As the drivers prepare for today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 26 degrees C, while the track temperature is now up to 46 degrees.

First out of the trap is Ricardo Zonta, who was surprisingly off the pace in the first session. The Brazilian is followed by Doornbos, Raikkonen, Friesacher, Monteiro, Wurz, Klien and Albers.

The Toyota third driver posts the first time of the session, crossing the line at 1:22.568, though moments later Raikkonen raises the benchmark with a 1:19.082.

As the Finn goes quickest in the first sector, Wurz goes second ahead of Klien and Doornbos.

Raikkonen crosses the line at 1:17.720 to consolidate his position at the top of the timesheet, as teammate Montoya goes second with a 1:17.869. This gives McLaren a 1-2-3, as Wurz has improved to 1:20.355, albeit 2.8s off the pace.

The two Ferraris are on track, as are the WilliamsF1s and Renaults. Just seven minutes gone, and it's busy, busy, busy.

Liuzzi goes third with a 1:18.711, as teammate Klien goes fifth ahead of Webber, Zonta and Friesacher.

Moments later it's Fisichella that goes third, the Italian posting 1:18.531, though his 'glory' is short-lived, as Alonso posts 1:17.868, to go second.

Schumacher goes fourth (17.873) splitting Montoya and Fisichella, and immediately goes quickest in the second sector.

The German crosses the line at 1:17.562, to go second, just 0.05 off Raikkonen's pace. Meanwhile, David Coulthard goes sixth.

A 1:16.832 sees Alonso go quickest, the Spaniard immediately beginning another 'hot lap, going quickest in the first sector. As Coulthard improves to fourth (17.817), Ralf immediately bumps him down, crossing the line at 1:17.813. Moments later, both of them are leapfrogged by Fisichella (17.535).

Within seconds it's a Renault 1-2, as Fisichella slots in behind his teammate.

Ralf has a bit of a moment at Mirabeau, he locks up and has to use the emergency exit to get back on track.

After that opening burst of frenzied activity, there's a brief respite, with just eighteen minutes of the session gone.

Alonso is quickest, ahead of Fisichella, Raikkonen, Michael, Coulthard, Massa, Ralf and Montoya.

That said, from out of nowhere, Liuzzi produces a 1:16.640, to go quickest. As we said before, this weekend Red Bull clearly has 'The Force'.

Talking of 'the force', Juan Pablo Montoya, posts 1:17.060 to go third, thus splitting the Renaults, as Rubens Barrichello goes seventh (17.663) to slip in behind his Ferrari teammate.

Moments later the Brazilian has a big spin at the Nouvelle Chicane, fortunately he doesn't hit anything. Meanwhile, his teammate improves with a 1:17.170 to go fourth.

Fernando Alonso is the first driver to break the 1:16s barrier, the Spaniard posting 1:15.835. Elsewhere, Alexander Wurz improves to go fifth, then moments later goes second with a 1:16.170

At the halfway point, Alonso is quickest, ahead of Wurz, Fisichella, Raikkonen, Liuzzi, Massa, Montoya, Michael, Villeneuve and Barrichello.

Coulthard improves to seventh with a 1:17.020, that's 1.18s off the pace.

Massa, who has been quietly getting on with the job, slowly improving, posts 1:16.914, to go sixth, which puts him ahead of Coulthard, Montoya and Michael.

The German, like his teammate, is having difficulties at the Nouvelle Chicane, twice he goes straight on, but both times he gets away with it and continues.

Another lull, with only 8 cars on track, amongst them, Fisichella, Barrichello, Webber and Heidfeld.

The only driver that hasn't posted a time is Narain Karthikeyan, who is in his garage with his mechanics working on his car.

Patrick Friesacher posts 1:19.587 to go eighteenth, he's currently only 0.4s slower than 2004 winner, Jarno Trulli.

Meanwhile his teammate, Albers, loses his front wing as he swipes the barriers at the exit to Casino.

The yellow flags are waving as Klien spins and clouts the barriers, it's quite a heavy impact. The Red Bull loses its nose and front wing.