Ahead of today's sole free practice session, the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 33 degrees. It is bright and sunny.

Because the track is little used, drivers really struggled for grip yesterday, as witness by the countless excursions over the tarmac run off and gravel traps. The situation is not helped by the fact that parts of the track have been resurfaced with a different type of tarmac.

Add to that, strong cross winds and a big difference - temperature-wise - between the morning and afternoon sessions, and one can see why it is hard to glean much useful information from the opening day of the French GP weekend.

The lights go green, and has become the custom, the Force Indias lead the way, followed by Rosberg, Trulli, Kubica. Friday pace-setter Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton are among the other early risers.

Five minutes into the session, everyone has been out for an installation lap, bar the Ferraris and Hondas. While mechanics work on Raikkonen's car, Massa stands at the back of the Ferrari garage chatting and laughing with his crew.

Kubica complains of vibrations under braking. "It's not a big problem," he insists, "but it feels funny".

Nico Rosberg is advised that wind conditions have changed since yesterday. "To put it in perspective," he is told, "between Turn 13 and 15, what was a head wind is now a tail wind".

Fourteen minutes into the session, after ten minutes of total inactivity, local hero Bourdais heads down the pitlane, followed by the Force Indias, Vettel and Glock.

The Frenchman posts the first time of the day, crossing the line at 17.491. Moments later, Trulli goes 0.111s quicker, only to be leapfrogged by his Toyota teammate, who posts 17.193.

No soon has Bourdais retaken the top spot than his Toro Rosso teammate posts 16.432. Vettel was in the upper echelons of the timesheets for much of the day yesterday, the German delighted with his team's new aero package.

On his first flying lap, Raikkonen goes third (16.995), as Alonso goes sixth (17.194).

Piquet goes second and Kovalainen third, as the session finally springs into life. Moments later, Massa posts 16.828 to go fourth.

Piquet goes quickest with a 16.344. Early days, but Renault really does appear to be pulling out all the stops for its home race.

Raikkonen improves to third, as Hamilton goes fourth, the old rivalry continues. Seconds later, the Englishman takes the top spot with a 16.182. Ron Dennis watches impassively from the pit wall.

Twenty-eight minutes into the session, Coulthard is the first of the Red Bull drivers to post a time. The Scot goes second with a 16.310. Webber, still in the pits, where his crew is working on his car, has only completed one lap.

A big lock-up from Vettel followed by a run across the tarmac. Watched by team boss Gerhard Berger from the pit wall.

A close-up of Webber's Red Bull shows what looks like a hasty repair to one of the bargeboard supports. The Australian waits patiently in his car, eager to get to work.

A 15.750 sees Piquet back on top, could this weekend be the turning point in the Brazilian's career? After all, he certainly needs a result here.

Meanwhile, Webber has gone sixth with a 16.602, the Australian's problem seemingly resolved.

On the pit wall, Flavio Briatore drums his fingers, his left hand now bearing a wedding ring.

Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector, but loses pace in the second. He fails to improve, however, Raikkonen consolidates third with a 16.188.

With seventeen minutes remaining, there's still no sign of the softer option tyre. The teams left it until the last possible minute to use them yesterday, also.

Massa improves to fourth, demoting Coulthard. Both BMW drivers are in the bottom five, along with Alonso.

Vettel goes quickest in the middle sector, but a poor final sector sees him fail to improve. Undaunted, the German begins another lap and immediately posts a personal best in the first sector. Elsewhere, Coulthard messes up a good lap by running wide at the final corner.

Vettel goes fourth with a 16.227, the top thirteen covered by just 0.970s.