Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 32 degrees C, while the track temperature is 38 degrees.

Charles Leclerc was quickest yesterday afternoon, edging out the McLaren pair. Red Bull clearly struggled with balance while Mercedes was unable to get the softs to work for them.

RB was impressive in the afternoon, Williams in the morning, while Haas had a disappointing day with Oliver Bearman failing to appear in FP2 after crashing out earlier in the day.

The big question today is actually all about tomorrow, for while it will be bright and warm this afternoon we are expecting rain - and lots of it - tomorrow, consequently the teams are going to have to make some tough decisions.

Ahead of the green light Bearman is ready and waiting at the end of the pitlane, the youngster has a busy morning ahead of him.

He is subsequently joined by Hamilton, Piastri, Leclerc and Hadjar who are all on hards, while the Haas driver has opted for mediums.

Oh dear, the session is red flagged as Bearman goes off and into the gravel at Turn 12.

Sitting in the car, the youngster shakes his head in disbelief. The replay shows he got a wheel on the grass entering the corner and consequently lost the rear. The car is undamaged but is stuck in the gravel.

Of course, the stoppage isn't doing anyone any good, as Race Control confirms the session will resume with 49 minutes remaining.

The Ferrari pair head the queue at the end of the pitlane, they head out followed by Ocon, Stroll, Alonso and Doohan.

As more drivers head out all three compounds are in use, though at this stage only Ocon and Doohan are on softs.

Ocon posts a 20.063 and Doohan a 19.221 as the Red Bull pair head out on the red-banded rubber, both cars sporting different noses.

Lawson reports a problem with his charge. "We're working on it," he is told as he heads back to the pits.

Verstappen stops the clock at 17.632.

Sainz goes fourth (18.595) ahead of Norris and Bortoleto as Doohan improves to 17.801.

Antonelli goes third with a 17.970, like the three other current pace-setters he is on the softs.

Indeed most drivers have ditched their mediums and hards for the red-banded rubber, though not Alonso, Sainz or Stroll.

Leclerc (softs) goes third (17.847), but is demoted when Piastri posts a 17.298 on his softs.

Verstappen retakes the top spot with a 16.646 as Hamilton goes third (17.311) and Gasly eighth, just ahead of Alonso.

A 17.242 sees Russell go second, 0.596s down on the world champion.

Norris goes third, 0.301s off the pace, as Albon goes tenth on the hards, ahead of teammate Sainz and Gasly.

Soft-shod Antonelli goes second with a 16.870 as Leclerc improves to fourth with a 16.894.

Doohan runs wide in Turn 3 after encountering another car and carrying too much speed into the corner.

"I might have touched the wall a bit on the left," admits Sainz as it is revealed it was more of a clout than a kiss.

With 30 minutes remaining, Bearman and Lawson have yet to post a time.

"The car was getting a bit loose," reports Verstappen.

Albon goes second (16.801) on the hards. His teammate, also on the white-banded rubber, is currently seventh.

A 16.676 sees Leclerc leapfrog Albon for second as Sainz improves to fifth (16.859).

Hamilton makes it a Ferrari 2-3 as he posts a 16.677, just 0.001s off his teammate's pace, and 0.031s shy of Verstappen.

Moments later, his former teammate (Russell) goes top with a 16.402 having been quickest in the opening sector.

Looking top improve on tenth, Norris kicks up a cloud of dust in Turn 6. PBs in the opening two sectors see him go second, 0.195s down on Russell.

In the Red Bull garage Lawson's car is up on its stand with what is thought to be a hydraulics issue.

Gasly improves to thirteenth with a 17.574 on the hards.

Albon goes second with a 16.508, 0.106s off the pace. Moments later his teammate goes third having been quickest of all in the opening sector. Both Williams drivers are on the softs.

Verstappen goes purple in all three sectors, crossing the line at 16.002, 0.400s up on Russell's best.

As Norris improves to fifth (16.597), Piastri goes second with a 16.077, 0.075s off Verstappen's pace, despite a mistake in Turn 10.

Bortoleto improves to ninth with a 16.707.

Quickest in S1, Norris subsequently aborts and remains sixth.

Leclerc can only manage sixth, as Hamilton begins his flying lap.

Antonelli goes fourth (16.206), having been quickest in the final sector.

Piastri is the first to break the 1:15 barrier, while Hamilton can only manage eighth, the Ferrari pair either sandbagging or having gone backwards since yesterday.

With less than five minutes remaining, there's still no sign of Lawson.

Down in 17th, Alonso abandons his first flying lap of the session, while Leclerc improves to fourth (16.188) on fresh softs.

Having run wide Verstappen aborts his latest lap.

Quickest in the opening sector, Russell goes second with a 15.960, 0.039s off Piastri's pace.

"The car is very oversteery," reports Leclerc. "Can we review it as it is not giving me much confidence."

Hamilton has a wobble in Turn 2 as he ends the session in eighth.

Piastri is quickest, ahead of Russell, Verstappen, Leclerc, Antonelli, Sainz, Albon, Hamilton, Tsunoda and Norris.

Bortoleto is eleventh,. ahead of Gasly, Hadjar, Stroll, Doohan, Hulkenberg, Alonso and Ocon.

"It is super tight," says Toto Wolff, "but George has more in his pocket. He had traffic on his lap, and Kimi is building lap by lap. What he is doing is exactly the right trajectory and he is gaining in confidence."

Check out our Saturday gallery from Albert Park here.