Ahead of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 45 degrees.

The lights go green and the first twenty minute phase gets underway, Nelson Piquet seemingly the only driver keen to get to work. That said, as he disappears into the distance, Bourdais, Vettel, Davidson and Sato head down the pitlane.

The Brazilian posts the first time of the afternoon, crossing the line at 34.945, as Vettel goes second, ahead of Davidson and Sato.

As Rosberg begins a hot lap, Glock goes quickest in the second sector. At this stage the timing screens freeze.

Rosberg goes quickest but is soon demoted by Trulli, as Glock goes third. However, all eyes are on Hamilton and Kovalainen, the Finn beginning to turn up the pressure on the English driver.

Trulli consolidates his top spot with a 33.844, however, Hamilton has gone quickest in the first two sectors. The McLaren driver crosses the line at 32.758 to take spot, with his teammate going second moments later (33.057).

Halfway through the phase, no sign of the Ferraris but the Renaults are on track.

Hamilton improves by 0.008s, even though he's running on the softs. Elsewhere, the Ferrari head down the pitlane.

Alonso goes third (33.746) behind the McLarens. Massa goes quickest in the first sector as Webber goes third, ahead of Rosberg, Bourdais and Button.

Massa goes quickest in the second sector, but the yellow flags are out after Sato loses it and spins across the track towards the tyre barriers.

A 31.937 sees Massa go quickest, however, did he set that time while the yellow flags were waving? Raikkonen takes second, but he too may have done a naughty.

The session is stopped as Sato's Super Aguri is cleared, a couple of minutes after the incident.

With just under five minutes remaining, it's: Massa, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Kubica, Kovalainen, Heidfeld, Webber, Rosberg, Nakajima and Bourdais.

In the danger zone are: Vettel, Coulthard, Sutil, Davidson, Sato and Fisichella, with Glock, Trulli, Alonso and Piquet on the cusp.

A couple of minutes later, the session resumes, with four minutes on the clock it's going to be frantic… that said, it's almost a minute before anyone makes a move. Vettel finally breaking the deadlock.

The Ferraris don't appear to be going out, which means that the team is confident that those times will stand.