F1: Webber Shows Signs Of Life In Second Japan Practice

Looking to break out of a slump, Mark Webber leads P2 in Suzuka...

Jared Turner | Posted October 05, 2012 Suzuka (JPN)

With nary a podium finish in his last five starts, Mark Webber hasn't had much to smile about recently.

Perhaps Friday's second practice at Suzuka Circuit brought at least a little grin to the Australian's face.

Webber, looking to get his season back on track after a rough stretch that has all but eliminated the Red Bull driver from title contention, topped the 90-minute P2 session with a lap of 1:32:493 in his RB8.

Lewis Hamilton, who this past week announced plans to leave McLaren for Mercedes next season, was second at 1:32:707.

Webber's Red Bull teammate, Reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel, clocked in third after running only 17th in Friday's opening practice in Japan.

The Force India of Nico Hulkenberg and the Ferrari of points leader Fernando Alonso rounded out the top five.

Romain Grosjean, P1 leader Jenson Button, Bruno Senna, Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher completed the top 10.

All was hardly well for Schumacher, however, as the seven-time World Champion spun and struck the barriers with about 15 minutes to spare, badly damaging the front end of his Mercedes which was craned away.

Schumacher, who on Thursday announced his retirement from F1 at the end of the season, was already scheduled to drop 10 grid spots due to a penalty for his collision with Jean-Eric Vergne in Singapore two weeks ago.

Schumacher wasn't the only driver to find trouble in P2, however. Having a similar accident much earlier in the session was the Force India of Paul di Resta, who went off course and crashed into a tire barrier just six minutes in.

Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix marks the 15th of 20 events on the 2012 Formula One calendar, which concludes in late November with the Brazilian GP.

Coming into the weekend, Alonso leads the drivers' standings by 29 points over Vettel, 45 over Kimi Raikkonen and 52 over Hamilton. Webber (-61) completes the top five.

Alonso and Hamilton both have a season-high three victories, while Webber, Vettel and Button, each with two victories, are the season's other repeat winners.

Coverage of Formula One in Japan resumes at 10 p.m. ET Friday with live streaming of Free Practice Three on SPEED.com.

Jared Turner is an Associate Editor for SPEED.com, covering NASCAR and Formula One, and is an Editor for TruckSeries.com. His professional motorsports writing career began in 2005.