Ahead of today's second practice session, the air temperature is 22 degrees C, and the track temperature is 31 degrees. There has been no further rain, indeed the sunshine is shining… at least it's trying.

With the track entirely dry, we should, over the course of the next ninety minutes get a much better idea of where things stand this weekend than we did this morning.

The lights go green and Albers leads a whole train of drivers eager to get to work, Ralf, Heidfeld, Liuzzi, Kubica, Trulli, Speed, Sutil, Sato and Fisichella. No less than 18 drivers take to the track within seconds of the session getting underway.

There's a bit of a misunderstanding between Trulli and Heidfeld which sees both drivers take to the grass. Elsewhere, Liuzzi posts the benchmark (1:32.228).

Just minutes into the session we have sixteen names on the timesheets, with Massa at the very top on 29.393. As Hamilton goes second, Liuzzi has a big, big spin. Indeed, several drivers are struggling for grip.

Massa improves to 28.582, ahead of Hamilton, Heidfeld, Kovalainen and Fisichella. Rosberg has a moment as does Sutil. Remember, although the track has dried out, it is still very dirty, that, and the new compounds, make for some slippery moments.

Raikkonen goes fourth (29.232), then improves to second (28.634), despite getting well and truly out of shape at the start of the main straight.

Though Massa improves with a 28.111, Alonso also goes quicker, taking second with a 28.591. The first four places are now dominate by Ferrari and McLaren, much as we all expected. Behind this quartet is Heidfeld, then the Renaults, Hondas and Williams.

Neither of the Red Bulls has posted a time, while the Toyotas are both over 3.4s off the pace.

Of the 'smaller' teams, Spyker appears to have the edge over Toro Rosso and Super Aguri. Almost unnoticed, Kubica has gone seventh, just 0.3s down on his BMW teammate.

As Trulli improves to twelfth, Sato goes thirteenth and Sutil fourteenth. Meanwhile, Webber goes very wide, as does Kubica. Elsewhere, Davidson goes fourteenth (30.826).

Kubica improves to second (28.452), but Alonso is back on track, as is his McLaren teammate. Compared to last season we are seeing more action, and thankfully this includes the big guns.

As Webber goes fourteenth, his Red Bull teammate does a good impersonation of a lawnmower.

Hamilton takes second (28.251), as Massa goes quickest in the second sector, only to make a mistake in the third. Kimi Raikkonen is also on track. Webber improves to tenth as Coulthard goes thirteenth.

Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the second. Elsewhere, Kovalainen lock-up big time ands Albers takes to the grass.

Alonso takes the top spot with a 28.040, ahead of Massa, Hamilton, Kubica, Raikkonen, Fisichella, Heidfeld, Button, Barrichello and Webber.