Ahead of the first of today's free practice sessions, the air temperature is 32 degrees C, and the track temperature is 42 degrees. It is bright and sunny.

For the first time this season no test or reserve drivers will be running, though in all honesty, only BMW and Williams have taken advantage of the rule.

First out is Jarno Trulli, followed by Anthony Davidson. Moments later, Ralf Schumacher heads down the pitlane, ahead of Liuzzi and Kubica. Heidfeld, Speed, Button and Barrichello are the other 'early risers'.

Three teams will be worth watching this weekend, Renault, Honda and Spyker, each experiencing its own problems. That said, with Malaysia just one week ago, none of the teams will have been able to make any significant changes.

As the drivers return to their garages, having completed the obligatory installation lap, Hamilton and Fisichella make their first appearance of the weekend.

Speed complains that his mirror isn't flat but curved outwards (convex, Scott!), and therefore he can't really see anything out of it.

Ten minutes into the session, Heidfeld goes out again, the German looking likely to be the first driver to post a time.

Bernie will be delighted, after the 'squalor' of Sepang, the Bahrain International Circuit looks immaculate, like a brand new Scalextric track laid down on a beige carpet.

As Heidfeld crosses the line to post the first time of the weekend (1:35.969), Scott speed leaves the Toro Rosso garage.

Talking of Toro Rosso, earlier this week someone commented to Pitpass that Jim Wright - the Italian team's sponsorship manager - has the toughest job in F1; after all how do you sell sponsorship space on a car that looks like it's been rolled through an abattoir then left outside for the pigeons to crap all over? Think about it.

Speed posts (36.627) to go second (of two), but Jarno Trulli is already back on track, and seemingly heading for a good time, having gone quickest in sectors one and two. Sure enough, the Italian posts 35.500 to go quickest.

After twenty-one minutes only Rosberg and the Ferraris haven't been out.

Speed has a massive lock up and a slide - dare we say "a big one", but he keeps it all under control. If nothing else, it looked good. Elsewhere, Sutil has posted a time, but it's 3s off the pace.

Speed really is having a torrid time, the Toro Rosso is all over the place, it's like he's driving on ice.

Schumacher goes third, then improves to second (35.573), giving Toyota a 1-2. Heidfeld is now third, ahead of Button, Davidson and Speed. Meanwhile, Albers has a moment, the car looking very twitchy under braking. He and Sutil are running together.

Trulli raises the benchmark (34.896), going quickest in all three sectors.

"Anti-lock P7," Albers is told over the radio, "and go forward with the brake balance". The Dutchman, currently 6.3s off the pace, duly obliges. Elsewhere, Kubica goes third.

With one hour (exactly) remaining, Raikkonen heads down the pitlane, followed by Nico Rosberg, who will be keen to put the misery of Malaysia behind him.

Fisichella goes off at the end of the main straight, as it becomes clear that many of the drivers are struggling for grip, the sand blown on to the track making things difficult. At the other end of the main straight, as if to prove the point, Liuzzi goes wide.

Raikkonen is on a hot lap, going quickest in the first two sectors. The Finn crosses the line at 1:33.670, taking 1.226s off of Trulli's benchmark.

As Hamilton begins his first flying lap, Rosberg goes wide at the entry to the main straight. These guys are lucky this isn't Monaco.

It's a nice tidy lap from Hamilton, but he can only manage second, 1.5s off Raikkonen's new time (33.162).

As Fisichella goes fifth, Button begins another flying lap, the 'myearthdream' livery looking quite striking against the desert backdrop.