Ahead of today's second practice session, the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 55 degrees. Although bright and sunny, there is a 30% chance of rain later in the session.

As the headlines says, Mercedes was in a league of its own earlier, the German team leaving its rivals for dust, or at least over half-a-second adrift.

Kimi Raikkonen was third quickest, ahead of Verstappen, Ricciardo, Massa and Vandoorne.

In fact, Red Bull concedes that it will not be strong over one lap, and therefore won't be challenging for pole, but the Austrian team is quietly confident for Sunday.

That said, a grid penalty for Ricciardo gets the weekend off to a difficult start, but nothing like that being encountered at 'sister' team, Toro Rosso. Already facing grid penalties for Sunday, both Gasly and Hartley look likely to incur more after a troubled morning which saw the paid complete just 7 laps between them, the Kiwi failing to post a time.

Now running the same aero package as his illustrious teammate, Vandoorne was strong earlier as was Massa who is making his final appearance here.

On the other hand it was a difficult morning for the Sauber, Renault and Haas duos who were all well off the pace.

With rain expected this afternoon, Haas was given permission to run Magnussen earlier, while reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi takes over the car this afternoon.

Ahead of the start of the session, work is still ongoing on Gasly's car.

Grosjean leads the way, followed by Hartley, whose crew has done a great job fixing his car over the break, and Giovinazzi.

Grosjean posts 13.080 as both Ferraris head out. Raikkonen complains of a vibration at the front.

Giovinazzi posts 16.404, Hartley 17.188 and Vettel 10.993.

All are on the soft rubber.

Alonso goes second with a 12.265 as Raikkonen goes quickest in S2, the Finn finally crossing the line at 10.855.

A 12.116 sees Perez go third as Vettel re-takes the top spot with a 10.775.

Gasly goes 8th with a 12.620, the Faenza crew having done a magnificent job in changing both engines since FP1.

Despite being quickest in S1, Vettel fails to improve, the German not helped by a misunderstanding with Grosjean. "He was a lot closer than that," moans the Frenchman who had been pre-warned of the German's approach.

As Hamilton prepares to leave the pits, Raikkonen posts 10.450 to take the top spot again.

As Vettel and Raikkonen continue to trade times, Verstappen momentarily goes quickest before losing out to Bottas (10.270).

Vandoorne, making full use of the new aero package, posts 10.925 to go fifth.

As Bottas gets down to 9.860, Hamilton, on his first flying lap, responds with a 9.792... though it takes the FIA timing screens (and the dreaded app) over a minute to realise.

Hamilton improves to 9.742 as Stroll loses time in T4 as he finds himself sandwiched between two cars.

Raikkonen makes the switch to supersofts, the first driver to do so this afternoon. The Finn crosses the line at 10.117 to go third, albeit 0.375s off Hamilton's pace.

There's disagreement between Alonso and his engineer, the Spaniard claiming there is something wrong with his engine, a "deployment issue", his engineer disputing the claim. The McLaren driver is subsequently told to pit.

Vettel and Bottas follow Raikkonen's example and switch to supersofts.

A Yusuke Hasegawa checks the engine in Alonso's car, watched by a stony faced Spaniard, Vettel complains of "very poor front end". Nonetheless, he improves to third with a 9.875.

However, Bottas raises the bar with a 9.563 as Hamilton heads out on the red-banded rubber.

As Hamilton runs wide, as in FP1, Bottas has a flat-spot, albeit on the front-right this time.

Despite only posting a PB in S1, not a hint of purple, Hamilton re-takes the top spot with a 9.515.

Massa improves to sixth with a 10.373, ahead of Ocon, Ricciardo and Sainz.

Stroll clearly unhappy with Grosjean. "He doesn't watch out for me, I won't watch out for him," warns the Canadian.

A 10.396 sees Hulkenberg improve to seventh.

Ricciardo goes third with a 9.743, the Australian just 0.228s off Hamilton's pace.

Out come the yellows as the cameras pick up on Ericsson who is against the barriers at T11. However, moments later he continues, heading back to the pits.

Replay shows the Swede lost rear of the car and subsequently glided across the run off hitting the barriers with his right-rear. The Swede admits he may have some damage.

Shortly after, Vandoorne spins at T2.

At half-time, it's: Hamilton, Bottas, Ricciardo, Vettel, Verstappen, Raikkonen, Massa, Hulkenberg, Ocon and Sainz.

"What the **** is Hulkenberg," asks Ocon of a German who might be asking a similar question of the Frenchman as the two trip up over one another. Hulkenberg does brilliantly not to hit the Force India.

Following his earlier scare, Alonso is back on track, the Spaniard improving to 14th with an 11.101.

Massa heads into the pits, slows outside his garage and throws a tissue on to the ground and heads out again. Replay shows it suddenly floated up from deep in his cockpit.

A spin for Grosjean at T4, the Haas driver having previously complained of front locking. Doing his best not to moan, the Frenchman reports that he is heading back to the pits. "Okay, well the car is okay, the tyres will be..." he sighs. "Understood," comes the reply.

With less than half an hour remaining, the drivers are now focussing on their race sims. The times suggest that the Ferraris are suffering some tyre degradation.

Verstappen advised to "feather the throttle more" in T11.

Raikkonen is advised that his pace is slightly quicker than Verstappen, both drivers, unlike the majority, on the soft compound.

Likewise, Vandoorne is advised that he's quicker than Renault and only slightly slower than Force India but "with better degradation".

Hartley is warned of "very light rain in the pitlane". Giovinazzi is given a similar warning.

"Oh dear, what's he doing?" sighs Wehrlein, but it's unclear who he is referring to.

With five minutes remaining, all bar Ericsson are on track, the Swede having never returned to the track following his brush with the barriers.

Vettel almost clouts the barrier as he enters the infamous pitlane, the German having to slam on the brakes as he carries too much speed.

The deployment is stupid, we have the same problem maybe?" asks Alonso. "Understood Fernando," comes the reply. "We'll keep this for now, it's a good test."

The session ends, as in FP1, Hamilton is quickest ahead of teammate Bottas, this time with Ricciardo third, ahead of Vettel, Verstappen, Raikkonen, Ocon, Massa, Hulkenberg and Alonso.

Sainz is eleventh, ahead of Perez, Vandoorne, Stroll, Grosjean, Gasly, Hartley, Wehrlein, Ericsson and Giovinazzi.

Check out our Friday gallery from Interlagos, here.