Ahead of today's opening practice session, the air temperature is 12 degrees C, while the track temperature is 13 degrees. There has been rain throughout much of the night and it has continued, off and on, for the hour or so.

For many of the drivers, this morning marks the first time they have sat in an F1 cockpit for just over a month… wonder if there will be any signs of 'ring rust'.

Despite that there are nine races remaining - just over halfway through the championship - many believe that Fernando Alonso is already on his way to his third title and Red Bull assured of taking the constructors' version. However, the Spaniard thinks otherwise, and recalling the drama of recent seasons, most notably 2010, we have to agree.

Forget the fat lady, it's never over until it's over. There's still a long, long way to go.
Only two reserve drivers are on duty today, Valtteri Bottas is in for Senna at Williams while Dani Clos has the dubious honour of pedalling Karthikeyan's HRT.

A number of teams have upgrades here, though it is unlikely we'll get to see much of them this morning.

The lights go green and a lone engine fires up, moments later Vergne heads down the pitlane. He is followed by Ricciardo, Clos, Petrov, Bottas, Kobayashi and Maldonado.

Onboard footage shows just how bad the conditions are, Maldonado unable to see the flashing red warning light on the back of Petrov's car.

In the pits, Schumacher, on the verge of his three-hundredth race, sports a helmet celebrating the event.

Kobayashi posts the first time of the day, the Japanese crossing the line at 2:23.141. While the other drivers head back to the pits, Perez, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Kovalainen and Rosberg come out to play.

Having improved to 2:17.705, Kobayashi gets mighty close to Vettel at the very point where Schumacher and Coulthard came together all those years ago in 1998.

Ten minutes into the session all but Hamilton and Alonso have been out. Only one driver has posted a time. In the Red Bull garage, Sebastian Vettel's Hungary haircut appears to have grown out.

Hamilton finally comes out for his installation lap, followed, shortly after, by Alonso.

As the rain begins to fall even harder there is total inactivity. While Raikkonen waits menacingly in his Lotus, other drivers wait around and chat to teammates and crew members.

Just as the rain looks to have eased off and the drivers head to their cars, it increases in intensity. The monitors claim that the rain will stop at 10:40 but return before the end of the session. Looking at the sky one wouldn't bet against it.

On cue, at 10:43 (local time), there is a break in the cloud cover and the sun suddenly makes an appearance. Fingers crossed.

Moments later, Ricciardo and Vergne head down the pitlane… game on?

As the Toro Rosso duo begin their second laps, they are joined by Glock, Kobayashi, Petrov and Hulkenberg.

Ricciardo crosses the line at 2:14.520 while teammate Vergne posts 2:16.362. The Australian subsequently improves with a 2:13.244.

Kobayashi locks up at Les Combes and takes to the escape road. The Japanese driver had previously gone second with a 2:13.721.

More and more drivers take to the track including Schumacher and Webber… at which point the heavens open up once again.

With 32:00 on the clock, it's: Vergne, Ricciardo, Kobayashi, Perez, Maldonado, Petrov, Glock and de la Rosa.

As Kobayashi, who has now gone quickest with a 2:12.015, gets it wrong at Les Combes again, Vettel is ordered to "box, box".

In spite of the rain, Ricciardo ups the ante with a 2:12.004, the Australian subsequently 'doing a Kamui' at Les Combes, as does Perez.

A 2:11.941 sees Maldonado go quickest, while Clos, on his first flying lap, can only manage 2:23.785.

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