Heikki Kovalainen prevented practice for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from being an all-British affair.

With three minutes of the second session remaining, and with Lewis Hamilton poised to edge out Jenson Button again at the top of the standings, Kovalainen ensured it would be a McLaren one-two rather than a British one-two that led the way ahead of Sunday's race.

Appreciably, conditions for the second 90-minute period were markedly different to those in the first as outgoing champion Hamilton pipped new title-holder Button by just 0.096 seconds.

Earlier in the day, as the drivers acclimatised themselves to the £800million jewel in the Middle East that is the new Yas Marina circuit, they basked in temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius.

It was still 31 degrees when the second session began at 5pm local time, but on this occasion the following 90 minutes would be played out under a setting sun for the first time in F1 history, and ultimately floodlights as day shifted into night.

That is when the splendour of the circuit came into its own as the cars sped past the marina with all the yachts lit up, and moreover, the five-star Yas Hotel that straddles the circuit.

Once darkness fell, the shell that cascades over the building and comprises 5,800 LCD panels that glow a variety of colours came into its own, offering photographers and camera crews a dream backdrop.

But it is the on-track action that will ultimately determine if this opulent venue has been worth the money lavished on it.

Prior to Abu Dhabi's day of reckoning, it was Kovalainen who led the way with a time of one minute 41.307secs, over 2.5secs quicker than Hamilton's best earlier in the day.

But that was no surprise as the 20 drivers grew accustomed to the track, culminating in the Finn ending up quicker than his McLaren team-mate by 0.197secs, with Brawn GP's Button 0.234secs down on Kovalainen.

Sebastian Vettel, looking for a small degree of consolation for the year by finishing second to Button in the championship, was fourth quickest in his Red Bull, 0.284secs behind Kovalainen.

Toyota's Kamui Kobayashi, who is fast proving himself in F1 as he again deputises for the injured Timo Glock, was fifth, followed by Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi and Red Bull's Mark Webber, winner in Brazil last time out.

The top 10 was completed by Brawn's Rubens Barrichello, who himself has designs on finishing runner-up to his team-mate, with Williams' Nico Rosberg ninth and Kimi Raikkonen in his Ferrari 10th.

BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica finished bottom of the timesheets, but that after blowing an engine after 13 laps.

That will likely incur a 10-place grid penalty for the race as he has already used the permissible eight engines for the season.

Times
01 H. Kovalainen McLaren 1:41.307 35 laps
02 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:41.501 34 laps
03 J. Button Brawn GP 1:41.541 39 laps
04 S. Vettel Red Bull 1:41.591 37 laps
05 K. Kobayashi Toyota 1:41.636 34 laps
06 S. Buemi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:41.683 37 laps
07 M. Webber Red Bull 1:41.684 34 laps
08 R. Barrichello Brawn GP 1:41.831 38 laps
09 N. Rosberg Williams 1:41.931 39 laps
10 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:41.987 39 laps
11 A. Sutil Force India F1 1:42.180 28 laps
12 K. Nakajima Williams 1:42.245 36 laps
13 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:42.278 36 laps
14 J. Trulli Toyota 1:42.409 30 laps
15 V. Liuzzi Force India F1 1:42.530 33 laps
16 F. Alonso Renault 1:42.782 29 laps
17 G. Fisichella Ferrari 1:42.932 37 laps
18 R. Grosjean Renault 1:43.021 37 laps
19 J. Alguersuari Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:43.022 39 laps
20 R. Kubica BMW 1:43.708 13 laps