Ahead of today's sole free practice session the air temperature is 25 degrees C, while the track temperature is 36 degrees. It is bright and sunny but very windy.

A number of drivers had limited running yesterday including Kimi Raikkonen, Pastor Maldonado and Sergio Perez.

Raikkonen was left stranded in the gravel after spinning off at Dunlop in FP2, while Perez crashed at Spoon in the same session. Maldonado not only crashed at Degner in FP2, he also lost a wheel in FP1... a move which was to cost Williams 60,000 euros.

In addition to this Jules Bianchi and Giedo Van der Garde both crashed at Degner in FP1, Marussia unable to rebuild the Frenchman's car in time for the second session.

While Mercedes led the way in FP1 things swung back in Red Bull's favour in the second session, with Lotus also on the pace.

Tyres this weekend are hard (prime) and medium (option), the teams finding around 0.5s between the two. As in 2012 there is one DRS zone and it is on the main pit straight, albeit slightly longer than last year.

After yesterday's numerous incidents, one cannot help but feel that more drivers are going to be caught out today, Degner, Spoon, the Chicane and Dunlop all having caught out drivers in the opening sessions.

Gutierrez is first out of the box, followed by Bianchi, Maldonado, Ricciardo and Chilton. Within moments there are twenty drivers on track... Sutil and Van der Garde staying put.

While most return to their garages after a single lap, the Lotus duo remain out to post times, Raikkonen crossing the line at 33.741 and Grosjean 36.187. The Finn's time is quicker than anything we witnessed yesterday, and it was set on the prime tyre, suggesting that the track is much faster today.

Perez splits the Lotus duo with a 34.596 and then di Resta takes third with a 34.715.

Grosjean goes quickest with a 33.232 after a couple of pretty major lock-ups on his previous laps, the chicane catching him out twice.

As the Red Bull duo begin their first flying laps, Rosberg goes third (33.651). Moments later Webber posts 32.722 to take the top spot. The rear of the Australian's car features a lot of flo-vis.

As Vettel goes third (33.327), Alonso sits in his garage watching the action on the monitor, seemingly without a care in the world. Elsewhere, Ricciardo, almost trips up over a Sauber before diving into the pits.

"We have a problem with the exhaust," claims Hulkenberg, "the engine sounds very strange." The German, who sounds quite strange himself, is told to pit.

Vettel improves to second (33.036) as cars continue to struggle, Button riding the kerbs at the chicane, Maldonado locking up at the hairpin and Chilton complaining of a rear traction issue.