Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 24 degrees C, and the track temperature is 36 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.

The lights go green and Davidson leads the way, followed by the BMWs, Glock, Vettel, Hamilton and Bourdais. As in the first session, Hamilton is keen to get to work.

At the end of the main straight, as he begins his first flying lap of the afternoon, Hamilton goes wide, running across the run-off. Meanwhile, Kubica goes quickest (23.547) ahead of Heidfeld.

Moments later, Glock splits the BMWs as teammate Trulli goes fourth, the Toyotas continuing to show improvement.

Hamilton goes quickest in the first two sectors, however, his 23.557 isn't enough to eclipse Kubica, who improves with a 22.967.

Rosberg goes third (23.725), as Nakajima goes fourth and Piquet fifth. Still no sign of the softer (medium) option.

Hamilton spins, having gone quickest in the first sector. As the Englishman heads back to the pits Kimi Raikkonen is leaving.

Rosberg is on track running the soft (medium) option. He improves to second with a 23.032. Moments later he is demoted by Sutil, who is also on the soft option.

Raikkonen's first flying lap sees the Finn go third (23.420), however, moments later he'd demoted when Fisichella goes third. The Italian, running on the harder compound, then improves to first place, crossing the line at 22.494. Go figure!

Having dropped down the timesheets, Hamilton improves to fifth with a 23.114. The Force Indias still top the timesheets.

Piquet (soft) is on track, running just behind his Renault teammate who is on hards. It would appear the teams are doing comparisons.

As Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector, Fisichella (softs now) goes quickest in the second and third, raising the benchmark to 22.383. Coulthard goes third, ahead of Piquet.

Just over half-an-hour into the session, Massa finally posts a time. The Brazilian (hards) going fifth with a 22.772. Meanwhile, his teammate improves to second, splitting the Force Indias with a 22.498.

"We're on the wrong path, man," an engineer tells Vettel, as the German fails to improve. Previously, teammate Bourdais had complained about the rear of his car, in terms of set-up.

Possible a strategic thing, but Massa continues to be blindingly quick in the firs sector, then eases off in the second and third.

In the midst of all this, Coulthard has gone quickest, the Scot posting 22.321.

At 'half time', it's: Coulthard, Fisichella, Raikkonen, Sutil, Massa, Hamilton, Piquet, Kubica, Webber and Heidfeld.

Kovalainen is on track on softs. The Finn, currently fifteenth, posts a personal best in the first sector, and again in the second. At the line it's 23.405, which sees him improve to… fourteenth.

Rosberg (softs) posts a 22.266 to go quickest, as Nakajima (also softs) goes quickest in the middle sector. The Japanese driver crosses the line at 22.172 to take the top spot.

At the wrong end of the timesheets, other than the Super Aguris, we have Vettel, Button, Glock, Barrichello, Bourdais and Alonso.

Raikkonen is back on track on softs. The Finn immediately improves to third. Massa is also track, like his teammate he is on softs. The Brazilian wastes no time in improving to second with a 22.229. Nakajima remains quickest.

A problem for Kovalainen, who slows down dramatically, almost collecting one of the Force Indias in the process. As the Finn climbs from his car the crowd erupts, Alonso has gone quickest (22.034).Despite being quickest, on his next lap the Spaniard really has to fight the car, the front lacking any sort of grip.

It's a Renault 1-2 as Piquet (softs) goes quickest with a 22.019. Meanwhile, back in the pits, Kovalainen is talking to his engineers.

With fifteen minutes remaining, it's: Piquet, Alonso, Nakajima, Massa, Rosberg, Raikkonen, Coulthard, Fisichella, Sutil and Kubica.

Webber improves to fifth with a 22.238, as Pedro de la Rosa watches from the McLaren garage.

The clock is ticking, and all but six drivers are on track, with six minutes remaining.