Ahead of Q1, the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 41 degrees. It is bright and sunny, but also quite windy.

Ferrari has topped the timesheets in each of the three free practice sessions, Leclerc doing the business yesterday and Hamilton earlier today.

The Briton clearly learned from yesterday's frustrations whereby a strong opening sector gradually saw his pace fall away along with his tyres. Consequently he reversed the process with great success, building the pace sector by sector.

Teammate Leclerc followed suit, and it paid off, only for the Monegasque to have his time deleted, as was the case for so many other drivers.

Pirelli insists that tomorrow will be a one-stopper but what we have witnessed thus far, in terms of tyre deg, suggests otherwise, and while over enthusiasm is responsible for some of those violations, tyre grip is another major factor.

Winner of the last two races, Verstappen, has been on the pace throughout, while Antonelli is another to have had trouble keeping it on the black stuff.

Fact is, though it isn't that difficult to spot a pecking order based on sheer pace, the track limits thing is making it pretty much a lottery, and with that in mind we could be in for some shocks over the next hour and again tomorrow.

Perez gets proceedings underway, followed by Bottas, Bearman, Stroll and Albon.

Leclerc is the first of the big guns to head out, followed by his Ferrari teammate and Piastri. The Ferraris are on softs, the McLaren on mediums.

Bottas posts a 38.853 and Perez a 38.428, while Bearman crosses the line at 37.254.

A 37.242 from Alonso and a 36.944 from Ocon, however it gets serious with Leclerc as he stops the clock at 35.200.

Hamilton goes second, 0.155s off his teammate's pace.

Norris goes third on the softs, 0.357s off the pace, while Piastri is fourth, 1.041s off.

Verstappen splits the Ferraris with a 35.215, as Antonelli goes sixth and Russell seventh. Both Mercedes drivers, like Piastri, are on the mediums.

Hadjar goes third with a 35.286, as Lawson goes sixth and Hulkenberg seventh.

Bortoleto goes seventh as Gasly is the first driver to have his time deleted, having gone wide in Turn 9.

Bearman goes eleventh, as Stroll improves to fourteenth.

A 36.442 puts Alonso twelfth.

"What the **** is this Williams doing," asks Lawson.

Piastri improves to seventh on the yellow-banded rubber, as Russell goes seventh and Antonelli fifth, the Italian quickest in the first two sectors before losing time in S3.

"My seat is getting very, very hot on my back," reports Russell as he pits.

Norris is the first of the big guns to head out for the final assault. He is followed by his teammate, who sticks with the mediums. Indeed, they are the only big guns to head out.

Albon remains 19th, while Sainz remains sixteenth.

Colapinto goes tenth, Gasly twelfth and Hulkenberg eighth.

Norris goes top with a 35.029, 0.171s up on Leclerc.

Lindblad goes eleventh, and Bortoleto seventh, while Alonso remains sixteenth. The Spaniard makes the cut by the skin of his teeth.

"What a **** show, why do we go so early," asks Albon.

Quickest is Norris, ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen, Hadjar, Hamilton, Antonelli, Bortoleto, Lawson, Hulkenberg and Russell.

We lose Ocon, Stroll, Sainz, Albon, Perez and Bottas.

As ever, there is no rush to action as Q2 gets the green light.

Eventually Bortoleto heads out, followed by Leclerc, Hamilton, Hulkenberg and Verstappen. Softs for all.

Last out are the Mercedes pair, who are both on softs, as are the McLaren pair.

Leclerc posts a benchmark 35.026, however Hamilton responds with a 34.833.

Verstappen stops the clock at 34.471, 0.362s up on Hamilton, while Hadjar goes third in the second Red Bull.

Hulkenberg goes fifth, ahead of Lawson and Lindblad.

Piastri goes eighth, 0.926s off the pace.

Norris goes second and Russell third, however Antonelli subsequently leapfrogs his Mercedes teammate with a 34.756.

Bortoleto has his time deleted.

The Audi pair are first out for the final assault, Bortoleto yet to post a time. They are followed by the Mercedes pair and Leclerc.

Bortoleto, who has a massive grid penalty, is clearly out there to give his teammate a tow.

Hadjar, currently sixth, appears to have settled for his time, likewise Verstappen and Norris.

Russell goes top with a 34.305, but Antonelli responds with a 34.278.

A 34.198 puts Leclerc top, as Piastri goes sixth and Bearman twelfth.

Hamilton aborts in S2, as Lindblad goes ninth and Gasly tenth.

Lawson goes tenth, which is bad news for Gasly.

Bearman has his time deleted and drops to 16th.

Quickest is Leclerc, ahead of Antonelli, Russell, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Hadjar, Lindblad and Lawson.

We lose Gasly, Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Colapinto, Alonso and Bearman.

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