Defending drivers' world champion Lewis Hamilton of Britain clocked the fastest time in Friday afternoon's second free practice session ahead of Sunday's German Grand Prix. It was the third time in this disappointing season – for him – that the 24-year-old Englishman had been quickest on the opening day in his McLaren Mercedes, having been fastest previously on Friday in Bahrain and China. Cynics, however, may suggest that with his McLaren teammate Finn Heikki Kovalainen struggling in 17th place on a cool, wet day, Hamilton was running very light on fuel to please the fans sitting in the Mercedes-Benz grandstand. Hamilton clocked a best time of one minute and 32.149 seconds with six minutes of the 90 remaining to ease clear of nearest rival German Sebastian Vettel, in his Red Bull, by two-tenths of a second. Championship leader Briton Jenson Button was third for Brawn GP ahead of Australian Mark Webber, in the second Red Bull, with Italian Jarno Trulli fifth for Toyota and German Adrian Sutil sixth for Force India. Button's Brawn teammate Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello was seventh ahead of two-times champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Renault. The two Ferraris of Brazilian Felipe Massa and Finn Kimi Raikkonen were 12th and 16th, unable to match the pace-setters on a dismal day for them and many of the spectators as the weather took its toll in the Eiffel mountains.
