Ahead of Q1, the air temperature is 19 degrees C, while the track temperature is 22 degrees.
Piastri won the Sprint earlier after his teammate pulled aside on the pit straight in a bid to payback the Australian's generosity in Brazil. Norris' subsequent claim that he doesn't need Sprint wins somewhat undermining the gesture.
Russell gave the McLaren a run for their money, proving that the Mercedes does have pace, while Hamilton put up a determined effort, the seven-time world champion's race pace far better than his qualifying single lap efforts.
Once again Sainz led Leclerc home while Hulkenberg scored two valuable points for Haas, finishing seventh, ahead of Verstappen.
Sadly, the race will forever be remembered by the fact that Colapinto, who was starting from the pitlane along with Perez, overtook the Mexican before they'd reached the track, a move that left Christian Horner unusually lost for words... at least words that wouldn't see him doing community service.
The lights go green and Russell leads the way, followed by Magnussen, Zhou, Bottas and Perez. As more drivers emerge softs are the order of the day, though Russell is on mediums which he is scrubbing for tomorrow.
"Nobody is moving, it's crazy," opines Leclerc as he waits in the pitlane.
Magnussen posts a benchmark 23.505 but this is deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 1.
As a result, of the first wave Stroll goes top (22.384), ahead of Alonso and Bottas.
Leclerc goes second with a 22.420, but Norris responds with a 22.029 and Verstappen a 21.713.
Both Williams drivers have their times deleted as Piastri goes third and Perez seventh.
Hamilton goes fourth with a 22.220 but is demoted when his teammate goes top with a 21.519.
Sainz goes fourth with a 22.075 as Perez improves to seventh.
Norris improves with a 21.578 but remains second ahead of Alonso (21.608).
Gasly goes fifth with teammate Ocon failing to improve his time and remaining last.
A vicious snap sees Magnussen run wide and over the kerbs in Turn 4 and fail to improve on 17th. Teammate Hulkenberg is currently sixteenth.
Hulkenberg improves but only just, he goes fifteenth. Moments later he is demoted when his teammate goes twelfth with a 22.294.
Leclerc goes fifth and Piastri seventh, the Australian demoted when Hamilton, courtesy of a tow from Russell, posts a 21.637 to go sixth.
Despite a poor second sector Verstappen goes fourth, while Zhou goes eleventh.
Russell consolidates his top spot with a 21.335.
Sainz goes second with a 21.568, 0.233s off Russell's pace.
A 21.437 sees Norris go second, however his time is subsequently deleted.
Tsunoda, Hulkenberg, Albon, Colapinto and Ocon comprise the drop zone.
Magnussen improves to ninth, while Colapinto remains nineteenth.
Albon goes fifteenth while Leclerc goes top with a 21.278 as Perez improves to eighth.
Tsunoda goes fifteenth while Piastri, despite being quickest in S2, fails to improve.
Quickest is Russell, ahead of Leclerc, Sainz, Norris, Verstappen, Alonso, Hamilton, Perez, Piastri and Gasly.
We lose Albon, Lawson, Hulkenberg, Colapinto and Ocon.
"We are still lacking a bit of speed," admits Laurent Mekies, "and we picked up some damage on Yuki's car in Q1 that we are trying to repair."
Again, Russell is first out for Q2, followed by Sainz, Piastri, Leclerc and Hamilton.
Russell posts a benchmark 21.161, while Piastri responds with a 21.353 and Sainz a 21.503.
Leclerc goes third (21.446) and Hamilton fifth, but both a demoted when Verstappen crosses the line at 21.085.
Norris goes fourth and Perez fifth, while Magnussen can only manage eleventh.
Magnussen improves to ninth as the Stake pair go tenth (Bottas) and eleventh.
Having run wide, and therefore exceeded the track limits at Turn 10, Alonso aborts his first flyer.
Gasly goes sixth with a 21.437.
Quickest in the two final sectors, Piastri improves to second with a 21.121.
Sainz has been noted for an unsafe release which almost saw him collide with Hamilton.
Russell goes top with a 21.084, just 0.001s quicker than Verstappen, meanwhile, Hamilton is just 0.001s off Sainz' time.
Verstappen retakes the top spot with a 21.049, however, moments later, Norris stops the clock at 20.983.
Alonso can only manage fifteenth.
Tsunoda goes tenth with a 21.71, as Magnussen goes quickest in S2.
Magnussen goes sixth while Zhou improves to eleventh.
Stroll fails to improve and remains fourteenth, while a 21.208 sees Alonso go seventh.
Hamilton, who momentarily dropped into the danger zone, improves to fifth while Verstappen bangs in a 20.687.
Quickest is Verstappen, ahead of Norris, Leclerc, Russell, Hamilton, Piastri, Sainz, Alonso, Magnussen and Perez.
We lose Gasly, Zhou, Bottas, Tsunoda and Stroll.
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