Having been 'missing' from the 2003 calendar, Spa is something of a novelty for several of the drivers taking part in today's proceedings, at least as far as F1 is concerned. Although several drivers have raced here in 'lesser' formulae, a couple have never been here before.

Although it is currently dry, there has been heavy overnight rain, with the threat of more to follow. The air temperature is a decidedly cool 16 degrees C, with the track temperature round about the same. Welcome back to Spa!

Timo Glock is first out, followed by Jordan teammate Giorgio Pantano and Jaguar's Mark Webber. Bas Leinders, Olivier Panis, Wirdheim, Zonta, Davidson, Massa and Briscoe are equally keen to get to work.

Antonio Pizzonia looks set to be the first driver to post a time, the Brazilian completing the first sector in 31.5s. As he completes the second sector (49.2s), teammate Juan Pablo Montoya begins his first flying lap. Pizzonia goes quickest with a 1:51.338, only to be beaten moments later by the Colombian, who posts 1:48.382.

The pole winning time in 2002 was 1:43.726, but Bus Stop chicane has been re-profiled since then. Furthermore, advances in tyre and aerodynamic efficiency should see lap times around two or three seconds faster, if not more.

Ten minutes into the session, and everyone has been out, except for the Ferraris and BARs, meanwhile Ryan Briscoe leaves his garage, as do Glock, Webber and Leinders. Briscoe posts 1:54.729 to go third, with Glock only marginally slower.

Wirdheim goes second with a 1:51.192, as Briscoe and Glock improve, but remain fourth and fifth, respectively. Next time around the Swede improves, but remains 1.67s off Montoya's pace.

Briscoe goes second with a 1:49.360, 0.978s off Montoya's time, as Anthony Davidson makes his customary assault on the benchmark. Meanwhile, Mark Webber goes third, crossing the line at 1:48.789.

Davidson goes quickest (47.437), but his joy is short-lived, as Pizzonia improves to 1:47.083.
Approaching the halfway mark, only 13 drivers have posted times, with neither of the BARs or Ferraris having completed an installation lap.

Pizzonia remains quickest ahead of, Davidson, Montoya, Webber, Briscoe, Wirdheim, Klien, Pantano, Glock and Heidfeld. Baumgartner, Bruni and Leinders, are the only other drivers to have posted a time.

Giorgio Pantano appears to have a problem on the pit straight. There's lots of smoke but it's not an engine problem, he pushes the car back to his garage where his crew is waiting.

Renault-bound Giancarlo Fisichella goes tenth in the Sauber, as Ricardo Zonta goes eighth in the Toyota. Next time around the Brazilian improves to fifth.

Fisichella also improves, the Italian goes sixth, as teammate Massa goes eighth.

Fernando Alonso goes quickest in the second sector, going on to cross the line at 1:48.0489, which puts him fifth. Massa slots in right behind, in sixth, having improved to 1:48.640.

Thirty-six minutes into the session, Schumacher and Barrichello take to the track, as Alonso goes second with a 1:47.244.

On his first flying lap the World Champion goes quickest, crossing the line at 1:47.005, that's 0.078s quicker than Pizzonia. Teammate Barrichello can only manage ninth.

Next time around, Schumacher posts 1:45.408, he's now 1.675 quicker than anyone else.

Massa improves to fifth as Button slots in right behind, the Englishman posting 1:47.989 in the BAR. Meanwhile, Barrichello joins his teammate at the top of the timesheets, albeit 0.784s down on Michael.

Still no times from the McLarens, while Sato has yet to pop his head out of the garage.

Barrichello closes the gap to Schumacher, the Brazilian posting 1:45.855. Elsewhere, Trulli has improved to eighth.

With around fifteen minutes remaining, Webber goes third with a 1:46.782, however, moments later Davidson goes straight to the top of the timesheets as he posts 1:45.104, that's 0.304s quicker than Schumacher.

David Coulthard is back on track, seemingly we're about to see the first timed lap by a McLaren today. The Scot posts 1:47.858 to go twelfth. Elsewhere, Pantano improves to eighteenth, the Jordan crew having fixed what turned out to be a brake problem. Meanwhile, DC improves to ninth.

Most laps so far, is 17, by Wirdheim. The Swede is currently seventh. Webber and Briscoe have both done 16 laps.