 the top 10 for Aston Martin and Ferrari respectively. 

Traffic once again proved problematic ✤around the tight, fast-flowing Losail track and ruined a number of drivers’ low fuel runs before attention switched to high-fuel race simulations. 

Unlike FP1 - which took place during the heat of the Qatar afternoon - FP2 was held at dusk, with lower track temperatures that will b🍰e seen again in qualifying and the race. 

Haas rookie Nikita Mazepin did not take part 🍸in second practice due to a chassis change after he incurred damage to his car over the kerbs in FP1.

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