ABU DHABI, Nov 1: Sebastian Vettel shook off any last vestiges of a hangover on Friday afternoon when he clocked the fastest time ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber in the second free practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The newly crowned quadruple world champion, who is seeking to secure his seventh successive race victory, was third quickest in morning practice, but responded in style.

His fastest lap time of one minute and 41.335 seconds lifted him one-tenth of a second clear of Webber in a session run in cooling conditions and under dazzling floodlights at the ultra-modern Yas Marina Circuit.

The ambient temperature dropped by 14 degrees during the session after recordings of 35 degrees Celsius for the air and 46 for the track earlier in the day.

Briton Lewis Hamilton, who has always enjoyed and impressed at the Yas Marina, was third fastest for Mercedes ahead of Finn Kimi Raikkonen in the leading Lotus, German Nico Rosberg in the second Mercedes and Mexican Sergio Perez of McLaren.

Briton Jenson Button was seventh in the second McLaren ahead of two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and German Nico Hulkenberg of Sauber with Brazilian Felipe Massa 10th in the second Ferrari.

Frenchman Romain Grosjean, who was fastest in morning practice, finished up down in 12th after twice being hit by braking problems.

The 27-year-old Frenchman delivered a late fastest lap of one minute and 44.241 seconds at the Yas Marina Circuit to outpace nearest rival Briton Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes by 0.19 seconds.

Free practice times:

Second practice:

1. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull Racing 1:41.335, 2. Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull Racing 1:41.490, 3. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1:41.690, 4. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Lotus 1:41.726, 5. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1:41.758, 6. Sergio Perez (MEX) McLaren Mercedes 1:42.006, 7. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren Mercedes 1:42.010, 8. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 1:42.171, 9. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Sauber 1:42.324, 10. Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 1:42.440, 11. Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Sauber 1:42.509, 12. Romain Grosjean (FRA) Lotus 1:42.607, 13. Paul di Resta (GBR) Force India 1:42.806, 14. Pastor Maldonado (VEN) Williams 1:42.952, 15. Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India 1:42.998, 16. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Toro Rosso 1:43.152, 17. Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) Toro Rosso 1:43.271, 18. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 1:43.565, 19. Giedo van der Garde (NED) Caterham 1:44.138, 20. Jules Bianchi (FRA) Marussia 1:44.459, 21. Charles Pic (FRA) Caterham 1:44.525, 22. Max Chilton (GBR) Marussia 1:45.565

First practice:

1. Romain Grosjean (FRA) Lotus 1:44.241, 2. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1:44.433, 3. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull Racing 1:44.499, 4. Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull Racing 1:44.712, 5. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1:44.741, 6. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Lotus 1:44.929, 7. Paul di Resta (GBR) Force India 1:45.040, 8. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren Mercedes 1:45.099, 9. Pastor Maldonado (VEN) Williams 1:45.150, 10. Sergio Perez (MEX) McLaren Mercedes 1:45.331, 11. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Sauber 1:45.378, 12. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 1:45.440, 13. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 1:45.823, 14. James Calado (ENG) Force India 1:45.924, 15. Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Sauber 1:46.068, 16. Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) Toro Rosso 1:46.114, 17. Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 1:46.124, 18. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Toro Rosso 1:46.126, 19. Charles Pic (FRA) Caterham 1:47.600, 20. Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) Caterham 1:47.670, 21. Jules Bianchi (FRA) Marussia 1:47.723, 22. Rodolfo Gonzalez (VEN) Marussia 1:49.565.—AFP