Ahead of qualifying, the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 40 degrees. Humidity is 76%. The black clouds that threatened earlier on appear to have moved on, with the fading sun now shining. That said, as if on cue, a few dark clouds appear in the distance.

Whatever the outcome of this session, two drivers face penalties. Sebastian Vettel will forfeit ten places for the incident in Melbourne, while Rubens Barrichello forfeits five after his team opted to change the gearbox in his Brawn BGP 001.

As in Australia, only McLaren, Ferrari, Renault and Nick Heidfeld are running KERS this weekend, while the two tyre options are soft and hard.

Toyota is back in the news this afternoon, after Timo Glock was fined 4,000 euros after being clocked at 79.1 kph in the pitlane.

As the lights go green, Nakajima leads Bourdais, Raikkonen, Rosberg, Buemi and ,Sutil out to work. Clearly some teams feel that there will be rain in the next twenty minutes while others don't.

Nakajima posts the benchmark, crossing the line at 38.014, however, teammate Rosberg goes quicker with a 36.596. Raikkonen goes wide, thereby running his first lap.

Trulli goes second ahead of Fisichella, as Raikkonen and Rosberg look set to improve. The German has a poor final sector and fails to improve, while the Finn posts 35.746 to go quickest and Hamilton second.

Eighteen cars on track as Button goes second ahead of Trulli, Glock and Hamilton. However, Massa takes third with a 35.892.

"You can improve," Hamilton is told, "main time loss is in the second sector". The McLaren driver responds with a 36.010 to go fifth.

Button takes the top spot with a 35.173, as teammate Barrichello goes third. Kovalainen, Webber and Alonso yet to post a time.

Webber goes fourteenth, as Alonso finally leaves the pits with eleven minutes of this phase remaining.

Kovalainen goes sixth with a 35.981, however, he's bumped down to seventh when Vettel posts 35.889 to go fifth.

It's a Brawn 1-2 as Barrichello improves with a 35.439. Elsewhere, Bourdais goes twelfth with a 36.313.

Alonso, who has yet to post a time, gets it all wrong at Turn 9, taking a trip on to the grass. The Spaniard still suffering from an ear infection. Nonetheless, the two-time World Champion subsequently goes tenth with a 36.015.

A 35.341 sees Nakajima go second splitting the Brawns. Meanwhile, Piquet goes quickest in the first sector, finally crossing the line at 35.708 to go seventh. A good lap.

With five minutes remaining, the Force Indias, Rosberg Heidfeld and Bourdais are in the danger zone, with Buemi, Kubica and Glock hovering just above.