FP2 gave an indication of the true speed of the different teams due to the threat of rain on Saturday. If the session can't go ahead then times from FP2 could be used to determine the grid. Many drivers set fast times but surprisingly, Mercedes weren't at the top.
According to team boss Toto Wolff Mercedes weren't going flat out: "It wasn't a full attack, nor was it half an attack. We've already put in a little bit and were at a level that we wouldn't normally ride in the second free practice," he said in a conversation with ORF.
"We're still feeling a little in the dark, especially with Lewis' time, because there was a problem with his car."
When asked what was wrong, he reacted sharply: "Yeah, if only we knew!"
Verstappen and Racing Point formidable opponents
According to Wolff, Hamilton's car doesn't feel good in the slow and medium speed corners. The team will now look at the data to see what's wrong, but according to the Austrian, they can't conjure up speed either.
"I would say that Verstappen has improved compared to last week and the Racing Point drivers! The rest are slower than we are."