With minutes to go before the start of the first qualifying session the rain continues to fall on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and the indications are that this could continue for the remainder of the weekend.

As ever the drivers will go out in world Championship order which means that Kimi Raikkonen is first out followed by Michael, Alonso, Barrichello, Montoya and Coulthard with Verstappen and Wilson last out.

As Kimi climbs into his car, far from lightening up the rain is falling harder and harder.

At 14:00 precisely the Finn heads down the pitlane, the session is underway.

The track is incredibly slippery and even on his 'out' lap the McLaren driver has a minor moment. This is no time for heroics and Kimi is extra careful as he continues around, at the first split he posts 27.9. At the second split it's 31.4 as the Finn applies the power as he heads back down the back straight. 1:35.373 is the benchmark.

Schumacher is next out, the 'rain master'. At the first split he posts 26.6 - up 3s on the McLaren driver. At the second split he posts 29.2 but then goes off at the hairpin, somehow avoiding the barriers and managing to keep going. Over the line it's 1:31.969, despite that off.

Fernando Alonso takes to the track, the Spaniard was impressive this morning. At the first split the Renault star posts 27.9 followed by a 30.8 at the second. Over the line he posts 1:35.173 to go second.

Rubens Barrichello is on track, like his German team-mate he's no slouch in the rain. At the first split he posts 26.8 only slightly down on Schumacher. 28.8 at the second split and best time of the session. Over the line the Brazilian posts 1:30.925 to go quickest, a tremendous performance from Rubens.

Monaco winner Juan Pablo Montoya is next out, the WilliamsF1 star posting 28.1 at the first split. He goes wide and loses time on the grass completing the second sector in 32.5. At the finish-line it's 1:37.479 that's 6.5s off the provisional pole time.

It has to be said that even before his 'off' Montoya was already down on Barrichello, while Schumacher's 'moment' must have cost him at least 2 or 3 seconds.

At the first break, and as the rain continues to fall, the order is Barrichello, Schumacher, Alonso, Raikkonen and Montoya.

Next out is David Coulthard. The Scot heads down the pitlane and the rain appears to be falling even harder.. to give you some idea, there are seagulls splashing about in the puddles.. on the main straight!

The McLaren goes off a turn three but is able to continue, though at the first split he posts 29.6, he's lost a heap of time. At the second split it's 30.4, while he crosses the line at 1:36.463 a second quicker than Montoya.

Ralf is next out, like his brother the German has been known to be good in the rain. At the first split the WilliamsF1 star posts 29.0 already off the pace. The FW25 is wobbling like crazy, it's a real handful. At the second split he posts 31.6, crossing the line at 1:38.210, the slowest lap of the session. An ultra bad lap or are conditions getting that much worse?

Jarno Trulli takes to the track, what can the Renault star do? Conditions are indeed getting worse, this is madness.

At the first split the Italian posts 29.9 he's already 3s down on Barrichello. At the second split he posts 32.4 the car jerking wildly as he applies the pressure. At the line it's 1:41.413, clearly conditions have deteriorated.

One thing, imagine if this session was being held using the old - all out at once - format.