Welcome back to Valencia for the second free practice session for the European Grand Prix. Nico Rosberg topped the times in the first session, ahead of the two Mclarens and it looks like we could be in for a close battle. The times were not that representative as a lot of the new teams were testing new parts. As a result Ferrari and Red Bull were over 0.5 seconds off the pace.

The teams running a new blown diffuser - Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault - all reported no overheating but changes to the balance as they come on and off the throttle. The system works by channeling exhaust gases through the diffuser to get it to offer up more downforce, but is extremelt complicated and not that easy to copy. Red Bull pioneered the design, which has been one of the key reasons for its strong pace earlier in the season.

We're about to get underway. The green light is on but no cars have left the pits yet.

There were a few concerns about tyre wear in the first session so the teams will be waiting for the track to improve throughout the session.

Mike Gascoyne of Lotus says: "Second session about to start, lets see how the tyres go in this session with the track in better condition."

Alonso is the first out on track, with six or seven cars joining him now. Last year's winner Rubens Barrichello performs a practice start at the end of the pit lane and nearly collides with the Toro Rosso of Buemi. No damage done and they are now both on their way.

Alonso told that everything is ok with the rear of the car and the F-duct and told to complete 5 timed laps.

Track temperatures have rocketed this afternoon to 44C.

Robert Kubica is out in the Renault and his car looks pretty planted, no dramas behind the steering wheel on this lap.

Kubica goes third fastest, 0.401 off the pace of Felipe Massa on a 1:40.807.

Massa just got his car very sideways on the exit of turn 14. So he's quick but a little wild at the moment.

Hamilton is also sliding around in the McLaren but sets the fastest time with a 1:40.625. It looks as though he is running on used hard tyres from the first session at the moment.

Button fastest by just 0.039 seconds, despite a lock up into the final corner. Alonso was on a fast lap but got held up by a slower car. He's now set the fastest time with a 1:39.928.

It's a Force India ahead of Alonso and that Ferrari is clunking over the kerbs through the chicanes. We know he is completing a five lap run so should be set to return to the pits on the next lap.

It's good to see plenty of action on the track early in this session, which will put plenty of rubber down. Hulkenberg confirms over the radio that the track has improved since the morning.

Alonso is staying out on track and he has now done 8 laps in total, presumably 7 of which have been flying laps. He sets a 1:39.767 on his last lap.

Schumacher is out on track now in the Mercedes and has started his first flying lap. He's having to work quite hard behind the wheel so is clearly pushing. He catches a massive slide in turn 19 but he collects it very well, impressive driving.

But Schumacher's wild style hasn't done anything for his lap times, he sets the 7th fastest time. Mercedes was very confident heading into this race and said Montreal was a bit of a one off.

Rosberg is also out on track at the moment and, after dodging a bit of debris, runs wide at turn 12.

Vettel and Webber are also out on track at the moment so we can expect to see some quick lap times from them soon.

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Sutil has set the second fastest time in this second practice session with a 1:40.020, 0.253 off Alonso. Force India could be a team to watch this weekend after a strong showing in Montreal.

Vettel clocks the second fastest time with a 1:39.983. Red Bull is just starting to flex its muscles.

Senna holds a huge slide out of turn five and just manages to keep it out of the wall.

Jagadesh asks: "Why is it sutil able to drive the car faster than paul di resta its the same car?? What is it making sutil to push faster than him is it the driving style??"

The track is much better this afternoon because the support races have been out doing qualifying and have cleaned the dust off the racing line. I also don't think anybody would deny Sutil is a faster driver at the moment, but that is mainly because he has a lot more experience in that car than di Resta. Also, it was di Resta's first time at this circuit, Sutil has two years' experience.

Massa has spun at turn eight. He lost the rear end coming through the apex and it swung round on him. The car has stalled in the middle of the track and that is the end of his session. Very disappointing for him and a red flag has stopped the session.

Massa's car is being lifted away by a tractor and everybody else has returned to the garage.

The green light is back on at the end of the pit lane and we are underway again. Massa is back in the pits and walks to the Ferrari pit wall to explain what happened.

Alguersuari is the first driver to head out on the super-soft option tyres and is trying to get the most out of them, pushing very hard.

Alguersuari completes his lap but is 1.729 seconds off the pace of the fastest time set by Vettel - a 1:39.728.

Neel asks: "Is Sutil driving different chasis to Liuzzi, and is he running the F-duct in practice. Why is he so faster then Liuzzi? or are they running different setups( Qualification/ Race)?"

The cars should be more or less the same and they are both running F-ducts. Liuzzi is on a fast lap now so we might see some more competitive lap times from him soon. They also have different traffic and fuel loads to deal with so we'll just have to wait and see who is quicker.

Webber is now quickest with a 1:39.532. The car looked very settled everywhere on that lap. But it's tight at the front, Vettel is 0.103 off Webber and Rosberg is just 0.118 adrift.

Vettel is on a very fast lap and he is still running on the harder tyres. He sets a 1:39.379 - a very good lap.

Mitul asks: "How is the tyre degradation in this track. Is is like Montreal or better? how long will they(both types) last in your opinion?"

It was pretty bad in the first session but things are improving now. It's certainly not as bad as Canada and I suspect we will see one-stop strategies come Sunday.

Timo Glock comes to a halt on track and that is the end of his session. He's parked it neatly in one of the run-off areas so there will be no need for a red flag.

Radwan asks: "Do you believe Michael Shumacher would start winning races before the end of this season? What's holding him behind Rosberg? Would it be that he needs more time to tune-in his Mercedes and get the pace? or Is it just that he is old for the sport and being more cautious? I am a big fan of Shumi, and wouldn't like to see him end his F1 appearance in this manner."

I think Schumacher briefly got the upper-hand when the car was changed to his liking in Spain but it seems to me as though Rosberg has now adapted and is probably quicker again. The Mercedes is better than its performance in Canada suggested so this could well be a break-through race for them. A win is still a long way away and I have to say I think Rosberg is more likely to get it than Schumacher.

So, the Virgin has been cleared away and we are back underway without any yellow flags. The Red Bulls are at the top of the timesheets but we should see some soft tyre runs very soon.

Hamilton is out on soft tyres now and is setting fastest sectors. But it's Alonso who goes fastest of all with a 1:39.283.

Webber is now out on soft tyres but he has come across a slow-moving Lotus.

Good news for Massa. His car is back in the garage and it looks as though he will go back out again. That is crucial for him because he still hasn't been out on the softs.

Alonso is really attacking the circuit on the soft tyres now. The car looks quick and he is some way into that soft tyre run now.

The teams tend to run heavy fuel and soft tyres at this stage of the weekend to simulate the start of the race. The qualifying simulations usually come in Saturday morning practice when the track is closest to how it will be for Q3.

Massa is back out on track but is looking a bit messy out there. Clunking kerbs and missing apices.

Massa is currently 0.664 off Alonso's best time of 1:39.283.

The gap between Rosberg and Schumacher is 0.637.

The gap between Kubica and Petrov is 0.738.

At the top of the timesheets, Alonso is 0.056 off Vettel. But there is still a long way to go in this session, 22 minutes remain.

Seven cars out on track now as we wait for the top teams to make a few adjustments before heading out again.

Petrov has spun at the exit of turn 14. He lost the rear through the apex but managed to keep the engine running. He then had to find reverse, perform a three-point turn and find first gear to get back on his way. Not ideal at one of the faster points on the circuit.

Button completes a practice start as he heads out on another soft tyre run.

Schumacher is still struggling. He ran wide into turn two again - that corner is causing a few problems this weekend. It'll be one to watch out for in qualifying when they are really on it.

The cars are still a long way off the lap times of last year, so I still don't think we have seen the true pace of any of the drivers yet. The fastest time from qualifying last year was a 1:38.076, Alonso's best today is a 1:39.283.

Hamilton runs very wide into the last corner so they are still struggling for a grip a bit at the moment.

All the cars apart from Massa and Rosberg are out on track now. But nobody is setting fast lap times. They appear to be focusing on heavy fuel runs at the moment.

Hamilton runs wide again. This time at the turn 12 and 13 chicane. So all is not well with that McLaren at the moment.

Neel asks: "Do you think Ferrari and Renault will have advantage of the new exhaust over Mclaren or will Mclaren's f-duct still keep them ahead on this circuit ?"

Very good question. The exhaust system offers grip in fast and medium paced corners so it will only help at some sections of this circuit. But equally the F-duct is only really helpful on the straight. Expect Ferrari to be fast in the final sector and McLaren to be better in the second sector. Overall, it should be very close but with the cars quick for different reasons. Hopefully that will make for a very exciting race .... hopefully.

23 cars out on track but they are all still a long way off Alonso's best lap time.

Hamilton comes up behind a very slow-moving Schumcaher in the final corner. An angry Lewis waves his hands and then blocked Schumacher from entering the corner - he really wasn't happy

The chequered flag comes out and Alonso's time is safe at the top of the time sheets.

Five different cars in the top six places, so it's going to be very close at the front for pole tomorrow. Less than a second separates the top ten - brilliant stuff.

Make sure you join us for the final free practice session tomorrow where we will see some low-fuel runs before qualifying in the afternoon. Thanks for all your questions today and apologies to those I did not get round to answering.