Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 26 degrees C, while the track temperature is 34 degrees. It is bright but remains muggy, humidity being 68%.

As one might have expected, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull led the way this morning, the German finishing 2.106s quicker than Lewis Hamilton, while teammate Mark Webber was 0.615s off the pace.

There were no major incidents, other than Maldonado beaching his Williams and Heidfeld wiping the nose off his Renault. As in the first two races the tyre options are hard (prime) and soft (option) but the softer rubber wasn't seen this morning.

The lights go green and first out is Alguersuari. The Spaniard didn't take part in this morning's session, instead his car was driven by Daniel Ricciardo. Jarno Trulli and Adrian Sutil also watched from the pitwall as their teams' reserve drivers had fun.

Hamilton is also out early, the McLaren, though the biggest threat to Red Bull, appeared nervous and skittish this morning.

As Alguersuari posts 43.655, Paul di Resta confirms that he is unlikely to get out this afternoon due to a fuel pressure problem though his crew is working hard in an attempt to rectify the situation.

Hamilton posts 40.840 but this is soon beaten by his McLaren teammate who crosses the line at 40.207. Heidfeld goes third, ahead of Alguersuari and Buemi only to be leapfrogged by Schumacher who goes third with a 42.366.

Just six minutes into the session there are already seventeen names on the timesheets.

Hamilton raises the benchmark with a 40.121 as Rosberg posts 40.479 to go third. Alguersuari loses grip on the marbles as he exits Turn 9, the Toro Rosso performing a nifty little 360.

Having gone quickest in all three sectors, Button goes quickest with a 39.431. Massa posts 40.406 to go third while teammate Alonso takes sixth with a 41.043.

Petrov gesticulates as a very slow Massa ruins his lap. The Russian clearly gaining confidence race by race.

Vettel's first flying lap sees the German go nineteenth (44.959) while Webber posts 46.433. Next time around the German improves to seventeenth while the Australian posts 45.802. The Red Bull duo are on high fuel runs looking ahead to Sunday.

A 40.258 sees Alonso go third, ahead of Heidfeld, Massa, Rosberg and Schumacher. Still no times from the Hispania duo or di Resta.

Rosberg goes quickest in all three sectors, taking the top spot with a 38.912, 0.519s clear of Button. After eight laps, Vettel complains that his rear tyres are beginning to go.

Maldonado is one of the first drivers to switch to the option rubber, the Venezuelan immediately going third with a 39.667. Vettel now complains of a vibration.

As Maldonado returns to the pits, having gone quickest in the first sector of his in lap, teammate Barrichello is still sown in fifteenth position. The Grove outfit is trying a new exhaust on the Brazilian's car.

Massa is the first of the big guns to switch to the soft rubber, the Brazilian currently seventh on 40.406. In the first sector the Ferrari driver goes quickest with a 26.0, then a 29.8s in S2. At the line it's 38.507 which sees the 2008 championship runner-up go quickest.

As the Force India crew continue to work on di Resta's car, Alonso heads down the pitlane on soft rubber. Liuzzi has yet to make an appearance in this session.

Though he fails to improve his overall time, Massa goes quickest in the first and final sectors.

More and more drivers now switching to the options, Rosberg being the latest. The German immediately goes quickest in all three sectors, crossing the line at 37.943, over half-a-second faster than Massa.

Buemi pops up in sixth with a 39.771 as Heidfeld writes off another front wing, this time in Turn 1. However, unlike the earlier session, he keeps the car going and starts the long journey back to the pits. However, shortly afterwards, having taken to an escape road, he cuts the engine in fear of it overheating and grinds to a halt.

Buemi reports that his KERS isn't working. The Swiss is told to return to his garage.