Free practice 2: Ferrari one-two

Mika Hakkinen kept the fight going for the McLaren corner. The Finn finished third just 0.055s behind Rubens Barrichello, while team mate Coulthard, who is the only title rival to Schumacher, was unable to complete any laps after damaging the undertray of his MP4-16 during the first session.

The going looked to be slippery at the beginning of the second hour with four drivers spinning on the dusty Hungarian track during the first 10 minutes. But Schumacher showed that improvements were there for the taking by reducing his lap time by three tenths to a 1m16.651s.

Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya looked to be struggling for grip as the Williams pair made up two of the four spinners at the beginning of the session. Despite his best efforts, a spectacular 360 degree spin and a trip across the grass at the end of his final flying lap, Montoya improved by only three places to finish 13th.

Schumacher Jr on the other hand, managed to continue his run of mixing it with the big boys by setting the fourth fastest time. The German GP winner was also the highest Michelin runner, but only just. Eddie Irvine put in a massive effort to put his Jaguar in fifth place despite taking an almost obligatory trip across the gravel.

Even world championship favourite Schumacher edged all four wheels over the kerbs and onto the grass as he tried to find the grip levels of the twisty Hungaroring circuit.

Jordan new boy Jean Alesi also caused a surprise by finishing an impressive sixth in his unfamiliaer EJ11. The Frenchman put the spin which cost him most of the first session behind him to outpace team mate Jarno Trulli (12th) by almost half a second. After complaining of poor brake balance earlier in the session, Alesi took to the track with just five minutes remaining and jumped six places from 12th.

Giancarlo Fisichella made the best of his Benetton's new aerodynamic package to go seventh fastest, 10 places ahead of team mate Jenson Button.

Nick Heidfeld continued to underline the pace of the Sauber, with the German climbing as high as fourth halfway through the session. He eventually had to settle for eighth, but will take comfort in the fact that his young gun team mate Kimi Raikkonen is back in 15th spot.

Olivier Panis dropped a place from the first session to finish ninth while Coulthard was bumped down to the foot of the top 10 having not been able to improve on his earlier time. The Scot has completed only nine laps so far this weekend compared to Schumacher's 39 and the McLaren ace has it all to do if he is to catch up in qualifying tomorrow (Saturday).

For an in-depth analysis of Alesi vs Frentzen in that session, click HERE.

For practice session two results, click here.