Ahead of today's second session, the air temperature is 25 degrees C, while the track temperature is 33 degrees. It remains somewhat overcast, with a 40% chance of rain.

Lewis Hamilton headed a Mercedes 1-2 earlier, the Briton over a second quicker than the Ferrari duo. However, as we have seen at recent race weekend this is becoming a bit of a habit, Ferrari gradually showing its hand as the weekend wears on.

The top eight had a familiar look about it, with the Red Bulls and Force Indias finishing behind the Mercs and Ferraris. However, the order will be somewhat different on Sunday, as grid penalties will see Ricciardo and Verstappen - not to mention Alonso and Sainz - further down the grid.

The Haas duo get proceedings underway, Grosjean leading teammate Magnussen out on to the legendary track.

Grosjean posts 25.224 and Magnussen 25.377 as Hulkenberg, Palmer and Ocon head out.

Hulkenberg heads straight to the top of the timesheets with a 24.440.

As more and more drivers head out, all on the soft rubber, Grosjean posts 24.224 to re-take the top spot.

On his first flying lap Ocon goes quickest, the Frenchman subsequently demoted by... well, have a guess... who posts 23.633. Someone needs to pour a bucket of cold water on these panthers.

Raikkonen's first flying lap sees the Finn go quickest with a 22.750, but Bottas and Vettel are on hot laps.

Indeed, Bottas posts 22.745 to take the top spot, while Vettel goes third with a 22.753.

Eleven minutes into the session, we've yet to see Ricciardo, Alonso or Hamilton.

Despite running wide in the Parabolica, something almost unthinkable a few years back before it was emasculated, Verstappen goes fourth (22.731).

No sooner has Raikkonen gone quickest again (22.435), than countryman Bottas responds with a 22.393.

Meanwhile, Vettel runs wide in the Parabolica as Hamilton and Alonso head out.

"What the hell is going on with this driveability?" barks Kvyat.

Massa goes fifth with 23.403 as Hamilton goes quickest in S2. Maintaining the pace in S3, he crosses the line at 22.103 to go quickest.

All bar Alonso are on the softs, the Spaniard on the supers.

As is Ricciardo, who finally heads out on the red-banded rubber.

Hamilton improves with a 21.956, as Ricciardo posts 22.752 to go sixth.

A 22.409 sees Verstappen, on supers, improve to third, the Red Bull driver quickest overall in S2.

Magnussen, currently three places down on his teammate, is told he needs to improve his exit from T5.

Massa does well to keep it all together at the second chicane, his Williams looking a real handful. As he runs a little wide he kicks up a cloud of kitty litter.

Now on the supers, Vettel posts 21.546 having gone quickest in the final two sectors.

Stroll spins in the middle of the Ascari chicane, the Canadian lacking the experience of his teammate in terms of mastering the FW40.

Bottas posts 21.406 to go quickest as Hamilton looks set to improve. The Briton posts 21.462 to go second, while Raikkonen takes fourth with a 21.804. Clearly frustrated, Raikkonen asks to do one more lap.

The top four are covered by just 0.398s.

As in FP1, Alonso is giving his teammate a much appreciated tow, Vandoorne going on to claim ninth with a 23.032.

At half-time, it's: Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Ocon, Massa, Vandoorne and Sainz.

Check out our Friday gallery from Monza, here.