Hulkenberg impressive with Williams

The lap times dropped significantly during the second day of the Barcelona tests as the 11 teams put down rubber on the 4.655km circuit. Nico Hulkenberg moved to the top of the timesheets in his Williams mid-afternoon, the rookie completing 99 laps with a best time of 1:20.614s, two-hundredths of a second clear of Fernando Alonso and nine-tenths up on Mark Webber’s Thursday best.

As ever, some teams opted to complete some simulated qualifying runs while others did not making direct comparisons difficult. Hulkenberg’s time is however encouraging for the Cosworth-powered Williams team.

Alonso, second fastest, ran a programme centred on race simulation, meaning that the double world champion completed simulated qualifying laps as well as longer stints aimed at replicating Grand Prix conditions. Alonso was forced to a halt just ahead of the chequered flag and now hands over the F10 to Felipe Massa to complete the test programme at the weekend.

Sauber Ferrari continues to show well with the new C29 package and veteran Pedro de la Rosa behind the wheel. The Spaniard ended the day third fastest, three-tenths adrift of Alonso.

Tonio Liuzzi - fourth fastest - completed a long 60 lap race simulation this afternoon in his Force India Mercedes, making two routine pitstops in the process as the Silverstone-based team continue to prepare for Bahrain. The team will run the second VJM03 chassis tomorrow with Adrian Sutil driving.

Sebastian Vettel lapped a fraction quicker than Webber managed in the RB6 yesterday, recording the fifth fastest time despite a mechanical problem that left him stranded on track late in the day while Jaime Alguersuari – sixth - was on duty for the Toro Rosso Ferrari team, also running long stints in the afternoon.

Michael Schumacher was seventh fastest for Mercedes ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren. Both drivers were over a second off the ultimate pace and both have machinery capable of lapping much faster this weekend.

Robert Kubica did not show much pace today with Renault as he continued to work on the setup of the R30. With limited laps in the afternoon due to a suspension problem, he ended the day four seconds off the ultimate pace and ninth best.

Jarno Trulli – tenth - was unhappy with the setup of the Lotus Cosworth this morning, but changes to the T127 saw the Italian veteran up the pace ahead of a 30 lap run in the afternoon. However a hydraulic problem just minutes later forced Trulli to a halt at turn six. With a new power steering seal fitted he returned to the circuit only to stop once again with another steering issue.

Virgin Racing lost much of the morning session as they continued to rebuild the VR-01 damaged yesterday before Glock returned to the circuit, putting in 43 laps with a best time 5.3 seconds off the ultimate pace.

In addition to their individual test programmes, the drivers all completed some simulated safety car running today – presumably at the request of the FIA - lapping at reduced speed as indicated by their digital readouts on the steering wheel.

Testing continues Saturday as the lap times continue to tumble.