Ahead of today's opening free practice session the air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 29 degrees. It is bright and sunny.

Unlike most Friday morning sessions we are expecting lots of activity today as the teams and drivers get their first 'hands-on' experience of the Valencia Street Circuit. Soon enough they'll know how accurate their simulation runs have been.

As we look forward to this latest addition to the F1 calendar, it's worth noting that the one area of concern is the swing bridge that the cars use to cross the harbour. There is concern that the slightly uneven gap where the bridge meets the road could lead to punctures. After several drivers expressed concern, Bridgestone is understood to have raised the issue with the FIA.

The lights go green, and, after a short delay, Kubica leads the way, followed by Vettel, Bourdais, Piquet, Alonso, Heidfeld, Nakajima and Rosberg. However, the timing screens are not working.

Kovalainen and Hamilton are among the ‘early risers’, all keen to get their first ‘cockpit view’ of this new track. The McLarens are sporting ‘rabbit ears’, as worn by the Hondas.

Eight minutes into the session, all but Button and the Ferraris have been out. Finally, the timing screen comes alive.

Ron Dennis and Norbert Haug are chatting in the pitlane as silence settles over the track, it appears that we're going to have to wait a bit longer for the action to really get underway.

Finally, fifteen minutes into the session, Bourdais heads down the pitlane again.

One has to say, with its grey walls and safety fencing, this track is absolutely nothing like Monaco, but more akin to some of those soulless street tracks we had in the United States all those years ago.

As Bourdais begins the first flying lap of the weekend, Vettel and Button head down the pitlane.

Bourdais has the honour of completing the first F1 flying lap of the Valencia street track, the Frenchman crossing the line at 1:49.926. Button goes second with a 59.798, as Bourdais improves with a 46.934.

Raikkonen heads down the pitlane, as Alonso goes third, behind Bourdais and Vettel, with a 48.753.

Vettel raises the benchmark with a 45.484, and Alonso takes second just 0.166s off the German's pace.

As Raikkonen begins his first flying lap, teammate Felipe Massa heads down the pitlane.

A 44.886 sees Bourdais go quickest again, but he is soon leapfrogged by his teammate who posts 44.626. Raikkonen goes fourth with a 46.429.

Next time around the Finn goes quickest in the first sector, however, at the line his 45.220 is only good enough for third.

Piquet goes fifth with a 48.771, as both Hondas remain over 9s off the pace.

Massa goes third with a 45.037, however, his teammate goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 43.948 to take the top spot. Next time around the Finn improves again with a 43.358. Lewis Hamilton stick his head through a gap in the pit-wall to watch the action.

A 44.200 sees Alonso go second, however, the Spaniard is almost instantly demoted by Massa (43.840) to make it a Ferrari 1-2.

Raikkonen raises the benchmark ever higher, the World Champion crossing the line at 42.755. Elsewhere, Kovalainen heads down the pitlane.

As Kovalainen begins his first flying lap, teammate Hamilton climbs into his car. Now we should get to see how the McLarens compare to the Ferraris.

Glock splits the Ferraris with a 43.693, as Toyota continues to impress. Meanwhile, Kovalainen's first lap (46.098) is only good enough for thirteenth.

A 43.723 sees Jarno Trulli go third, giving Toyota 2-3. Elsewhere, Kovalainen improves to fifth with a 43.975, as Hamilton begins his first flying lap of the weekend. Along with Heidfeld and Coulthard, the Englishman has yet to post a time.

No sooner has Kovalainen improved to second (42.873), than his teammate goes fourth with a 43.185.

Glock goes quickest with a 42.698, but moments later blots his copybook with a spin. Since all the corner look the same - unlike Monaco - it's impossible to say where it happened.