Ahead of today's Qualifying session, the air temperature is 16 degrees C, while the track temperature is 26 degrees. It is bright and sunny. The officials are confident that there will be no rain during this session.

There is still a lot of confusion as to the form here, with nobody appearing to have a clear advantage at this stage. While the Ferraris dominated yesterday, the Italian team played its cards very close to its chest this morning, as did many of its rivals, most notably BMW.

The top sixteen were covered by less than a second this morning, while Bridgestone admits that it has been caught out by the temperatures this weekend, admitting that - should the 2009 event be held at the same time of year - it would opt for soft and medium as opposed to medium and hard.

The question mark over this year's compounds will surely add to the drama over the next hour.

Following the withdrawal of Super Aguri, we will lose five cars at the end of phases one and two in this session, as opposed to six.

Fisichella is first out, neither Force India driver unlikely to make it through to the second phase today. The Italian forfeits three grid places today after jumping the gun at the start of yesterday's opening session. Glock, Bourdais and Vettel are also on track.

As Fisichella posts the benchmark (29.273), Nakajima and Sutil head down the pitlane.

Glock goes quickest (27.539), ahead of Vettel and Fisichella, as Nakajima begins his first flying lap of the afternoon. The Japanese driver posts 28.114 to go third.

With fourteen minutes remaining, the tyre blankets come off and Hamilton heads down the pitlane. Kimi Raikkonen is already on track.

Glock consolidates the top spot with a 27.412, as Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector. The Finn maintains the pace in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 26.766. However, Kovalainen has already gone quickest in the first sector, while Hamilton is also on a very fast lap.

Kovalainen goes quickest (26.736) but is immediately leapfrogged by his teammate who posts a 26.192. Massa can only manage fourth, the Brazilian posting 26.931.

Coulthard is the first driver out on the soft compound, the Scot posting 26.939 to go fifth, as Rosberg takes seventh.

Massa improves to second with a 26.526, as Piquet goes ninth.

With just under nine minutes remaining, Kubica is the first of the BMWs to come out.

Webber (hard) goes sixth (27.124) behind his teammate.

Button goes ninth, an improvement on his previous lap, but the Hondas still not looking right.

All eyes on Kubica (hard), who goes ninth with a 27.312. Meanwhile, Heidfeld takes seventh with a 27.126.