For the second session running Button was the only driver to record a time in the 1m15s bracket and, although he was only just quicker than Trulli and Montoya (both of whom have found time substantial chunks of time since yesterday), he was more than half a second clear of Micheal Schumacher.

Montoya's BMW WilliamsF1 team-mate Ralf Schumacher was fourth fastest, just two tenths behind the Colombian. The German was already confident in the potential of the FW26 after yesterday's practice session, but JPM certainly seems happier with the set-up adjustments the team made overnight

The Ferraris of Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello were fifth and eighth fastest and it is possible that the Italian team has opted for the more durable but slower Bridgestone tyre. The world champion was nearly a second slower than his best lap from yesterday morning.

Takuma Sato was sixth fastest in the second BAR after a difficult first day while Toyota's Olivier Panis was seventh. David Coulthard was a distant ninth fastest ahead of Cristiano da Matta, making it two Toyotas in the top ten.

Sauber's Giancarlo Fisichella was 11th while home hero Fernando Alonso should have been higher than 12th but made a mistake on his quick lap. Kimi Raikkonen was next after yet another technical problem hampered his progress yesterday ahead of Felipe Massa in the second Sauber.

Jordan's Nick Heidfeld and Giorgio Pantano were 15th and 16th, the Italian lucky to save a huge moment on the exit of the final turn. Jaguar Racing's Christian Klien was 17th fastest, still making up time after yesterday's visit to the gravel. Zsolt Baumgartner brought up the rear.

Mark Webber's Jaguar didn't record a time while Gianmaria Bruni stopped out on the circuit with a technical problem.