Mark Webber topped the timesheets this morning, as the teams made their final adjustments ahead of this afternoon's all-important qualifying session. One of the last drivers to post a time, after a couple of exploratory laps the Australian was on the pace and hanging around the top of the timesheets for much of the session.

His time, like almost all the times this morning, was set on the softer (option) tyre on a fuel load and while this is indicative of how things should pan out over the next hour, we are still unclear as to what the actual race pace, or indeed order, might be. Certainly, the harder (prime) tyre is proving notoriously difficult to get up to optimum temperature, with some saying it is taking as many as 3 laps.

Michael Schumacher appears to have the edge over his Mercedes teammate this weekend, while Vettel is definitely one to watch, even if his Australian teammate is hogging the limelight.

The McLarens are clearly up there, both drivers pretty evenly matched over the course of the weekend thus far, while at Ferrari Massa has consistently been off the pace of Fernando Alonso.

Of the rest, the Force India continue to impress, as do the Toro Rossos and Renaults, while the Williams duo appears erratic, Hulkenberg, in particular, still struggling to find his feet.

The Saubers, having given up on the F-duct, at least for now, are getting on with things, even if Pedro de la Rosa appear to have forgotten what mirrors are for, while Lotus are clearly best of the rest. Virgin and Hispania are still enjoying a baptism of fire, both teams trying to cope in their own way.

The question everyone is asking this weekend is whether Melbourne will produce the sort of action and drama we'd all hoped for in Bahrain. While there is talk of rain hitting Albert Park at some point tomorrow afternoon, the strategy - which suggests all teams will be making one stop - is going to be somewhat similar to the season opener.

Then again, this is Melbourne not Sakhir and the Albert Park circuit does have a habit of producing a controversial race. However, let's hope that this doesn't come in the form of an accident for it has to be said that it appears very crowded out there, a situation not helped by some very slow cars, a significant number of rookies and the failure, by some who should know better, of certain drivers to make use of their mirrors.

Air temperature is 21 degrees C, while the track temperature is 24 degrees. There is still thick cloud hanging over Albert Park, however, the forecasters still claim that rain is not expected. However, seasoned F1 people insist that there is rain in the air. Indeed, three minutes before the session gets underway, this morning's pace-setter, Webber, looks to the sky with just a hint of concern.

The lights go green and Q1 is underway, Liuzzi and Sutil leading the way. Chandhok is another 'early riser', as is, surprisingly, Felipe Massa. Then again, considering the concerns regarding the weather, not to mention problems with traffic, maybe the Brazilian is doing the right thing.

Liuzzi crosses the line at 28.848 to set the benchmark, however, this is almost instantly beaten by Sutil (28.031), while Massa effectively abandons his lap only managing a 31.306.

No such problems for Alonso who goes quickest with a 26.162 as Kubica goes second and Liuzzi third. Schumacher's first lap is a 42.509, the German, like so many, losing out to traffic.