Spanish Grand Prix 2015: Lewis Hamilton dominates second practice session

Mercedes driver tops second session in Barcelona

Lewis Hamilton (GETTY IMAGES)

Lewis Hamilton enjoyed a dominant second practice ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix as the reigning world champion outclassed his opposition.

The Briton had narrowly lost out to Mercedes team-mate and closest title challenger Nico Rosberg in Friday's first session but hit back later in the day.

Hamilton's time of one minute 26.852 seconds was over four-tenths of a second quicker than the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel, who beat fellow German Rosberg into third place.

Rosberg, who also received a reprimand in the morning after making a late call to pit and taking the incorrect route, could not get close to Hamilton, with the second Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen the only other car to get within a second of the championship leader.

The session was stopped briefly after the Lotus of Romain Grosjean spectacularly shed a large portion of bodywork on the main straight, with the red flag allowing track marshals to clear the copious amounts of debris left behind.

There was a stronger showing from McLaren, who are hopeful of their best race weekend of a so-far pointless season, with Jenson Button setting the seventh-quickest time and local favourite Fernando Alonso going 11th.

Ahead of Button was the Red Bull of Daniil Kvyat and Max Verstappen for Red Bull and Toro Rosso respectively. Although Kvyat's team-mate Daniel Ricciardo only got out towards the end of the second session after an engine issue restricted his morning running, he still went 13th.

Valtteri Bottas took eighth having sat out the first session as Susie Wolff took over - the Finn still going quicker than the sister Williams of Felipe Massa, who was 10th.

The second Toro Rosso of Spaniard Carlos Sainz was ninth whilst Grosjean was 12th, two places ahead of team-mate Pastor Maldonado.

Sauber were quicker than Force India as their pair of Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson recorded the 15th and 16th fastest times, with Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez line astern behind them.

Will Stevens won the inter-team battle at back-markers Manor as he ran quicker than Roberto Merhi across both sessions.

Rosberg had the quickest time in a fairly mundane morning session, with Hamilton spinning towards the end.

Vettel was again the closest challenger to the Mercedes and will be hoping to follow up his earlier win in Malaysia to keep his own title aspirations alive.

PA