Ahead of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 27 degrees C, while the track temperature is 33 degrees.
Russell, Norris, Piastri, Albon, Leclerc, Verstappen, Ocon, Sargeant, Tsunoda, Zhou, Perez, Hamilton, Gasly, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Magnussen and Sainz.
That, for one reason or another, was the order in this morning's session, and what wouldn't we give to see something similar for the grid tomorrow.
Be it the conditions, traffic, the lack of running yesterday or set-up issues it was a session that posed more questions than answers and consequently we feel we are heading into the unknown.
Indeed, looking through the order there is no real pattern, with plenty of disparity even between teammates.
At Red Bull, due to his problems earlier, the suspension on Verstappen's car has beeb changed.
Though he has the title secured (again) as we saw with his pitlane antics yesterday, Verstappen is hungry for more success, while there remains the little matter of runner-up in the constructors' and fourth in the drivers.
It should be an interesting hour.
The lights go green but it is a couple of minutes before the sound of an engine fills the air, eventually it is the Mercedes in the back of Sargeant's car that breaks the deadlock.
He is followed by Verstappen, Ricciardo, Albon, Tsunoda and Hulkenberg.
Soon, all bar Sainz and Russell are on track.
Sargeant posts a 24.722, but this is immediately beaten by Verstappen (24.160).
As Sargeant has his time deleted, Albon goes second ahead of Ricciardo and Hulkenberg.
As Norris goes second, Perez goes fifth.
Leclerc goes third with a 24.556, as Ocon goes ninth.
Sainz goes seventh, as Zhou and Hulkenberg have their times deleted.
Hamilton can only manage 13th and teammate Russell 9th.
Stroll goes 14th and Alonso 15th as the early stages of the session turn out to be every bit as strange as we expected.
Verstappen is quickest, ahead of Norris, Leclerc, but then come Albon, Tsunoda, Perez, Sainz, Ricciardo, Russell and Bottas.
Sargeant is first out for the final assault, ahead of his Williams teammate. However, on the out lap Albon overtakes the American.
"Track evolution will be around four-tenths," Albon is informed.
Albon improves to second with a 24.298 as Sargeant goes fourth (24.532).
However, once again his time is deleted.
Alonso leads a massive queue at the pitlane exit... and understandably there are a lot of unhappy drivers.
"I'm going to lose another minute here," says Sainz.
Hulkenberg goes fourth and Hamilton fifth, while Russell goes third and Gasly eighth.
Stroll goes fifth, Tsunoda second as the track continues to evolve.
Ricciardo goes tenth, Alonso eleventh and Bottas 15th.
Ocon goes 12th, Sainz 15th and Perez second (24.209), thereby demoting the Ferrari driver.
"Too much traffic," complains Sainz, as Verstappen has his time deleted but remains quickest.
Second quickest is Perez, ahead of Tsunoda, Albon, Russell, Norris, Stroll, Hulkenberg, Hamilton and Leclerc.
We lose Sainz, Magnussen, Bottas, Zhou and Sargeant.
Sainz convinced that he was slowed down on purpose, especially in Turn 5.
Albon is first out for Q2, followed by Hamilton, Russell, Stroll and Verstappen.
Soon, all bar Norris are on track, Verstappen the only driver on fresh rubber.
Albon crosses the line at 24.965, as Hamilton responds with a 24.826 and Russell a 24.460.
On those fresh softs Verstappen goes quickest (23.740), as Tsunoda goes third and Ricciardo sixth.
Leclerc goes fourth, Alonso fifth, but both are demoted when Perez goes second (24.116) only to be demoted himself by Norris (23.920).
A 24.278 sees Piastri go fourth, ahead of Russell, Tsunoda, Leclerc and Alonso.
As in Q1, Hulkenberg has his time deleted and therefore drops to 15th.
Albon heads out again, followed by Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Leclerc and Gasly.
Albon improves to fifth with a 24.439, which draws a round of applause from his team.
Hulkenberg goes 4th with a 24.213, as Ricciardo goes seventh and Leclerc third.
Gasly goes fourth, Tsunoda sixth and Stroll ninth.
Ocon goes ninth, Alonso sixth, Hamilton tenth and Russell fourth, which is bad news for his Mercedes teammate.
Knowing he is safe Piastri aborts his lap.
Quickest is Verstappen, ahead of Norris, Leclerc, Russell, Gasly, Perez, Alonso, Tsunoda, Hulkenberg and Piastri.
We lose Hamilton, Ocon, Stroll, Albon and Ricciardo as the disparity between teammate witnessed in FP3 continues.
"There's something not right with this car," says the seven-time world champion. Indeed, on-board replays show him really struggling with his car.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Yas Marina here.
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