Ahead of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 42 degrees. It is bright and sunny, as it was this morning and indeed yesterday, however, there is a sixty percent chance of rain tomorrow.

Sebastian Vettel led the way this morning in a session which saw Rosberg side-lined with an overheating issue and di Resta crash out at the Parabolica. The Scot's accident followed a brake disk failure, something you really don't want to happen here. Monza, along with Montreal, is the hardest circuit in terms of brakes.

Vettel has been awesome all weekend and, as we saw at Spa, the Red Bull now seems suited to most tracks including the high speed, low downforce ones. Though we must rely on Lewis hamilton to pull something out of the hat, it appears that other than the weather gods this is Seb's to lose.

On the other hand, if you take Vettel out of the equation and the next fourteen drivers this morning were covered by 1.017s, with Alonso, Webber, Hamilton, Perez and Ricciardo covered by just 0.222s.

Having looked good yesterday, Lotus, and in particular Raikkonen, struggled this morning, while it was startling to hear Capt. No Grip say how good his car felt.

Though he finished fourth, Hamilton has been struggling with brake balance, as he has all year, locking-up at numerous corners.

Tyre choices on this the fastest track on the calendar are hard (prime) and medium (option). Paul Hembery claims that there is about a second between the two compounds though this will reduce as the circuit evolves. Ferrari, in particular, struggled with the option tyre.

There are two DRS zones, one on the main pit straight the other on the run from the second Lesmo to the Variante Ascari.

One trick that Ferrari might use this afternoon is something they tried, with little success last year, slipstreaming. Rob Smedley ran the pair through their paces this morning for a try but nothing came of it.

Luca di Montezemolo is expected to speak to the media this afternoon, many wondering if he will publicly cool the situation with Fernando Alonso following their difference of opinion over the break.

While the media focus is on the Spaniard, the fact is that Stefano Domenicali and even Montezemolo are in the firing line as far as the fickle Italian press is concerned.

As Jean todt talks earnestly with Helmut Marko, Vettel is in the background, deep in thought with headphone on, listening to music. Please God don't let it be Miley Cyrus.

Having missed out this morning, rosberg is first out this afternoon, followed by Gutierrez, Ricciardo, Pic and Van der Garde. Force India crew still working on di Resta's car.

"Eight laps?" Rosberg confirms with his crew over the radio

Gutierrez posts the first time, the Mexican crossing the line at 26.293. Rosberg can only manage 27.562.

The Ferrari duo are out early, running in tandem. Massa leads Alonso, natch!

Vergne goes quickest (25.261) ahead of rosberg, Ricciardo and Hulkenberg, as the Ferraris continue. Alonso goes quickest (24.938) but without a tow from his teammate who goes fourth.