Webber ends second practice on top

With the circuit conditions getting ever faster - and more familiar to the drivers - the afternoon session saw pretty much every frontrunner leading the way at some point.

Fernando Alonso was among the early pacesetters, as Ferrari showed its hand after a typically cautious Friday morning, while Michael Schumacher also popped up on top for Mercedes for a brief spell mid-session between McLaren duo Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button swapping the lead.

Sebastian Vettel's first lap on soft tyres was wasted by a trip off the road dodging Jarno Trulli's Lotus, but he hit the front next time around, deposing Button.

Webber had a similar experience - spinning at the sweeping Turn 12 before regaining his composure and setting the fastest time on his next lap. Bar a quick return to the top by Hamilton, the Australian would remain in front for the rest of the session.

Alonso moved back up to second between Webber and Hamilton, with morning second-place man Robert Kubica fourth for Renault this time.

Button's car required attention in the McLaren pit after an overheating rear end forced the crew to deploy fire extinguishers. But the damage was soon repaired and the reigning champion returned to take fifth.

Felipe Massa was sixth for Ferrari, despite complaining about poor handling in the final sector, with Vettel seventh in the end ahead of Renault's Vitaly Petrov, Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and the two Saubers.

It was another troubled session for Hispania at the tail of the field. Bruno Senna only got out in time to complete three laps following his morning problems, and Sakon Yamamoto caused a brief red flag after spinning, brushing the wall and stalling in the tight confines of the final corners.

Pos  Driver         Team                     Time              Laps
 1.  Webber         Red Bull-Renault        1:37.942            23
 2.  Alonso         Ferrari                 1:38.132  + 0.190   30
 3.  Hamilton       McLaren-Mercedes        1:38.279  + 0.337   29
 4.  Kubica         Renault                 1:38.718  + 0.776   29
 5.  Button         McLaren-Mercedes        1:38.726  + 0.784   19
 6.  Massa          Ferrari                 1:38.820  + 0.878   32
 7.  Vettel         Red Bull-Renault        1:39.204  + 1.262   22
 8.  Petrov         Renault                 1:39.267  + 1.325   28
 9.  Rosberg        Mercedes                1:39.268  + 1.326   29
10.  Kobayashi      Sauber-Ferrari          1:39.564  + 1.622   26
11.  Heidfeld       Sauber-Ferrari          1:39.588  + 1.646   25
12.  Schumacher     Mercedes                1:39.598  + 1.656   26
13.  Barrichello    Williams-Cosworth       1:39.812  + 1.870   35
14.  Liuzzi         Force India-Mercedes    1:39.881  + 1.939   27
15.  Sutil          Force India-Mercedes    1:39.971  + 2.029   22
16.  Hulkenberg     Williams-Cosworth       1:40.478  + 2.536   30
17.  Alguersuari    Toro Rosso-Ferrari      1:40.578  + 2.636   29
18.  Buemi          Toro Rosso-Ferrari      1:40.896  + 2.954   32
19.  Kovalainen     Lotus-Cosworth          1:42.773  + 4.831   29
20.  Trulli         Lotus-Cosworth          1:42.801  + 4.859   19
21.  Glock          Virgin-Cosworth         1:43.115  + 5.173   26
22.  di Grassi      Virgin-Cosworth         1:44.039  + 6.097   29
23.  Yamamoto       HRT-Cosworth            1:45.166  + 7.224   19
24.  Senna          HRT-Cosworth            1:46.649  + 8.707    3

All Timing Unofficial