The Ferrari driver posted a 1:37.968 to edge Lewis Hamilton by 0.227s while Sebastian Vettel was a further 0.070s adrift.Michael Schumacher, who put his Mercedes GP up into fourth place, was just 0.050s behind Vettel with Felipe Massa just over a tenth behind him.
In fact the top seven drivers, which included Jenson Button and Mark Webber, were separated by less than six-tenths of a second.
Report: Track temperature was up to 38'C as Paul di Resta was forced to wait in the pits as his team worked furiously to repair the damage done to his car by Nico Hulkenberg in Practice One. Jerome D'Ambrosio was the first man out, leading the field as the clock began the countdown for Practice Two for the European GP.
Sergio Perez set the early pace with a 1:44.432 before he was overhauled by Pastor Maldonado. But with more drivers heading out it was all change with Felipe Massa, Nick Heidfeld, Vitaly Petrov and Rubens Barrichello all slotting in ahead of them. Massa was in the P1 slot with a 1:40.857. Fernando Alonso was the next to lead the way, 0.203s up on his team-mate.
Sebastian Vettel joined the action, taking third place behind the Ferraris while Lewis Hamilton moved into fourth place. Vettel continued lapping, taking the P1 slot wiht a 1:40.062. Webber joined his team-mate at the front, taking second. Vettel goes even faster, a 1:39.790. Maldonado took fourth on the softer option tyres.
Alonso put in a fastest second sector time but could only close the gap to the leading Bulls. Just 0.128s behind Vettel now. However, the Spaniard's efforts were then undone as Vettel went even quicker, extending his advantage.
Heidfeld was the one who finally overhauled the Red Bulls withe a 1:39.040, using the softer tyres. His reign, though, was short-lived as Rosbert, also on the soft tyres, went 0.028s quicker. But he too lost out rather soon as Webber went 0.481s faster. Webber's time was then topped by Vettel, the German posting a 1:38.265. Hamilton was the next in the P1 slot, 0.070s up on Vettel. Michael Schumacher put his Merc GP into third place, 0.120s off the pace.
And it was all change as Alonso then went quickest, 1:38.184 for the Spaniard. Still no times from di Resta and Jaime Alguersuari, the latter stuck in the pits with an engine problem. Di Resta eventually managed to get out, taking 14th place.
The session ended with Alonso in the P1 slot, followed by Hamilton and Vettel.
Times
01. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m37.968 35 laps
2. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m38.195 + 0.227 26 laps
3. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m38.265 + 0.297 31 laps
4. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m38.315 + 0.347 30 laps
5. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m38.443 + 0.475 32 laps
6. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m38.483 + 0.515 30 laps
7. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m38.531 + 0.563 26 laps
8. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m38.981 + 1.013 33 laps
9. Nick Heidfeld Renault 1m39.040 + 1.072 35 laps
10. Vitaly Petrov Renault 1m39.586 + 1.618 27 laps
11. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m39.626 + 1.658 31 laps
12. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1m40.020 + 2.052 34 laps
13. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1m40.301 + 2.333 34 laps
14. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m40.363 + 2.395 7 laps
15. Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m40.454 + 2.486 32 laps
16. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m40.531 + 2.563 37 laps
17. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m42.083 + 4.115 34 laps
18. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m42.156 + 4.188 39 laps
19. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault 1m42.239 + 4.271 25 laps
20. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1m42.273 + 4.305 21 laps
21. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m42.809 + 4.841 36 laps
22. Tonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1m44.460 + 6.492 29 laps
23. Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 1m46.906 + 8.938 16 laps
Source: Planet-F1
