Ahead of today's free practice session the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 36 degrees. It is bright and sunny.

Yesterday's session was extremely curious, for in the final half-hour there were no significant improvements. Yes, there was a very light rain shower, but it was nothing, cars were spinning off due to the dust and 'greenness' of the track not the few raindrops that fell from the sky.

Several drivers, most notably Alonso, were on very, very fast laps, going quickest in the first two sectors, before easing off in the third. It was as though none of the teams wanted to show their true potential.

Certainly, drivers were completing a fair number of laps… it's just that they weren't going for times.

It had been widely predicted that there would be rain today and tomorrow, however, the teams now claim that the remainder of the weekend will remain hot and sunny… then again, weren't they saying that at the Nurburgring two weeks ago.

With just this one hour session before this afternoon's all-important qualifying session, it is likely that the teams will no longer feel the need to hold back, and consequently we will get a better idea of the true pace.

The lights go green, and first out is Davidson, followed by Sutil and Yamamoto. On his installation lap Sutil gives his crew a running commentary, but it hard to make head or tail of what he is saying.

As the German returns to the pits, Webber, Hamilton, Barrichello, Button and Alonso head off on their installation laps.

After five minutes, everyone has been out except for Massa and Raikkonen. Yamamoto fires up the Spyker and heads back down the pitlane.

The Japanese driver posts 26.625, but his German teammate is already on track and like to go considerably quicker. That said, his second sector is poor, he goes off at the right-hander and though he is able to continue the car is clearly a handful. He crosses the line at 28.140. His next lap is a lot cleaner, and consequently he goes 1.828s quicker than his teammate.

Twelve minutes intro the session, Schumacher heads down the pitlane. The German was one of many drivers complaining of 'graining' yesterday. Trulli and Barrichello are also on track.

As Sato and Davidson leave the pits, Lewis Hamilton waves to the TV camera from the McLaren garage.

For a fleeting moment, Barrichello is quickest, but his 26.868 is soon beaten by Davidson, Schumacher and Trulli (21.996).

Sixteen minutes into the session, Raikkonen heads down the pitlane. Back on track, Trulli has raised the benchmark with a 21.549.

No installation laps for Raikkonen, the Finn gets straight to work. As Schumacher closes to within 0.070s of the best time, Raikkonen goes quickest in the final sector, crossing the line at 21.257. Elsewhere, Heidfeld goes sixth, only to be demoted when Wurz goes fourth.

Next time around Raikkonen posts 20.862, as Heidfeld also improves (22.348). Elsewhere, Barrichello is complaining about the track's bumpy surface.

A beautiful bit of car control from Rosberg, who somehow manages to stop his Williams going off. Brilliant stuff. Meanwhile, Hamilton, Alonso and Massa are all on track.

Rosberg goes fourth (21.797), but both McLaren drivers are already on very hot laps. Alonso goes second (20.895), but moments later is demoted to third when his teammate goes quickest, posting a 20.764.

As Massa goes fifth, teammate Raikkonen has a minor off, following which he returns to the pits.

The Hondas are at the wrong end of the timesheets, as are the Red Bulls and Giancarlo Fisichella.

Massa improves to fourth, as Trulli and Schumacher hold fifth and sixth, the Toyotas continuing to impress this weekend.

Still early days, but the BMWs have been 'quiet' thus far this session. Heidfeld is currently tenth and Kubica twelfth. That said, 'Quick Nick' promptly posts 21.551 to go sixth. Next time around he looks set to improve but makes a complete 'balls up' - no other way to put it - of the final corner. Elsewhere, teammate Kubica complains of "lack of grip" and "graining". He's not alone.