Ahead of today's second practice session the air temperature is 22 degrees, while the track temperature is 32 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.

Red Bull led the way this morning, Mark Webber posting a best time over a second quicker than his teammate. Nico Rosberg was third quickest ahead of Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez.

Pastor Maldonado was quickest through the speed-trap, at a shade over 200 mph, however, his session ended when he lost the back end of his Williams and went off into the gravel.

Pirelli has brought a new hard compound tyre here, Michael Schumacher completing 30 laps on a set demonstrating that it is more durable than the previous compound.

The lights go green and Jaime Alguersuari is ready and waiting, the Spaniard having been sidelined with an engine problem in the latter stages of this morning's session. He is followed by d'Ambrosio, Kobayashi, Karthikeyan, Glock, Buemi and Perez.

Alguersuari posts a 29.858 however, this is soon eclipsed by Perez who crosses the line at 29.280.

Seven minutes into the session, Massa goes quickest with a 27.056, however, teammate Alonso posts a 25.707 to make it a Maranello 1-2. Heidfeld goes third, ahead of Alguersuari, Kobayashi and Barrichello.

There are 23 drivers on track, however, no sign of Lewis Hamilton who spent much of the morning in his garage as his crew worked on the rear end of his car.

Button splits the Ferraris with a 25.769 as teammate Hamilton finally leaves the pits. Elsewhere, Petrov slips into fifth, behind his Renault teammate, with a 28.025.

Having previously posted 31.399, Hamilton goes quickest with a 25.326, the McLaren driver bettering Alonso's time by over 0.2s.

Still no sign of the soft (option) tyres as Hamilton runs wide in his efforts to improve on his previous best. Petrov moves up to fourth and Glock nineteenth.

Maldonado is the first driver to switch to the soft rubber, the move reflected in his time of 25.974 which sees him go fourth.

For once a driver appears happy and confident with his car, Buemi claiming that his STR6 has "more potential".

On the options, Petrov goes quickest (24.786) having gone quickest in the final two sectors.

Button makes excellent use of his DRS to pass Rosberg on the main straight - the zone where it will be permitted on Sunday - the Englishman consolidating his fourth place with a 25.495. Meanwhile, Kovalainen cuts across in front of Maldonado, no doubt causing the Williams driver to take a deep breath.

Glock locks up and runs wide into the gravel trap, however, the German is able to continue. Meanwhile, Button complains of a total lack of grip at his rear end.

At 48:10, Vettel leaves the pits on softs, the German is currently fourteenth (28.333). On his first flying lap, the world champion goes quickest in the first sector. He's quickest again in the second eventually crossing the line at a mighty 22.826 - almost 2s quicker than second placed Petrov.

Hamilton and Alonso both on hards as Webber starts his first flying lap on softs. Meanwhile, having gone quicker in the first two sectors, a poor final sector means Vettel fails to improve.

Webber goes quickest in S1, and again in S2. At the line the Australian posts 22.470 thereby snatching the top spot from his teammate by 0.356s.

Perez goes fourth (24.814) then improves with a 24.483, the Mexican looking really good today. Hamilton, still on hards, posts PBs is the first and final sectors, posts 25.62 to consolidate his sixth place.

Lots of oversteer for Schumacher (softs) as Massa takes a long trip through the gravel at Turn 5. "That was close," the Brazilian tells Rob Smedley.

Rosberg goes third (23.586) having posted PBs in all three sectors, as Button starts hi first lap on the option rubber. At the first split he's already 0.3s down on Webber. At the line the McLaren driver posts 23.188 to go third, a significant improvement on his previous best (25.495).