German Grand Prix: Nico Rosberg is quickest in free practice

Nico Rosberg revelled in his return to home soil by topping the times in Friday’s second free practice for this weekend’s German Grand Prix.

The in-form German, the championship leader till last weeek where he relinquished that position to team mate and title rival Lewis Hamilton, was fastest in the morning session by three-tenths of a second.

And he again dominated the second session, repeating the feat by four-tenths in the afternoon with a flawless demonstration of smooth precision on the technical Hockenheim track.

Just five days after losing the lead in this year’s drivers’ championship for the first time, it was a perfect ‘bounce-back’ by the 31-year-old Mercedes man.

Rosberg clocked a best lap of one minute and 15.614 seconds in the second session to outpace teammate Lewis Hamilton by 0.394 seconds.

The Mercedes men were ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari.

Dutch teenager Max Verstappen was fourth ahead of his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo and 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari.

Another German Nico Hulkenberg responded to being at home by taking seventh in his Mercedes-powered Force India ahead of 2009 champion Jenson Button of McLaren Honda.

Sergio Perez was ninth in the second Force India and two-time champion Fernando Alonso was 10th for McLaren.

Hamilton leads Rosberg by six points in the championship.