Lewis Hamilton was back on top of the timesheets as Mercedes led the way in Practice 2 at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.
Despite some threatening clouds lurking around Silverstone, the temperature surpassed 30 degrees on a hot afternoon in the UK.
Typically, Mercedes struggle as the mercury rises, but not on this occasions with Hamilton posting a 1m25.606s, to finish almost two-tenths clear of teammate and morning pacesetter Valtteri Bottas.
The world champion was eight-tenths clear of Daniel Ricciardo in third, as the Australian completed his low-fuel, soft tyre run later than most.
Max Verstappen was the latest of all to use the red-striped compound in the Red Bull but struggled to improve on his medium tyre run in fourth
And that was a theme seen across much of the grid as the high degradation of the C4 meant its grip was not lasting for a full lap.
Behind the top four, Racing Point put their off-track troubles behind them with Lance Stroll in fifth and Nico Hulkenberg continuing his solid start to the weekend in sixth, within three-tenths of the Canadian as he stands in again for Sergio Perez.
Charles Leclerc was seventh and the only real positive for Ferrari as teammate Sebastian Vettel languished in 14th and suffered a mechanical failure late on, thought to be gearbox of engine-related.
“Big failure at the back of the car… In the drivetrain, that didn’t feel right”
Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari comes to a stop and we’re now under a Virtual Safety Car ?#F170 ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/YixCcgjNMw
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 7, 2020
McLaren moved up the order after a low-key morning as Lando Norris was eighth just ahead of Carlos Sainz, who was involved in a small fracas with Daniil Kvyat much to the annoyance of the Russian.
Esteban Ocon completed the top 10 in the second Renault.
Another big name missing from that order was Alex Albon, with the Thai again looking like facing a fight to make Q3 in qualifying after finishing 11th.
George Russell was 16th in the Williams, as he, Alfa Romeo and Haas look set to battle again to avoid Q1 elimination.
There was trouble for Antonio Giovinazzi, however, who stopped in the closing minutes in the Maggotts, Becketts sequence ending the session under a red flag.
Here’s how FP2 finished ?
Mercedes take another 1-2, with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas switching places from FP1#F170 ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/eikXnayVXm
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 7, 2020
