Ahead of today's opening session the air temperature is 15 degrees C, while the track temperature is 17 degrees. As expected, this being night-time in the desert, it is chilly.
In terms of updates, Red Bull has a new Front Wing and Floor Fences. While the former is circuit specific, as are all the new front wings this weekend, the latter features a revised leading edge detail of the second fence from the chassis, which, by elevating the upper edge of the second (inside to out) forward floor fence, means a small vortex can be shed to benefit the floor edge downstream.
Mercedes has a new Front Wing while Ferrari has brought a new Front Wing, Floor Fences, Floor Body and Floor Edge, the latter three feature reworked front floor fences targeting an improvement of the losses travelling downstream. The front floor body volume has subsequently re-optimized, together with the floor edge loading and vortex shedding into the diffuser. Seemingly, the floor upgrades are only available to Sainz and will only be use in this session as the team seeks to run them on both cars in Qatar should they do the desired job.
McLaren has a new Front Wing as does Aston Martin, while Alpine has a new Front Corner which features an update on the front drum fence surface offering a better local flow conditioning, a better interaction with front suspension and overall a better build quality.
RB has a new Coke/Engine Cover, Rear Suspension, Rear Corner and Mirror, the Las Vegas circuit requiring a low-downforce configuration, hence the Monza mirrors make a re-appearance with a further housing modification to clean up the flow.
Haas has a new Floor Body, the geometry of which aims to improve the underbody flow expansion with the car close to the ground, thereby extracting more performance in these conditions, while Stake has a new Floor Body, Floor Fences, Floor Edge and Diffuser. The updated floor, in its entirety, aims to improve the flow characteristics under the floor by rearranging vortices and maintaining losses under control.
While Max can secure his fourth title this weekend, Ferrari is expected to be the dominant force.
The lights go green and Piastri leads the way, followed by Gasly, Zhou, Ocon and Tsunoda.
"It feels like I'm driving in the wet," reports Lawson, while Russell feels his steering is "very light".
Zhou gets things underway with a 55.626 but this is soon beaten by Tsunoda, Bottas and Magnussen (47.656).
All three compounds are in use, though only the Bulls have opted for softs.
No sooner has Russell (medium) posted a 45.783 than Verstappen responds with a 44.239.
On his second lap Magnussen (medium) improves to 42.645, only for Russell to post a 42.590.
Leclerc stops the clock at 41.900 as drivers continue to struggle for grip in the chilly temperatures, a dusty track surface doing little to help their plight.
A 41.585 sees Hamilton go top only for Magnussen to improve again (40.407).
The times continue to tumble as Norris is among the first to take advantage of one of the track's many escape roads.
Quickest in all three sectors, Hamilton crosses the line at 38.155.
Norris goes second, ahead of Magnussen, Verstappen, Leclerc and Sainz, but all are demoted when Russell goes second to his Mercedes teammate with a 37.706, Hamilton having improved to 36.927.
Like his title rival, Verstappen makes use of an escape road after locking up.
Colapinto gets the black and white flag for crossing the line at the pit entry, moments later teammate gets the black and white after committing the same offence.
"The pit entry is almost impossible to see," reports Russell as Piastri pits but is unable to turn off his engine.
Around 'half-time' there is a lull with only four drivers on track, as others begin to emerge they are now sporting softs, among them Hulkenberg, Leclerc, Bottas and Colapinto.
"We think this is a circuit that will suit the Ferrari," says Zak Brown. "We had a small issue for Piastri but we know what it is and it will get sorted, a bit unusual."
On the mediums Magnussen goes quickest in S1 as Leclerc (softs) sets the pace in S2. At the line the Monegasque posts a 37.012 to go second, while the Dane opts to abort.
On the red-banded rubber, a 37.200 sees Hulkenberg improve to fourth.
Leclerc improves to 36.430 as attention turns to his teammate who posts purples in the opening two sectors. Moments later Sainz crosses the line at 36.218 to go top.
The track temperature has dropped to 15 degrees as Piastri goes third with a 36.451.
Ocon improves to seventh with a 37.194.
Norris goes quickest with a 35.954, the Briton having only gone quickest in the final sector.
"There's this connection issue," says Verstappen, "the radio went on by itself."
Gasly improves to fifth with a 36.478.
Verstappen improves to sixth with a 36.761 while teammate Perez remains tenth.
With just 8 minutes remaining, drivers are still struggling to get tyre temps.
Finally bolting on the softs, Russell goes quickest with a 35.619, the Mercedes driver benefitting from a tow from Norris on the final straight.
Next to try the red-banded rubber is Hamilton who leapfrogs his teammate with a 35.487.
Alonso improves to sixth with a 36.262, the Spaniard having had a pretty anonymous session thus far.
Russell retakes the top spot with a 35.397 as the RB pair slip to 19th and 20th, both drivers having encountered issues over the hour.
As the session ends Hamilton is quickest in the opening two sectors, finally crossing the line at 35.001, 0.396s up on his teammate.
Behind Hamilton, it's: Russell, Norris, Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Alonso, Piastri, Gasly and Perez.
Magnussen is eleventh, ahead of Stroll, Albon, Ocon, Hulkenberg, Bottas, Colapinto, Zhou, Tsunoda and Lawson.
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