lewis Hamilton posted the fastest time in the second practice of theBelgian Grand Prix on Friday, finishing ahead of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg as their positions from the morning session were reversed.
Conditions were cool and overcast for both runs, although the rain stayed away on the 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) Spa track - the longest on the calendar.
Times were faster in the afternoon, with Hamilton completing 26 laps and clocking a best lap of 1 minute, 49.189 seconds - more than half a second faster than Rosberg, who stayed out for two laps longer.
The F1 championship resumed this weekend following a summer break, with Rosberg leading Hamilton by just 11 points. The Briton leads Rosberg 5-4 in race wins this season, but has retired from two races.
Two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso was third quickest both times in his Ferrari. Four-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel sat out the second session because of a power unit failure due to an electrical problem in the morning, where he finished nearly two seconds behind Rosberg in 11th.
The red flag came up twice in the afternoon session. Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado lost control of his lotus and Mexican Esteban Gutierrez stalled his Sauber. Vettel, who finished second in qualifying at the Hungarian GP last month, could not even get his Red Bull out of the garage.
Russian GP on track
Formula One ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone on Friday said he had no doubt that this year’s controversial inaugural Russian Grand Prix in Sochi will go ahead as planned in early October.
Speaking to reporters in the paddock at Belgian Grand Prix practice, the 83-year-old Briton said he and Formula One would respect their contract with the promoters.
“We have a contract,” he said. “Our friends there are happy with the contract, we are happy. We will be there. If people have arguments with Russia, maybe they have, but we haven’t got any.”
Earlier this week, the International Motoring Federation (FIA) race director Charlie Whiting gave the Sochi Autodrome circuit the green light to stage the race from October 10-12. This came despite calls for F1 to boycott Russia because of the conflict in Crimea between pro-Russian separatists and Ukraine.