Elsewhere, Nico Rosberg was 0.4 seconds behind Alonso, with Daniel Ricciardo
third and Jenson Button fourth.
It was more of the same in the second session, with Alonso and Rosberg trading
fastest times, while the German’s team-mate, Hamilton, complained of
understeer.
The biggest drama came when Pastor Maldonado lost control of his Lotus coming
into the pits and careered across the gravel into the wall.
After missing the first 25 minutes of the session, Hamilton ended free
practice two with the fastest time of the day, with a 1min38.3sec lap,
although at the end of the session he complained that “something was
not right” with his car, and he came into the pits.
Alonso finished second, with Rosberg third, followed by the two Red Bulls.
Jenson Button was eighth fastest.
Second practice:
1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes 1:38.315
2 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari 1:38.456
3 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes 1:38.726
4 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Red Bull 1:38.8
5 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 1:39.015
6 Felipe Massa (Bra) Williams 1:39.118
7 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:39.283
8 Jenson Button (Gbr) McLaren 1:39.491
9 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Lotus 1:39.537
10 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Toro Rosso 1:39.648
11 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Force India 1:39.736
12 Kevin Magnussen (Den) McLaren 1:39.744
13 Jean-Eric Vergne (Fra) Toro Rosso 1:39.759
14 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Williams 1:39.830
15 Sergio Perez (Mex) Force India 1:40.124
16 Esteban Gutierrez (Mex) Sauber 1:40.359
17 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Sauber 1:40.395
18 Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Lotus 1:40.455
19 Jules Bianchi (Fra) Marussia 1:42.327
20 Max Chilton (Gbr) Marussia 1:43.473
21 Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn) Caterham 1:43.530
22 Marcus Ericsson (Swe) Caterham 1:43.679