Ahead of Q1, the air temperature is 26 degrees C, while the track temperature is 49 degrees.

Leclerc was quickest in both of yesterday's sessions, but this morning it was Norris who set the pace.

Strangely, the Ferraris appear to prefer the mediums to the softs.

The McLarens have looked good all weekend, but it was only this morning that both appeared to be in contention.

As for Mercedes, well Antonelli looks as good as ever, while, having looked good yesterday, Russell appeared to lose ground.

RB is looking to be best of the rest, with Alpine in close attendance. Up until now only Hulkenberg has performed for Audi, teammate Bortoleto suffering numerous issues.

Then there's Alonso who could well spring a surprise this afternoon.

As for local hero Perez, well like Bortoleto he failed to post a time earlier, his team needing to change his engine.

Green light and, much to the crowd's delight, Perez leads the way, followed by Bortoleto, Hulkenberg, Bearman, Hirakawa and Stroll.

Perez goes top! The Mexican posts a benchmark 28.965... as Hulkenberg responds with a 19.502.

An 18.908 from Alonso as Bortoleto goes third with a 19.783.

Stroll has his time deleted as the big guns head out.

Bearman goes second, but is leapfrogged by Sainz.

Hirakawa goes fifth and Albon sixth, ahead of Bortoleto and Perez, who has improved to 19.909.

Having gone quickest in the first two sectors, Hadjar aborts after running wide in Turn 12.

Alonso stops at Turn 10, causing the session to be red-flagged.

Moments before, Hamilton had gone top with an 18.249, ahead of Piastri and Alonso.

Replay shows liquid emerging from the back of the Aston Martin and then a puff of smoke.

Alonso had been told to stop, but the Spaniard insisted he didn't have an issue, but stopped nonetheless.

Leclerc and Verstappen were on hot laps at the time the session was stopped.

Alonso has been noted for "general safety".

Bottas gets the session underway again, followed by Perez, Bottas, Gasly, Colapinto and Bortoleto.

Perez runs wide in Turn 1 as Antonelli opts to go for two prep laps.

Gasly goes top with an 18.194 as Hulkenberg goes third and Bortoleto fourth.

Hadjar can only manage seventh after a mistake in the final sector.

Leclerc crosses the line at 17.532, as Norris goes second and Verstappen third.

Lawson goes fourth with an 18.107 but is demoted when Antonelli goes third (17.918).

Russell goes fifth with an 18.018, 0.486s off Leclerc's pace.

Lindblad complains of smoke in his cockpit as Gasly has his time deleted.

Both Red Bull drivers lock up in Turn 16, Verstappen shaking his head in frustration.

No sooner has Piastri gone second (17.659) than he is demoted when a 17.341 puts Hamilton top.

Leclerc improves but remains second to his teammate, 0.165s off the pace.

Lindblad improves to tenth with an 18.210, as Hulkenberg goes fifth.

Lawson goes tenth and Russell fourth, ahead of Bortoleto.

Quickest in S1, Antonelli fails to improve after a poor second and third sector.

Hadjar splits the Ferraris with a 17.385.

Sainz improves to 16th at the death, just ahead of his Williams teammate.

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

We lose Albon, Alonso, Hirakawa, Stroll, Perez and Bottas.

Antonelli gets Q2 underway, followed by Russell, Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Norris and Piastri.

While the Mercedes pair go for two prep laps, Norris gets straight down to work, the world champion posting an 18.662 after a mistake at Turn 13.

Piastri goes top (17.776), ahead of Hulkenberg, as Hamilton runs wide in Turn 13 and has his time deleted.

Leclerc goes top with a 16.944, as Lindblad goes second and Antonelli third, ahead of Russell.

Quickest in S1, Verstappen goes top with a 16.876 as Hadjar goes seventh.

Gasly goes ninth, ahead of Bearman and Colapinto, but all are demoted when Hulkenberg goes sixth with a 17.587. Bortoleto goes eleventh, the spot usually taken by his teammate.

"Yeh, nice impeding, awesome," says Hadjar of Colapinto.

Norris goes third with a 17.048, thereby demoting Lindblad.

Having had his time deleted, Hamilton is currently sixteenth.

After a strong opening sector, Piastri aborts in the second sector.

Hamilton goes third with a 16.953, despite only posting a PB in the final sector.

Hadjar improves to fourth with a 17.047 but is demoted when Russell goes fourth with a 17.027.

Gasly goes ninth, ahead of Hulkenberg, while Colapinto fails to make the cut.

Lindblad remains eighth as Lawson goes ninth.

Norris goes top with a 16.728 as his teammate fails to make the cut.

"I don't know what went wrong," says Piastri.

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

We lose Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Piastri, Bortoleto, Bearman and Sainz.