Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 31 degrees C, while the track temperature is 37 degrees. It remains overcast.

The lights go green, and first out is Anthony Davidson, who missed most of this morning's session following an engine failure. Yamamoto, Wurz, Montagny, Jani, Doornbos, Mondini and Fisichella are also eager to get to work.

Once again, Wurz sets the initial pace, posting a 26.873, but Davidson is hot on his heels. Moments later the Englishman goes quickest, crossing the line at 26.409. However, this morning's pace-setter, Sebastian Vettel, has other ideas, and raises the benchmark with a 26.279.

Fernando Alonso heads down the pitlane, as Davidson reclaims the top spot with a 25.605. elsewhere, Yamamoto goes off at the Curva Grande but is able to continue.

Davidson continues to improve (25.365), as Wurz goes second, ahead of Vettel, Yamamoto, Sato, Montagny and Jani.

More pain for Davidson and Honda as Davidson suffers another engine failure, this time at the Variante della Roggia. Flames and smoke pour from the back of the car. On the pit wall, Nick Fry sighs. Meanwhile, Wurz reclaims the top spot with a 25.266.

Davidson was using the latest spec engine earlier this morning, but was using a modified version in this session. Clearly, Honda has a major problem, which will impact on both Button and Barrichello this weekend.

Sebastian Vettel is on a hot lap, the German youngster crossing the line at 25.008.

As Ralf Schumacher goes fourth (25.934), Speed and Liuzzi head down the pitlane.

Pedro completes his first flying lap of the day, and immediately goes quickest, crossing the line at 1:24.216. This is the cue for Michael Schumacher to leave the Ferrari garage and head down the pitlane. The German is followed by Nick Heidfeld and David Coulthard.

Schumacher stays out, having completed his installation lap, and is pushing hard, really riding the chicanes. He's quickest in the second sector, and again in the third, crossing the line at 23.703, that's .513 up on de la Rosa.

Monteiro, Albers and Massa leave the pits, as Michael improves to 23.138 - this is a man about to retire, c'mon, it can't be. Raikkonen and Rosberg are also on track.

Felipe goes quickest in the first sector, but loses ground in the second. He crosses the line at 1:23.308, to make it a Ferrari 1-2.

Alonso goes fifth (24.948), but is quickly demoted by Raikkonen, who crosses the line at 24.555, though both are over 1.4s off Schumacher's pace.

With 22 minutes remaining, it's Michael, Massa, de la Rosa, Heidfeld, Raikkonen, Vettel, Alonso, Rosberg, Wurz and Davidson.

The only drivers that haven't been out are Kubica and the Honda duo, Barrichello and Button. No doubt, Davidson's failure has caused the Japanese team to have a major re-think.

Alonso improves to sixth (24.643), but remains 1.5s off Michael's pace. Next time around he improves again, but is still 1.4s down on the Ferraris.

de la Rosa is on a hot lap but remains fourth quickest, 0.832s off the pace. As the Spaniard crosses the line, Michaels back down the pitlane.

The German posts a personal best in the first sector, passing Trulli as though he's standing still. The second sector is off the pace, as is the third, consequently he fails to improve. Next time around the Ferrari driver pits.

With 11 minutes remaining, still no sign of Kubica or the Honda drivers.

Early days, but WilliamsF1, Toyota and Red Bull are well off the pace.

From out of nowhere, Vettel produces a 22.631 to go quickest, as one German star prepares to call it quits (or not), another is on the ascendant. Elsewhere, Kubica goes twelfth, which means that the Honda drivers are the only two that haven't been out. And with under 4 minutes remaining, we're not likely to see them.

Alonso goes wide at the Curva Grande, as Kubica improves to ninth. Meanwhile, Vettel looks set to improve yet again, as he goes quickest in the first sector. As it happens, he fails to improve, but his 22.631 sees him end the day quickest, for the second Grand Prix Friday in succession.

Behind Vettel, it's Michael, Massa, Wurz, de la Rosa, Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Alonso, Kubica, Montagny and Albers.