Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 50 degrees. It is bright, sunny, warm and, more importantly, not as windy as yesterday.

Ferrari ruled on Friday, Leclerc quickest in the morning and Hamilton leading a Maranello 1-2 in the afternoon.

However, nobody, and that includes the Ferrari pair, is taking anything for granted, for this is turning out to be a bit of a strange one.

Be it the gusting winds, the dusty track or outright tyre deg it is impossible to come up with a decent pecking order, and even the teams are confused by what's happening. The increased temperatures today will not help.

Other than being off the pace, we are seeing the sort of disparity between teammates witnessed at Spa last weekend.

Add in traffic and qualifying is likely to be a bit of a lottery, most likely, as Piastri suggests, decided by AI.

Furthermore, Pirelli is already looking at Sunday's race featuring at least two stops.

Ferrari and RB both broke the curfew last night, for the Maranello outfit this was the first time this season, for their Faenza rivals the second.

The good news for Aston Martin is that Stroll's car has been fixed, indeed the Canadian is waiting in his car.

Green light and Colapinto, who crashed out in FP2, is first out, the Argentine's Alpine fitted with fresh softs.

He posts a benchmark 22.464.

As Colapinto comes towards the end of his cool down lap, he is joined by Stroll, who is on mediums.

Alan Permane reveals that, as a precaution, the engine has been changed on Lindblad's car. This is separate to the issue on Lawson's car which caused the team to break the curfew.

Colapinto improves to 21.747 as Bottas heads out, followed by Hulkenberg.

Stroll crosses the line at 24.496, however his time is subsequently deleted as Bottas (softs) posts a 23.280.

No sooner has Colapinto posted a 21.132 than Hulkenberg responds with a 20.643.

At this point, fifteen minutes in, the Ferraris emerge, along with Alonso. There is a mixture of mediums and softs.

Piastri posts a 19.918 on the red-banded rubber, while Leclerc can only manage a 20.155 and Hamilton a 20.505, both on the softs also.

Lawson splits the Ferraris with a 20.317 as Norris goes quickest in S1. The 2025 world champion crosses the line at 19.062, 0.856s up on his teammate.

Perez stops at Turn 2, bringing out the yellows. There is smoke billowing from his rear, most likely the brakes.

The session is red-flagged.

Just before the stoppage, Hadjar had gone second with a 19.358.

"I lost the engine, I had a massive brake," reports Perez. "It looks like the brakes are on fire," he adds.

Meanwhile, a replay shows a major lock-up for Alonso, after which he almost collided with his teammate, who appeared unaware of the Spaniard's presence, while trying to overtake him.

The session resumes with 34 minutes remaining.

Gasly is first out, followed by Antonelli, Russell, Ocon and Verstappen.

Verstappen goes third with a 19.564 while Antonelli opts for a second warm-up lap.

Leclerc improves to third with a 19.387, as Antonelli goes fifth with a 19.856.

A 19.286 puts Russell second, 0.224s off the pace as Antonelli's time is deleted for a track limits violation at Turn 4.

Piastri goes second, 0.009s down on his teammate, however he is demoted when Hamilton bangs in a 19.053.

Verstappen stops the clock at 19.281 to go fourth.

"Ouch, that's tough on the floor," says Hadjar after taking a bumpy ride over the kerb at Turn 4.

"The downshifts are horrific," adds the Red Bull driver, "disgusting."

Quickest in S2, Leclerc goes top with an 18.668, 0.385s up on his teammate.

Antonelli goes second with an 18.812 while his teammate locks-up in Turn 1.

With 21 minutes remaining, Lindblad has yet to appear and shows no sign of going out anytime soon. Teammate Lawson is currently ninth.

Alonso is currently seventeenth and his teammate nineteenth.

Antonelli goes second with an 18.812, 0.144s down on Leclerc, while his Mercedes teammate remains eighth, 0.618s off the pace.

Piastri heads out on fresh softs, as does Norris, however Antonelli is on a really hot lap. The teenager crosses the line at 18.254, as Piastri goes second with an 18.464.

Hadjar remains sixth, as Norris goes top (18.206), the Briton quickest in the opening two sectors.

Verstappen goes fourth, the Dutchman having made a mistake in Turn 4.

Alonso goes eleventh with a 20.393, as Russell posts an 18.869 to go sixth.

As Piastri misses the 6/7 chicane, Leclerc heads out on fresh softs, as does his Ferrari teammate.

Leclerc goes third with an 18.291, while Hamilton, quickest in the first and final sectors, goes top with an 18.056.

"Undriveable," complains Hadjar.

Norris retakes the top spot with a 17.939, the McLaren driver quickest in S2.

Russell can only manage sixth, 0.602s off the pace as Colapinto goes thirteenth with a 20.55.

Antonelli improves (18.068) but remains third.

With five minutes remaining, Lindblad finally heads out.

Both Ferrari drivers go for a second hot lap but are unable to improve, their tyres shot by the final sector.

Lindblad goes fourteenth with a 20.073 as Bearman improves to sixteenth.

A late 'improvement' sees Sainz go eighteenth with a 21.46. However, his time is subsequently deleted.

Lawson improves to ninth, despite a massive wobble in the final corner.

"Check the car, I hit the kerb in Turn 4," reports Sainz.

Norris is quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Antonelli, Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Verstappen, Hadjar, Lawson and Hulkenberg.

Bortoleto is eleventh, ahead of Gasly, Lindblad, Colapinto, Ocon, Bearman, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas, Sainz and Albon.

An interesting session which sets us up nicely for qualifying, and while a packing order is beginning to emerge it is clear that there are various factors which could yet come into play.