Ahead of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 46 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.

The Top 7 were covered by just 0.225s this morning, with Fernando Alonso saving the best till last. Whether the Spaniard can carry this pace into this afternoon's session remains to be seen, but never count him out.

On the face of it, Brawn GP appears to have the edge, however Ferrari and McLaren have taken an obvious step forward here, which is more than can be said for Toyota and BMW.

Red Bull have had a funny weekend thus far, with Webber and Vettel both losing vital track time on Friday. The Austrian team is using its new split level diffuser this weekend first time, and though the full effect of this won't be noticeable until Turkey and beyond, it is thought it will still have an impact here.

This morning, in particular, while the super-soft option appeared to be quicker, it was marginal, and in most cases drivers only appeared to get the most out of them for one lap.

As ever, traffic has been a problem and therefore don't be surprised to see a couple of 'big names' fall at the first hurdle.

While the row over the future of the sport rumbles on and one, for the next sixty minutes we can put all that aside a watch what the sport is really all about, twenty guys taking on a track that refuses to forgive even the slightest mistake.

We won't insult you by saying that a good qualifying position is absolutely vital here, because you've heard it a million times before. However, a good qualifying position…

Despite this being one of the most exciting sessions of the entire season, there are a lot of empty seats in the grandstands. Has the financial crisis hit the billionaires' playground, or is simply that this event attracts more than its fair share of poseurs.

Trulli and Glock lead the way when the lights go green, the Italian a previous winner here with Renault. Massa is also eager to get to work.

The Toyota's hot laps are running when the yellow flags are brought out when Massa clouts the barriers and rips the nose off his car on his out lap. The Brazilian heads back to the pits for a replacement as Fisichella goes quickest, ahead of Kubica and Heidfeld.

Next time around, however, Trulli goes quickest, only to be instantly demoted by Fisichella who posts 17.907.

A 17.225 sees Buemi go quickest, as Kovalainen goes quickest in the first sector. The Finn is quickest again the second sector, finally crossing the line at 16.543 to go quickest. Raikkonen can only manage tenth with a 19.839.

Vettel goes quickest (16.499), as Raikkonen improves to third. Next time around, Vettel improves to 16.045, as Button goes second and Nakajima goes quickest of all in the first sector.

A 6.157 sees Barrichello go second as Nakajima posts 16.180 to go third, splitting the Brawns.

As Hamilton goes fifth (16.264), Button goes quickest, crossing the line at 15.817. Moments later, despite getting horribly out of shape, Barrichello takes the top spot from his teammate with a 15.660.

Hamilton has a moment on the approach to Mirabeau and gets out of shape, clouting the barriers with his left rear. With just over eight minutes remaining, the session is red flagged as the Englishman slowly makes his way back to the pits, his helmet still on his head, which he is shaking in disbelief. It's all over for the McLaren driver. Ironically, he had been quickest of all in the first sector.

The session resumes and Massa is first out, on the super-softs. Moments later, the Brazilian is joined by his Ferrari teammate.

Massa's time of 16.540 is only good enough for eleventh, improving to ninth next time around. Raikkonen, however, goes second.

Vettel takes fourth with a 15.915 only to be almost instantly demoted by Massa who posts 5.870 to take fourth.

With just under two minutes remaining, both BMWs are in the danger zone, as is Alonso.

Button goes quickest with a 15.210, and teammate Barrichello second, as Heidfeld moves up to fifteenth.

It is fast and furious and the times are tumbling, Hamilton now down in fifteenth.