Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets in today’s second session to finish almost two tenths ahead of Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and current championship leader, Jenson Button. Mark Webber was fourth followed by Jarno Trulli, Adrian Sutil, Rubens Barrichello, Fernando Alonso and Kazuki Nakajima.

Temperatures had risen just one degree for the second and final ninety minute session of the day with Sebastian Vettel once again kicking the session off with his Red Bull racer being the first car out on track. He is soon joined by several of his rivals, but not by the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen, whose Ferrari is undergoing adjustments in the garage. Times are quick to get times on the board and just like the start of session one, light rain begins to fall with fifteen drivers managing to bank times before the track became damp and slick.

Nearly twenty five minutes in and the track is dry enough for more action, even if the threatening rain clouds continue to hover overhead. Heikki Kovalainen appears on the softer compound, the first driver to do so today, and instantly goes to the top of the timesheets. Meanwhile, Felipe Massa is running on the harder compound and you can visibly see the Brazilian fighting for grip around the Nurburgring circuit.

Thirty minutes in and Kimi is still in the Ferrari garage as times tumble on track. Webber is back at the top of the standings but Nick Heidfeld’s BMW soon displaces him. Jarno Trulli has a spin at turn four, but he continues on unharmed. Vettel also has a moment but he too continues on as Kimi Raikkonen finally appears. The Finn takes fourth on his first run with Lewis Hamilton ninth, the McLaren suffering a few overheating issues with the cars bodywork.

Webber is back on top however Button begins to make his intentions known and takes top spot from the Red Bull driver. Lewis Hamilton continues his run and bounces over the kerbs in the Mercedes arena as teammate Heikki Kovalainen locks up and runs wide.

With thirty minutes remaining in the session, Lewis Hamilton moves into second place, just a fraction of a second behind Button but he is soon demoted to p3 by the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel. Jarno Trulli is fourth, Webber fifth and Adrian Sutil’s Force India is sixth.

Not a lot of action in track as drivers prepare for their final runs of the day. A few more drops of rain have been seen but nothing too heavy. With fifteen minutes remaining Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Jarno Trulli make their way back out on track. Hamilton spins his McLaren in the Mercedes Arena but recovers well to post the best time of the session. Jenson Button was unable to improve on his earlier time while Vettel goes P2.

Only minutes remain and Vettel tries another lap but stays P2 while no other driver looks to be on course to challenge the McLaren this late in the session. The session ends and the reigning world champion is on top.