Determined to reach the top step of the podium, something he has failed to do since the first race of the season, Alonso came out all guns blazing. The Spaniard posted a 1:14.904 to take control of Practice Two after a frantic first half an hour saw the P1 slot change hands almost every two minutes.
Nico Rosberg was second quickest as the Mercedes GP driver looked to assert his dominance over his team-mate Michael Schumacher, who for the first time got the better of him at the previous race in Spain. Rosberg was 0.109s slower than Alonso.
Sebastian Vettel and Felipe Massa were next in line, ahead of Michael Schumacher, Rosbert Kubica, Lewis Hamilton and Adrian Sutil.
Report: A bit of excitement expected this afternoon as showers are forecast for the latter half of practice. But for the start at least, the ambient temperature was 21'C and the track temperature 37'C. The pending rain meant drivers immediately moved from their installation laps into setting times with Lewis Hamilton emerging as the early pace-setter.
The McLaren driver clocked a 1:18.690 before being overhauled by Nico Hulkenberg and then Rubens Barrichello, as the two Williams drivers took control. Their reign was also short-lived as Tonio Liuzzi went quickest before he was beaten by Sebastian Vettel, who in turn lost out to Lewis Hamilton with a 1:17.709. And all this action within the first ten minutes of the session.
Yellow flags as Bruno Senna went too hot into the Chicane and had to stop before reversing his way back onto the racing line. And he had to do so without taking out those behind him.
Liuzzi went quickest again, Hulkenberg second. Once again, though, Vettel took the P1 slot away from Liuzzi only to be then held up by a McLaren, which allowed his team-mate Mark Webber to surpass him. Michael Schumacher claimed second place before his rear end snapped at him, almost putting him into the barriers.
Robert Kubica joined the fight at the front, posting a 1:16.101 as he looked to have the set-up issues from this morning's session well and truly behind him. Webber took the P1 slot from the Polish driver only for Kubica to take it back the following lap. This is proving to be one of the more exciting practice sessions as we wait with baited breath to see just who emerge quickest of all when the clock runs down.
The timesheets settled down as the drivers focused on race-pace, putting in lap after lap, determined to get in as much running as possible before the rain comes down. The two Ferraris found some added pace with Alonso overhauling Kubica and his team-mate Felipe Massa following through into second place.
Bad news: no rain. The teams are reporting that the forecasts say the rain will only fall after practice has been concluded.
Rosberg slotted in between the two Ferrari drivers with Schumacher taking fourth place ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Sutil and Kubica. However, it appears the rain radar got it a bit wrong as a few drops of rain sent spectators heading for cover and Jaime Alguersuari having a close encounter with a slippery track. Great skills from the Toro Rosso to prevent losing control of his car, which was snapping this way and that.
Heikki Kovalainen almost took out Massa's rear wing as the Ferrari driver backed off to make space, only problem was he backed up Kovalainen in the process and the Finn was having nothing off it, ducking around Massa and taking the clear track space that the Brazilian had created. Massa does it again and this time it's a Virgin that he balks.
Schumacher is forced to back off on his lap as he comes up to traffic. Like Massa the German is looking for a clear track as he bids to improve on his fifth place. He doesn't. Kubica comes up to Kobayashi and had to pass him through the Chicane as he continued his run. Now Massa brings out the yellow flags as the Brazilian had to take to the escape road at Sainte Devote.
The session ended with Alonso on top, followed by Rosberg and Vettel.
Times:
01. Alonso Ferrari 1:14.904 36 laps
02. Rosberg Mercedes 1:15.013 + 0.109 39 laps
03. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:15.099 + 0.195 47 laps
04. Massa Ferrari 1:15.120 + 0.216 44 laps
05. Schumacher Mercedes 1:15.143 + 0.239 38 laps
06. Kubica Renault 1:15.192 + 0.288 38 laps
07. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.249 + 0.345 32 laps
08. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:15.460 + 0.556 42 laps
09. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.619 + 0.715 37 laps
10. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:15.620 + 0.716 28 laps
11. Petrov Renault 1:15.746 + 0.842 44 laps
12. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:16.276 + 1.372 46 laps
13. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:16.348 + 1.444 48 laps
14. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:16.522 + 1.618 37 laps
15. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:16.528 + 1.624 42 laps
16. de la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari 1:16.599 + 1.695 36 laps
17. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:16.818 + 1.914 45 laps
18. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:17.023 + 2.119 28 laps
19. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 1:18.184 + 3.280 47 laps
20. di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 1:18.478 + 3.574 38 laps
21. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 1:18.667 + 3.763 13 laps
22. Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1:18.721 + 3.817 41 laps
23. Chandhok HRT-Cosworth 1:20.313 + 5.409 35 laps
24. Senna HRT-Cosworth 1:22.148 + 7.244 11 laps
Source: Planet-F1
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