Friday Second Free Practice - European GP

McLaren drivers Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard continued to outpace their rivals as their silver cars topped the times in Friday's second practice session for the European Grand Prix.

Hakkinen, second to Coulthard in the morning session on Friday, swapped places with his teammate in the later session as the team continued their impressive preparations for the race at the Nurburgring.

Behind the McLarens the Schumacher brothers Ralf and Michael battled for third place with the former winning the mini-scrap in his Williams with Michael fourth in his Ferrari.

Elsewhere, Heinz-Harald Frentzen spun his Jordan on the final corner early in the session and, waving to the crowd, headed off for the check-up which will confirm his participation in the race.

Michael Schumacher was held up by one of the Jaguars and gesticulated his dissatisfaction, but continued to push hard in a vain effort to catch the McLarens ahead.

The German had several lock-ups and slight offs as he explored the extremities of the circuit, but late in the session Jacques Villeneuve lost it altogether as he tried too hard in turn two and slid off the circuit to end his day in the gravel.

Pos Driver Team Times 1. Hakkinen Mclaren Mercedes (B) 1:16.408 214.658 km/h 2. Coulthard Mclaren Mercedes (B) 1:16.579 + 0.171 3. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:17.355 + 0.947 4. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:17.507 + 1.099 5. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:17.665 + 1.257 6. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:17.737 + 1.329 7. Trulli Jordan Honda (B) 1:18.133 + 1.725 8. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:18.196 + 1.788 9. Alesi Prost Acer (M) 1:18.352 + 1.944 10. Panis BAR Honda (B) 1:18.410 + 2.002 11. Raikkonen Sauber Petronas (B) 1:18.413 + 2.005 12. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:18.434 + 2.026 13. de la Rosa Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:18.473 + 2.065 14. Fisichella Benetton Renault (M) 1:19.339 + 2.931 15. Irvine Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:19.503 + 3.095 16. Verstappen Arrows Asiatech (B) 1:19.640 + 3.232 17. Bernoldi Arrows Asiatech (B) 1:19.822 + 3.414 18. Button Benetton Renault (M) 1:19.978 + 3.570 19. Frentzen Jordan Honda (B) 1:19.988 + 3.580 20. Burti Prost Acer (M) 1:20.094 + 3.686 21. Alonso Minardi European (M) 1:20.183 + 3.775 22. Marques Minardi European (M) 1:21.129 + 4.721 All Timing Unofficial