Nico Rosberg hits top gear again at second practice for Spanish Grand Prix

Championship leader Nico Rosberg laid down the gauntlet to Lewis Hamilton by topping the timesheets in second practice for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Rosberg, who has sauntered to victory at each of the four races so far this season to establish a 43-point lead over Hamilton, was nearly three quarters of a second faster than his Mercedes team-mate yesterday.

Indeed Hamilton’s best lap at the Circuit de Catalunya was good enough only for third with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen splitting the Mercedes pair. Sebastian Vettel, fastest in the opening session, was fourth quickest in the sister Ferrari.