F1 Paddock Notebook - Australian GP Friday

- Daniel Ricciardo’s rotten luck on home soil continued as he was hit with a three-place grid penalty for failing to slow down enough under the red flag in FP2. The session was stopped midway through Ricciardo’s qualifying sim, and despite his best efforts, the Australian was unable to meet the required delta. Ricciardo was also awarded two penalty points, his first of the current 12-month period.

- Kimi Raikkonen avoided a penalty despite an alleged block on Valtteri Bottas earlier in FP2. The stewards said that while Bottas was impeded, Raikkonen did “make a reasonable attempt to cede the apex” and that both drivers agreed it was not “unnecessary impeding”.

- Toro Rosso drivers Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley were both hit with fines for speeding in the pit lane through FP1, coming to a total amount of €800 for the team.

- Visibility was a complaint for Lewis Hamilton at the start of FP2, but Carlos Sainz Jr. said he felt it was normal for that to be the case given the shadows cast on the track by the overhanging trees. “Maybe this year with the Halo it is a bit trickier,” he added.

- Pierre Gasly lost a chunk of time on his fastest run in FP2 after finding his engine was in the wrong setting. Gasly finished the session 17th, with just eight-tenths of a second covering P8 to P18.

- Lance Stroll stopped out on-track following the chequered flag in FP2 due to an overheating issue on his car.

- McLaren downplayed the exhaust issue that limited both Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne’s running in FP1, saying the problems were “quickly addressed”.

- Nico Hulkenberg doubts the added DRS zone on the run down to Turn 13 will aid overtaking a huge amount given the difficulty of following a car through the Turn 11/12 complex.

- Maurizio Arrivabene hit back at an early question regarding Kimi Raikkonen’s future with Ferrari beyond the end of the season. “Kimi was driving quite well today in FP1, so we are at the first FP1 or the first race of the season so let him drive, quietly, please,” Arrivabene said.

- Mercedes chief Toto Wolff issued an update on Lewis Hamilton’s contract talks, saying they are finalising the final topics and that “discussions are going in the right way.”

- In response to the wet weather forecast for Saturday, teams have been given an extra set of intermediate tyres ahead of FP3, as is procedure by the FIA.

- As per Apple’s weather app, there is a 100 percent chance of rain tomorrow between 11am and 2pm, and an 80 percent chance at 5pm when qualifying is due to start. With sunset at 7:26pm, there is not much of a window for the organisers should any delays occur.

- The drivers were present for a GPDA meeting following the drivers’ briefing on Friday evening.