Ahead of today's second session the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 49 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.
In terms of updates, McLaren has a new Front Wing. The endplate has been modified, resulting in an improvement of aerodynamic flow conditioning and subsequently enhanced aerodynamic overall performance.
At Mercedes it's a Rear Wing, where small winglets have been added on the centreline. These winglets increase the camber of the upper rear wing on centreline, generating downforce and drag at a ratio attractive for this event.
Red Bull has a new Front Wing. The wing element geometries have been revised where these meet the endplate. By modifying existing parts, a new geometry of the elements near the end plate becomes available. The aim being to improve the local load whilst maintaining flow stability. Should the front wing load demand exceed expectations, a more cambered flap assembly has been produced to offer more local load.
Ferrari has a new Front Wing, Front Wing Endplate, Nose, Floor Body, Floor Board, Floor Edge, Diffuser and Sidepod/Coke. This is an evolution of the front wing platform raced so far, with enhanced tip flow features coming with front wheel wake control benefits as well as increased aero balance capacity. More integrated SM mechanism links returns tidier centre line flow features. It also comes with flap lips modulation. Benefiting from an improved onset flow quality, the floor update is targeting overall aerodynamic load increase across the main car operating window as well as flow features robustness improvements together with improved flow topology and energy towards the rear corners. Finally, the sidepod geometry has been developed in conjunction with the floor update and manipulates front wheel wake together with the floor board update, as well as the rebalancing the front floor pressurisation.
Wiliams has a new Rear Wing. Different SM fairing geometry with added winglets offers local load for high downforce tracks. Local trailing edge extensions have been added on the rear wing third element for efficient load increase.
Racing Bulls have a new Front Wing and Diffuser / Rear Crash Structure. Additional front wing load is generated by adding Gurney flaps to the trailing edge. This provides extended balance range for the car for setup optimisation during the weekend. The updated diffuser profile & integration with rear crash structure provides improved aerodynamic flow conditioning at the back of the car, to aid with efficient load generation from the floor.
Haas has a new Rear Impact Structure. An alternative rear impact structure device will be available, enabling targeted tuning of the car's characteristics for this circuit.
Finally, Cadillac has new Cooling Louvres and Rear Wing. The addition of louvres to the upper surface of the rear sidepod has been implemented to increase the power unit cooling range. While the reintroduction of an SLM mechanism fairing to the updated rear wing that was first introduced at Monaco is to re-instate the availability of low drag mode on this wing.
Russell was quickest earlier, but the Mercedes driver didn't face a threat from his teammate Antonelli as the Italian was one of seven drivers sitting out the session as the reserves were brought into play.
Piastri was second, ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen and a very impressive Fornaroli and Aron.
While there were no incidents, the track was clearly quite slippery, with Bortoleto experiencing a number of offs.
Replacing Albon at Williams, Browing never got to run due to an electrics issue.
Green light, and Perez leads the way, followed by Gasly, Ocon, Colapinto and Hulkenberg. Hamilton is the first of the big guns to emerge, with Leclerc and Verstapepn just behind.
Mediums are very much the order of the day.
Of the first wave Piastri goes quickest (15.724), ahead of Verstapepn, Leclerc, Norris, Lawson and Antonelli.
In no time at all, all bar Russell and Bottas have been out, at which point the Mercedes driver heads down the pitlane.
Russell goes second with a 15.945, 0.221s down on Piastri.
"Engine's died," reports Lawson as he pulls to the side of the track at the end of the pitlane.
The VSC is deployed.
The kiwi climbs from his car which is then pushed to safety.
As the VSC is withdrawn Bearman heads out, followed by Hamilton, Antonelli, Norris and Piastri.
With 35 minutes remaining, Verstappen switches to the softs, as do Sainz, Hulkenberg, Ocon and Albon.
"Bottas has an ECU issue," reveals Cadillac, "we are reprogramming with a view to get him out on track in the later stage of the session."
On the red-banded rubber Hulkenberg improves to sixth with a 16.934.
More drivers switch to the softs.
Hadjar improves to sixth and Colapinto eleventh.
Verstappen switches to hards, the first driver to try the white-banded rubber today.
Quickest in S2, Leclerc goes second with a 15.799, 0.075s off the time posted by Piastri on the mediums.
Russell goes top again (15.435), the Briton only quickest in the first sector. Teammate Antonelli goes fourth (16.015).
A 15.483 puts Piastri second, the McLaren driver now on the red-banded rubber.
Alonso will be investigated for crossing the line at the pit exit.
No purples but three PBs see Norris go quickest with a 15.426.
"Something's wrong with the rear of the car, its dragging along the straight," reports Hamilton. "Could it be the wind," he is asked.
Whilst delighted with the reinstatement of Gasly's third in Monaco, Alpine is struggling here, its drivers currently fifteenth and sixteenth.
Indeed, best looking team at the moment is McLaren.
"This is just horrendous," says Verstappen of his tyres as he struggles to keep it on the black stuff in Turn 10.
Shortly after Russell takes a trip through the gravel at Turn 10.
"Why did he do that, I nearly crashed into him," says Hadjar of Perez. "Did he not see me or something?" The incident, which saw the Red Bull driver forced on to the grass, has been noted.
Antonelli runs wide in Turn 10. "Brake pedal feels terrible," he says. "So long."
On bord reveals significant 'damage' to the inside wall of the left-front on Antonelli's car.
Hamilton runs wide in Turn 9 and takes a bumpy ride over the kerb.
"Are people degging like I am," asks the seven-time world champion. He is assured that they are.
"Good job Piastri," says Antonelli, feeling he has been impeded by the Red Bull driver.
The session ends. Norris is quickest, ahead of Russell, Piastri, Leclerc, Antonelli, Verstappen, Lindblad, Bortoleto, Hamilton and Hadjar.
Hulkenberg is eleventh, ahead of Bearman, Lawson, Sainz, Colapinto, Gasly, Ocon, Bottas, Albon, Perez, Alonso and Stroll.
As we said, as a team McLaren looks strongest thus far, but clearly tyre deg is going to be an issue this weekend.
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