Once again, Antonio Pizzonia will replace Nick Heidfeld in the upcoming practice session, and for the remainder of the weekend. It appears that following yesterday's sessions the German experienced a "strong headache".

The air temperature has risen to 26 degrees C, while the track temperature is now 24 degrees.

First out is this morning's pace-setter, Kimi Raikkonen. He immediately ups the pace by posting a 1:22.064. Monteiro, Karthikeyan, Montoya, Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher are also on track.

The Colombian goes second (22.844), but is quickly demoted by Michael (22.613), but Juan Pablo responds by going quickest in the first sector.

As it happens, the Colombian doesn't improve, but Michael does, consolidating second with a 22.461.

Meanwhile, Alonso goes fourth (23.264), ahead of Trulli, Fisichella, Sato, Coulthard, Monteiro and Klien.

A 23.764 sees Button go eighth, ahead of teammate Sato, however, the BAR remains worryingly off the pace this weekend.

Having got off to such an electric start, the session suddenly goes very quiet, with only Pizzonia, Webber and Villeneuve on track.

That said, with twenty-two minutes remaining, Michael Schumacher is back on track.

Webber goes third, posting 22.741, and further demonstrating the fact that WilliamsF1 is slowly, but surely, improving.

Alonso is also back on track, and goes quickest in the first sector. The Spaniard goes quickest in the second sector, and again in the third, crossing the line at 1:21.548, the quickest time of the day.

However, Raikkonen, back on track, goes quickest in the first sector, aware that the Championship battle is far from over. The Finn maintains the pace in the second sector, and again in the third, crossing the line at 20.916 to go quickest. Elsewhere, Coulthard improves to sixth, ahead of Trulli and Fisichella.

Not wanting to be left out, Juan Pablo goes quickest in the first sector, as Trulli improves to fifth (22.803). The Colombian crosses the line at 21.318, to go second, behind his teammate.

With 15 minutes remaining, it's Raikkonen, Montoya, Alonso, Michael, Webber, Trulli, Barrichello, Coulthard, Fisichella and Button.

Barrichello improves to fifth with a 22.437, as fellow Brazilian Pizzonia improves to ninth (23.187).

Takuma Sato goes third with a 21.399, as Webber also improves (22.066), displacing Ferrari drivers Schumacher and Barrichello.

Jacques Villeneuve posts 1:22.701 to go ninth, behind the two Ferraris.

With five minutes remaining, almost everyone is on track, as the drivers make last minute adjustments ahead of this afternoon's qualifying session.

Karthikeyan goes off at the second chicane and hits the barriers side on. It's a big impact, but he's quickly out of the car, and clearly OK. It's quite an amazing incident, because in reality, the Indian driver loses it long before the chicane and the Jordan just skims sideways, on and on and on, over the kerbs at the second chicane, over the kitty litter and finally into the barriers. Narain was simply a passenger. Elsewhere, Michael has a big ‘moment’ at Ascari.

Fisichella, currently thirteenth, goes quickest in the first sector, finally crossing the line at 21.951, to go sixth. Meanwhile, Massa improves to fifteenth.

Klien goes tenth (22.463), as Fisichella once again goes quickest in the first sector. This time the Italian improves to fourth (21.469), ahead of his teammate.

Coulthard improves to eighth, and Button twelfth, as the session comes to an end.

Raikkonen remains quickest, ahead of teammate Montoya, with Sato third, ahead of Alonso, Trulli, Fisichella, Webber, Coulthard, Klien and Michael Schumacher.

As we look forward to this afternoon's qualifying session, it's clear that the McLarens are dominant, however, predicting who might challenge them, or at least battle for the remaining points, is difficult at this stage.