Vettel, who had finished second to Hamilton in FP1 by just 0.009 secs, was a
little further adrift in FP2, falling 0.274 secs behind in his Red Bull.
Team-mate Mark Webber found himself half a second off the pace, and had the
Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Alonso in close attendance as they finished
0.527 secs and 0.556 secs adrift respectively.
With a track temperature nudging 50 degrees, one of the hottest of the year,
and with an air temperature of 33 degrees, such times and running could all
be for nothing.
Heavy rain continues to be forecast for Sunday, with the only real question as
to when it will hit Sao Paulo – before, during or after the race.
Alonso certainly requires any variable to assist his cause if he is to nick
the championship from Vettel.
Behind the leading quintet, on his 308th and final grand prix before retiring
for a second time, seven-times champion Michael Schumacher at least
suggested he could bow out on a respectable note.
In his Mercedes, the 43-year-old and team-mate Nico Rosberg were sixth and
seventh quickest, just over six tenths of a second down.
They were followed by Jenson Button in his McLaren and Lotus’ Romain Grosjean,
the only other drivers within a second of Hamilton.
Paul di Resta again showed good pace in his Force India to complete the top
10, and was back on a par with team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, the duo a second
adrift and separated by just two thousandths of a second.
Kimi Raikkonen, who yesterday missed his media duties after missing a flight
from Los Angeles, was down in 12th in his Lotus and struggling as he
complained of lack of grip with his tyres.
At the bottom of the time sheet, where he has been almost all season long, was
India’s Narain Karthikeyan in his HRT, a team that could be competing in
their last race this weekend due to financial woes.