Ahead of today's first free practice session, the ambient temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 43 degrees.

In this session, the 20 participants in the Formula One World Championship, are joined by the 'third drivers' representing Jaguar, Jordan, Minardi, Toyota and BAR.

Olivier Panis has now retired from racing and is replaced - this weekend - by Ricardo Zonta, while Ryan Briscoe drives the third car. Jarno Trulli is the other Toyota driver.

At 11:00 precisely, local hero Felipe Massa is first out, followed by 2003 race-winner, Giancarlo Fisichella. Davidson, Villeneuve, Trulli, Doornbos, Ralf, Montoya and Briscoe, are other early risers.

Ten minutes into the session, Robert Doornbos posts the first time, crossing the line at 1:17.327. Moments later, Wirdheim posts 1:22.169, while Briscoe and Glock go second and third behind Doornbos.

Davidson posts 1:16.148, thus topping the timesheets by 0.542s.

As the four 'third' drivers continue, joined by Glock, the big guns wait in their garages, watching patiently.

As Briscoe improves, with a 1:16.010, Davidson goes even quicker, crossing the line at 1:15.738. Bruni goes fifth with a 1:17.322.

Doornbos hasn't finished however, and posts 1:15.790, to close to within 0.052s of Davidson.

Twenty-five minutes into the session and Ralf Schumacher, in his last weekend in williamsF1 colours, is the first of the big guns to post a time, the German going quickest with a 1:15.529. Next time around, he improves to 1:14.601, that's 0.8s slower than last year's pole time.

Juan Pablo Montoya goes second, the Colombian posting 1:14.614, a mere 0.013s off his teammate's time. Meanwhile, Heidfeld goes sixth with a 1:16.601.

At half-time, the order is: Ralf, Montoya, Davidson, Doornbos, Briscoe, Heidfeld, Glock, Wirdheim, Bruni, Baumgartner and Klien. These are the only drivers that have posted times.

Local hero Rubens Barrichello comers out, and immediately posts a 1:13.988, while Fernando Alonso goes second with a 1:14.510. World champion, Michael Schumacher, goes fifth, with a 1:14.672.

Next time around, the German improves to second, but is still 0.4s off his teammate's pace. Elsewhere, Sato goes eighth and Button ninth.

As Zonta goes eighth, Davidson goes quickest in the second sector, going on to cross the line at 1:13.874, and thereby go quickest. He's only 0.07s off last year's pole time.

Juan Pablo Montoya splits the two Ferraris, going third with a 1:14.075. Moments later his German teammate slips in behind, having posted 1:14.335.

Jacques Villeneuve goes eleventh, just 0.6s slower than his teammate Alonso, who is sixth.

Meanwhile Zonta spins, but is able to rejoin, as Klien also has a 'moment.

With twelve minutes remaining, neither of the McLaren drivers have posted times, nor have Webber and Leinders.

That said, moments later David Coulthard goes quickest with a 1:13.669, which can't have done any damage to his prospects for next season.

Alonso improves with a 1:13.990, which puts him fourth, behind Coulthard, Davidson and Barrichello. However, moments later Barrichello goes second as Button improves to ninth with a 1:14.632.

On his first fling lap of the day, on-the-day 2003 Brazil GP winner, Kimi Raikkonen goes quickest, posting 1:13.150. Davidson goes second with a 1:13.232.

This is what the team principals and drivers will refer to a 'typical Friday session', it really hasn't been the least but exciting, even though some of the times have been quite impressive.

Takuma Sato goes fourth, one of six drivers to break the 1:13s barrier, as Barrichello consolidates fourth.

They say it's never over until the fat lady sings, and with less than three minutes remaining, Juan Pablo Montoya goes quickest, with an astonishing 1:12.547, ahead of Briscoe and Ralf Schumacher. Just like that, the top three is entirely new.

The session ends. Montoya is quickest, ahead of Briscoe, Ralf, Raikkonen, Davidson, Coulthard, Trulli, Sato, Barrichello and Alonso.

Michael Schumacher is eleventh, ahead of Fisichella, Webber, Button, Zonta, Massa, Villeneuve, Doornbos, Wirdheim, Heidfeld, Klien, Baumgartner, Glock, Bruni and Leinders.