Ahead of today's sprint, the air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 43 degrees.
Despite Ross Brawn's best efforts there are only points for the first three finishers this afternoon, and while this is the incentive for the title rivals, for the rest it is about securing a good grid position for tomorrow's main event.
While Verstappen got tantalisingly close to the Mercedes pair yesterday afternoon, and again this morning, when it mattered the Black Arrows simply turned up the heat.
Once again, Verstappen will be alone as he faces the mighty Mercedes duo, teammate Perez starting a lowly ninth.
Therefore it remains to be seen how the German team approaches the Sprint.
Complicating matters is the fact that though starting from pole this afternoon, tomorrow Bottas will start from the back row after taking on a new engine.
Therefore, will the Finn ride shotgun for Hamilton, or will he be allowed to do his own thing.
We've already seen plenty of incidents this weekend, and getting through the first chicane - indeed, the first lap - will be crucial, especially as the likes of Norris, Ricciardo and Gasly are there to pick up the pieces.
Not having the pace, Verstappen may well opt to play the long game, settling for third in order to pour everything into tomorrow. Then again, the youngster is a committed racer.
Whatever, the aim is to keep to the black stuff and not get into trouble.
Other than traffic, certainly in the opening lap as they sort themselves out, the other potential issue today is track limits, with numerous drivers having their times deleted.
However, overriding all this is the need to stay out of trouble, for it is tomorrow that really matters.
The pitlane opens and the drivers begin to head out.
"Red Bull just come (sic) to see what tyres we're using," reports Hamilton.
Bottas, Hamilton, Verstappen, Gasly, Sainz Leclerc, Perez, Giovinazzi, Russell, Latifi, Schumacher, Kubica and Mazepin are on mediums, the rest on softs.
They head off on the formation lap, all getting away.
The grid forms.
They're away! Bottas gets away well, as does Verstappen, but Hamilton struggles and finds himself engulfed by the McLaren pair.
Into the first chicane and as Bottas leads Verstappen and Ricciardo, Norris appears to be through on the inside of Hamilton as Gasly attempts to go around the outside. There's contact between Ricciardo and the Alpha Tauri and through the Curva Grande sparks fly from beneath the front of Gasly's car where his wing has been damaged.
As the wing drops beneath his front wheels he is a passenger as his car heads off, through the gravel and into the barriers.
Further on around the lap, Kubica spins at the second chicane following contact with the remaining AlphaTauri.
The safety car is deployed.
A dreadful start from Hamilton has seen the Briton slips to fifth, as Bottas leads Verstappen, Ricciardo and Norris. Behind Hamilton it's Leclerc, Sainz, Giovinazzi, Stroll and Perez.
At the end of the first lap - still under the safety car - Tsunoda pits following contact with Kubica.
The Gasly incident has been noted.
The safety car withdraws at the end of lap 3. Bottas puts his foot down and the race resumes.
Alonso passes Vettel in Lesmo 1 for 11th, as teammate Ocon also lines up the German.
Perez is all over Stroll as they battle for 9th. The Mexican needs to be.
No investigation of either of the AlphaTauri incidents is necessary.
Russell is under intense pressure from Mazepin.
The timing screens are showing Leclerc 19th but he's actually 6th.
As Norris has his time deleted, lap 7 sees Bottas post fastest lap (23.592).
The Finn leads Verstappen by 1.999s with Ricciardo a further 4s down the road.
Mucking up a move on Stroll at the first chicane, Perez runs wide and though he eventually gets ahead the Mexican is sure to be punished for gaining an advantage. Indeed, he is told to give the position back.
Next time around there are no such mistakes and the Mexican is through. Indeed, Alonso almost nails the Canadian.
As Stroll heads a train of four cars, the other close battle is that for fourth involving Norris and Hamilton.
The stewards have noted the Perez/Stroll incident.
"I'm struggling a lot in Turn 8," reveals Sainz.
Out front, Verstappen has fallen 2.218s behind Bottas, but remains 12.6s clear of Ricciardo.
Red Bull asks Michael Masi why the Perez/Stroll incident is under investigation.
Bottas begins his final lap 1.889s clear of Verstappen, while Ricciardo is set to take third.
Bottas takes the win, ahead of Verstappen, Ricciardo, Norris, Hamilton, Leclerc, Sainz, Giovinazzi, Perez and Stroll.
Alonso is eleventh, ahead of Vettel, Ocon, Latifi, Russell, Tsunoda, Mazepin, Kubica and Schumacher.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Monza, here.
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