Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 27 degrees C, while the track temperature is 38 degrees. Once again it is bright and sunny, albeit with lots of big, fluffy clouds.

Leclerc set the pace in both sessions yesterday, edging out Antonelli in FP1 and Verstappen in FP2.

However, the reality is that fastest of all was actually Norris, who opted to do his running on the hards. Antonelli was quick on the softs, whereas Verstappen's best pace was on the mediums.

Both Ferrari drivers started well but dropped pace as the lap continued, particularly Hamilton, suggesting that tyre deg is going to be a problem for the Maranello outfit.

Despite the obvious issues with tyres, Pirelli remains convinced that Sunday will be a one-stopper.

Zak Brown opined that drivers - and not just his - were having trouble keeping it on the black stuff, and this is borne out by the extraordinary number of deleted lap times.

79 in the opening session was bad enough, but the second session witnessed 128 violations, which Antonelli put down to the track's layout and also the strong winds.

Consequently, we expect track limits to be a major factor in qualifying and tomorrow.

In the moments before the pitlane opens, Antonelli is on the pit-wall giving Andrew Shovlin and his colleagues a hug.

Perez is first out, followed by Bortoleto and Colapinto. The Mexican is on hards, the other two on mediums.

Perez posts a benchmark 39.880, while Colapinto can only manage 41.194.

The Argentine, along with Lindblad and Bortoleto have grid penalties tomorrow after taking on additional engine components.

As Gasly heads out, followed by Bottas, Colapinto improves to 40.241.

Perez improves to 39.391 but is demoted when Gasly crosses the line at 37.592.

This is the signal for the first of the big guns to emerge, Hamilton, who is followed by Sainz, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Stroll, Lindblad and Ocon. All three compounds are in use, with Hamilton on softs.

Gasly improves to 36.861, the Frenchman quickest in all three sectors.

Hulkenberg and Stroll have been noted for a pitlane incident in which the German appeared to impede the Aston Martin driver.

Hamilton posts a 36.716, the Ferrari driver quickest in the final two sectors.

At this point Norris heads out, followed by Piastri and Verstappen.

Lawson goes top with a 36.420, but Norris responds with a 36.066.

However, Norris's time is deleted for a track violation at Turn 3.

Piastri goes top with a 36.243 however, Verstappen (medium) has a 35.702 up his sleeve.

Antonelli goes third with a 36.284.

Gasly complains that it feels like something is pulling the rear of his car.

Leclerc goes second with a 35.962 as Bearman goes seventh. However, the Monegasque's time is deleted for a violation in Turn 12.

Quickest in S2, Hamilton improves to 35.561, 0.141s up on Verstappen.

Russell, having completed two warm-up laps, goes third with a 35.879, as Hadjar goes fifth and Lindblad sixth, however the RB driver's time is also deleted.

As ever, Verstappen is unhappy. This time it is his shifts. "Honestly, ****, this is dumb. Why are the shifts so bad?"

Norris goes third with a 35.706 as Hadjar consolidates fifth with a 35.958.

Quickest in the opening and final sectors, Leclerc (mediums) goes top with a 35.127.

Bortoleto and Hulkenberg have times deleted.

Despite a strong start, Hamilton's pace drops off as the lap progresses, the Briton crossing the line at 35.416, 0.289s off his teammate's pace.

"That's unnecessary," Ocon is told by his engineer after the Frenchman, stuck behind a slow Russell, is overtaken by an impatient Hulkenberg.

Russell, who had improved to sixth, has his time deleted.

Hadjar complains of "massive understeer" feeling that his (medium) tyres weren't ready.

With 20 minutes remaining, the softs begin to appear along the pitlane.

Antonelli wastes no time in going quickest in S1, and again in S2. At the line it's a 35.015.

Russell goes third with a 35.381.

As Norris aborts in S2, Verstappen goes quickest in S1.

Antonelli's time is deleted and he drops to fourth.

Verstappen goes top with a 35.061, but he is leapfrogged by Hamilton who stops the clock at 34.893.

Unlike yesterday's laps, Hamilton opted to take the opening sector easy and then build the pace.

"Track limits?" asks Antonelli. "Yes," he is told, "and you were doing so well."

Norris, currently eighth, is struggling in Turn 7.

Following his teammate's example, Leclerc goes top with a 34.810, 0.083s up on Hamilton. Two PBs followed by a purple.

However, once again the Monegasque's time is deleted for a violation at Turn 10. Norris also, at the same corner.

Gasly goes ninth and Bortoleto twelfth, as Bearman suffers a major jolt courtesy of one of the track's many infamous bumps.

Hamilton has to abort what appeared to be a strong lap after being impeded by a slow Bortoleto on the racing line in the braking zone.

"You have to check the floor," says Hadjar having suffered a vicious snap. The Frenchman, who has been unhappy with his car all weekend, is currently tenth, 1.037s off the pace.

The Bortoleto/Hamilton incident will be investigated.

Antonelli improves with a 35.196, and it appears to be a clean lap.

Verstappen fills the air with smoke as he locks-up at Turn 15 following a snap in Turn 14.

"What the **** was he doing," asks Hadjar of Albon. "He was sleeping on the racing line." However, it appeared to be the frustrated Frenchman who was at fault.

The session ends. Hamilton is quickest, ahead of Verstappen, Leclerc, Antonelli, Russell, Piastri, Hulkenberg, Norris, Gasly and Hadjar.

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

Clearly, that change of tactic paid off for Hamilton, and subsequently Leclerc, however the Briton's rivals will have been watching also.

Of course, Leclerc lost out due to track limits and it is clear that this is going to continue to be an issue for then remainder of the weekend.

There are also a couple of incidents under investigation, involving Hulkenberg, Hadjar and Bortoleto.