With just five minutes to go before the final qualifying session of the 2005 season - and hopefully the last ever single-lap format sessions - gets underway, the air temperature is 23 degrees C, and the track temperature is 22 degrees. The murky haze we witnessed yesterday has given way to bright sunshine today.

First out today will be Takuma Sato, who was excluded from the results of the Japanese Grand Prix following his clash with Jarno Trulli. He will be followed by Juan Pablo Montoya, who crashed out on the first lap at Suzuka, Trulli, Antonio Pizzonia and Christijan Albers.

At 13:00 precisely, Sato heads off down the pitlane, with the team warning him over the radio that the track is still "very slippery". At the first split the BAR driver posts 25.785, so far, he appears to be cautious. At the second split it's 55.329, followed by a 1:37.083 at the line. That's way off the pace we witnessed this morning, he's probably running with a heavy fuel load.

Montoya begins his 'hot' lap, the Colombian really working the wheel. At the first split it's 25.301, followed by a 53.978 at the second. At the line it's 1:35.188, he's 1.895s up on Sato, who appeared to lose all his time in the second sector.

Jarno Trulli is next out, the Toyota driver completing the first sector in 25.618. At the second split it's 54.431, he's 0.45s down on the McLaren driver. At the line the Italian posts 1:36.044, to go second, 0.85s off Montoya's pace. As he crosses the line he's told to "save fuel".

Pizzonia begins his lap, the Brazilian really needing a good result this weekend. At the first split it's 25.617, he's 0.316s down on Montoya. At the second split it's 54.770, as the deficit increases to 0.79. At the line the Brazilian posts 1:36.445, which puts him third.

Last out before the first break is Christijan Albers. The Dutch driver really has to wrestle the car, completing the first sector in 26.484. At the second split it's 56.837, it's like he's driving on ice, the car is that nervous. At the line it's 1:39.105, which puts him fifth.

At the first break, it's: Montoya, Trulli, Pizzonia, Sato and Albers.

"There's no grip, it's killing the racing," says Montoya, when asked how he felt about his lap. We couldn't agree more.

Narain Karthikeyan begins what could be his last ever F1 qualifying lap, and the penultimate qualifying lap for Jordan. The Indian completes the first sector in 25.681, he's only 0.380s off the pace. At the second split it's 54.896, as he loses ground. At the line it's 1:36.707, which puts him fourth, ahead of Sato.

All eyes on Robert Doornbos in the Minardi. At the first split it's 26.008, he's 0.707s off the pace. At the second split the Dutch driver posts 56.291, he's up on his teammate by 0.7. At the line it's 1:39.460, as he loses a heap of time in the final sector.

Tiago Monteiro is on track in the Jordan. At the first split the Portuguese driver posts 26.109, he's 0.80s down. At the second split it's 56.764 as he goes wide in the preceding corner. At the line it's 1:39.233, which puts him seventh, behind Albers.

Jacques Villeneuve is on track in the Sauber. The 1997 World Champion completes the first sector in 25.700, 0.399s down on Montoya. At the second split it's 55.182, as the deficit increases to 1.2s. At the line the Sauber driver - who hopes to be a BMW driver - posts 1:36.788, to go fifth.