Ahead of today’s second free practice session, the air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 18 degrees.

The good news, following this morning’s washout, is that it has stopped raining and is now a little bit brighter, though the threat of further downpours remains.

Only 11 drivers posted times this morning, between them the 22 – 21 when you remember Raikkonen didn’t make an appearance – completed just 102 laps between them.

The lights go green and Vettel leads Webber, both drivers on inters. A few moments later, Raikkonen heads out, his car running the controversial passive DRS system not seen since last year.

As Vettel posts 1:44.038 and Webber 1:44.299, Button reports that the “circuit is very dry”.

Bottas posts 43.929, the Finn still buoyed by his qualifying performance in Canada. While a number of drivers have pitted, most remain on track.

As di Resta posts 43.207, Vergne is the first driver to make the switch to slicks, the Frenchman wearing a set of primes (hards). In the pits Alonso is also on hard tyres as teammate Massa (inters) goes second with a 43.466.

On the harder (prototype) rubber, Vergne immediately goes quickest (41.868) having gone quickest in the two final sectors. Next time around he’s quickest in all three sectors, crossing the line at 38.901.

Also on hards, Ricciardo goes second (39.030), while more and more drivers switch to slicks.

Raikkonen, who is running the passive DRS, goes fourth with a 42.477, as Ricciardo ups the ante with a 36.502. In the wake of yesterday’s big story, both Toro Rosso drivers know that they are on the shortlist for the second seat at Red Bull.

The home team takes first and second as Sutil posts 35.677 and di Resta 35.822. Moments later the pair are split by Vergne’s 35.699.

Game over for Massa who loses the rear end of his Ferrari coming out of Stowe. Rob Smedley looks on in frustration as the Brazilian does some serious damage to the front of his car. This comes at a time when Massa, who has crashed during practice sessions over three successive GP weekends, is holding out hope that he will be retained for another season.

While that was going on, Webber has gone quickest, the Australian posting 36.648.

As a very dejected Massa walks slowly back to the pits, Bianchi and Hamilton remain the only drivers yet to post a time.

As Hamilton finally leaves the pits, teammate Rosberg goes quickest with a 34.327. As Vergne improves to second, Rosberg consolidates his position with a 33.585.

On his first flying lap, Hamilton goes second, the Briton posting a 34.367.

At 51:10, Grosjean and Pic are the first drivers to switch to the options (medium), at which point the first spots of rain begin to fall. Elsewhere, Sutil has a moment at Becketts. Van der Garde has also switched to options.

On the options, Grosjean improves from 16th (36.563) to 6th (33.858), as Vettel also makes the switch to options.

As Sutil goes quickest (33.374), Vettel goes quickest in S1. As the German crosses the line at 33.068 to go quickest, in the Red Bull garage mechanics are working furiously on teammate Webber’s car.

At ‘half-time’, it’s: Vettel, Grosjean, Sutil, Ricciardo, Rosberg, Hamilton, di Resta, Vergne, Webber and Alonso.

As more and more drivers switch to the options, and the rain having abated, Rosberg posts 32.248 to go quickest.

Another moment for Sutil, this time the German takes a pounding as he rides the kerbs at Chapel.

With 36:50 on the clock, and having completed just 9 laps, Webber heads down the pitlane.

In no time at all Webber is on the pace, the Australian posting 32.953 to go fifth. Elsewhere, Gutierrez takes a real pounding from the kerbs.