28/05/2016
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's practice session the air temperature is 22 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 32 degrees. It is bright and sunny.
Daniel Ricciardo topped the timesheets on Thursday, the Australian, still not entirely happy with his team's strategy in Spain, benefitting from an upgraded Renault engine not available to Max Verstappen, and a chassis ideally suited to the characteristics of this track.
It was not a good day for Ferrari, with Sebastian Vettel, in particular, having a very sloppy day.
Not such as bad day for Toro Rosso, which had both drivers in the top six, whilst Force India and McLaren, celebrating 50 years since its first Grand Prix, also looked good.
The German was one of a number of drivers to damage his car after coming off worse following a clash with the barriers, but not as bad as Felipe Massa - who has history here - or Jolyon Palmer and teammate Kevin Magnussen.
And then there was the frightening incident in which a metal inspection cover was ripped up and damaged the front of Jenson Button's car.
If you're wondering why we haven't mentioned the Mercedes duo, it's because we're frightened to. Ricciardo might have been quickest, but until Thursday neither Lewis Hamilton nor Nico Rosberg had run on the ultrasoft tyres... which suggests there is a lot more to come.
And talking of tyres, the ultrasofts are joined by the supersoft and soft.
The lights go green, and is was the case in FP1 and FP2, Gutierrez is first out of the box. He is followed by Grosjean, Raikkonen, Magnussen, Massa, Nasr and Palmer.
As more drivers take to the track there's a real mixture of tyres, with all three compounds being used. The Mercedes duo are straight on to the ultras.
Palmer posts the first time of the day (18.700), but this is subsequently beaten by Magnussen (17.247) and then Raikkonen (16.976).
Rosberg posts 15.909 as Magnussen is the first driver of the day to get it wrong at T10, the Nouveaux Chicane catching out almost everybody at one point or another on Thursday.
Hamilton responds to his teammate with a 15.808 as the Red Bull, Force India and Toro Rosso duos are the only drivers yet to appear.
Palmer loses the rear end in the Swimming Pool, the back of the car clouting the barriers. He is able to continue back to the pits. His rear wing is clearly bent but what other damage has he sustained.
Vettel posts 15.433 to go quickest by 0.375.
Massa posts 18.143 to go seventh, behind the Renault duo.
As the Red Bull duo resolutely wait in their garage, Rosberg posts 15.1814 to go quickest.
Perez goes third (15.368) and Kvyat seventh (16.897) as Hamilton returns to the pits. Kvyat subsequently improves to fourth with a 15.647.
Twenty minutes in and the Rd Bull duo head out, both on ultras. The opening lap sees them go 19th (Ricciardo) and 20th, though Verstappen subsequently improves to 5th (15.666) and his Australian teammate 2nd (15.192).
A 14.807 sees Ricciardo go top as Verstappen improves to 15.378 but remains fifth.
The Toro Rosso duo - currently sixth and eighth - are the highest placed drivers not on ultras. Alonso, also on supers, is eleventh.
Verstappen posts 15.081 to go second, just 0.274s shy of his teammate.
Back out on worn ultras Hamilton improves to sixth with a 15.506.
PBs in all three sectors for Massa but the Brazilian can only manage twelfth (16.401), the Grove outfit still unable to get to grips with this circuit. Teammate Bottas is currently fourteenth.
Hamilton complains that Gutierrez "dangerously slowed down" ahead of him. The Briton, having failed to improve, heads back to the pits.
Just after half-time, it's: Ricciardo, Verstappen, Rosberg, Vettel, Perez, Hamilton, Kvyat, Sainz, Hulkenberg and Raikkonen.
Proof of how well matched the Toro Rosso duo are comes in the shape of the 1:15.618 lap time shared by both drivers.
As Wehrlein complains that his teammate is too slow, Hulkenberg consolidates ninth with a 15.666.
As the Manors continue to circulate, with only three drivers on track one has to wonder why Wehrlein and Haryanto were sent out together.
Eventually the German drops back and in clear air posts 17.671 to leapfrog Palmer for 20th.
Back on track, both Ferrari drivers post PBs in S1. Vettel goes quickest in S2, finally crossing the line at 14.650 to go quickest. Raikkonen, on the other hand, can only manage seventh (15.555).
Verstappen clouts the barriers at Massenet on the run to Casino. "I have damage," he tells his team as he makes his way back to the pits. His front wing is damaged with some possible damage to his right-front suspension.
Elsewhere, Gutierrez is the first of the day to take advantage of the run off at Ste Devote.
Sainz improves to fifth (15.324), as Hamilton goes quickest in S1. He maintains the pace in S2, finally crossing the line at 14.668 to go second by 0.018.
Around forty minutes after his incident, Palmer is back on track.
Replay shows Vettel having a massive wobble coming out of the tunnel and then missing the apex at T10.
"I lost the car massively under braking," he tells his team. "I didn't touch anything but the car went into anti-stall."
Perez gets it wrong at Mirabeau and subsequently reverses on to the track - recalling Rosberg a couple of years back.
As the clock ticks down all bar Verstappen are on track, and as a result of traffic it's hard for drivers to improve. The situation is not helped when Wehrlein gets it wrong at T1 bringing out the yellows.
Not for the first time this weekend, the Renault seems unwilling to turn in, Magnussen heading down the escape road at T1. The Dane subsequently abandons his car, the resultant yellows meaning there are unlikely to be any further improvements.
With just over a minute remaining, Verstappen is back on track, if only for an exploratory lap.
A close call in the pitlane as a Mercedes mechanic has to shuffle out of the way as Vettel pits.
So, and who would have thought it after Thursday, Vettel is quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Kvyat, Sainz, Perez, Raikkonen and Hulkenberg.
Massa is eleventh, ahead of Alonso, Button, Bottas, Gutierrez, Magnussen, Grosjean, Nasr, Ericsson, Palmer, Wehrlein, Haryanto.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.