Second session: Alesi enters top six

This is what happened in session two...

Frentzen on track. His opening flying lap sees new quickest first and second sectors, but a big spin over the Turn 12 kerbs ruins his lap. He returns to the pits after a second slow lap without improving his times. In the meantime, team mate Burti leaps ahead of him on 1m21.028s.

Alesi on track. First flyer promotes him to 12th on a 1m19.586s, a full 2s quicker than Frentzen, who now drops to 20th. Alesi's second lap is a 1m20.051s, before he returns to the pits, where engineer David Brown decides to revert to softer springs as Alesi complains that all the braking is on the rear.

Frentzen on track. Sets his fastest time through all three sectors on his first flyer and, despite a big slide at the final corner, leaps up to 16th on 1m20.048s. After a 1m25s, he runs wide at the first corner of his next tour and sets a 1m31s. He pits.

Alesi on track. Dropped to 14th since his last run, but improves to 10th on his first attempt on 1m19.140s. Decides to come straight back into the pits.

Frentzen, who has dropped to 18th again, stalls at the end of the pitlane after attempting a practice start and has to be restarted on the spot by Prost mechanics. Fired up once again, he leaps up to 12th on 1m19.027s, just under a tenth quicker than Alesi!

Alesi on track. Aborts first flying lap, however, despite setting a faster opening sector.

Alesi on track, soon followed by Frentzen. Jean is straight down to work, setting a 1m17.862s - good enough for sixth and six places ahead of team mate Jarno Trulli. Frentzen completes one slow lap and returns to the pits, followed soon after by Alesi. Frentzen has now dropped to 15th.

Both go out on track for their final runs. Frentzen improves to 1m18.724s, good enough to jump to 14th, while Alesi's 1m18.205s isn't an improvement on his quickest time, although he is quicker in the first sector.

Alesi, Jordan, 1m17.862s (20 laps)
Frentzen, Prost, 1m18.724s (33 laps)