We are just ten minutes away now from the second practice session. It is still dry at the Suzuki Circuit though the storm clouds, scheduled for this evening and tomorrow in Japan, are on the horizon.

So Friday's second practice ends as the first did with Red Bull completely dominant. Sebastian Vettel was again the top man ahead of his team-mate Mark Webber. Robert Kubica is third, Fernando Alonso fourth and Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa fifth ahead of Jenson Button. Join us tomorrow for more live updates from Saturday's practice and qualifying session.

Hamilton improves his time to 1m33.481s, 13th for the Brit who was fifth in the first session before his crash.

Hamilton's second lap was affected by traffic but he will have the time for one quick lap before the close of practice.

Hamilton's first lap is a slow 1m34.542s, leaving him in 18th, he'll be hoping for much quicker next time.

Michael Schumacher veers off the track drives himself out of the gravel and back into the pits.

Hamilton is on the track with barely seven minutes to make an impact.

Button is back on the track also but still no sign of Hamilton.

Massa is back out as are Schumacher, Hulkenberg and second-place Webber.

McLaren insist that Lewis Hamilton will be out before the end of practice but they have less than 20 minutes left to make this happen.

Vettel extends his lead over Webber to four-tenths of a second with 1m31.465s. Superb effort from the Red Bull driver.

Alonso sets his best time of 1m32.362s but is still just behind Kubica lying fourth just ahead of team-mate Massa.

The battle between the rest of the field is now being won by Kubica who has recorded 1m32.200s.

As expected Vettel has taken the lead again with 1m31.712s.

Button records his best lap of the day to move up to fourth but this is to be overshadowed shortly as Vettel seems set to retake the lead.

Alonso records 1m32.785s to move up to fifth and then Webber takes the lead with a time of 1m31.860s! But for how long with Vettel also on the track?

More quick times expected shortly with both Alonso and Webber back on the track.

Schumacher moves back up to fifth after posting 1m32.831s

Massa records a far better time with soft tyres moving into third place with 1m32.519s

Sutil is now up to fourth with a time of 1m32.842s. Fine effort from the Force India driver.

Just past the halfway spot in the session the pecking order is: Vettel, Webber, Petrov, Alonso, Sutil (who has just recorded 1m33.211s) and Schumacher.