Ahead of today's sole free practice session the air temperature is 26 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 43 degrees. It is bright and sunny.

Lewis Hamilton was quickest in yesterday morning's session whilst his teammate, Nico Rosberg, having agreed a two year contract extension was quickest in the second. Indeed in the second session Hamilton crashed out after falling victim to one of the controversial new kerbs.

In terms of pace, not for the first time, the Mercedes duo are in a league of their own.

Red Bull looked good on the longer runs, but despite Mercedes claims don't look likely to be a serious threat on Sunday.

Instead, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen look likely to be leading a group that will include Ferrari, Force India, Williams and even McLaren.

Whilst the only penalties handed out yesterday were for speeding in the pitlane (Vettel and Massa) and getting the pitlane entry wrong (Bottas and Sainz), nobody has yet been punished for exceeding the track limits.

However, as the FIA's crackdown continues, to the extent of placing sensors at Turns 4 and 11, that is sure to change from here on in.

The track has been totally resurfaced which has added to the drivers problems, with spins aplenty, but at the same time laps are already lower than 2015.

Sainz and Nasr both suffered issues in FP2, with the Brazilian it was hydraulics, whilst the Spaniard had a problem with his ERS.

Difficult days for Palmer and Wehrlein also who had minimal running in FP2.

The lights go green and Wehrlein leads the way, followed by the Ferraris, Grosjean, Haryanto, Nasr and Palmer.

While most head straight back to the pits, Wehrlein stays out to post the first time of the day (1:25.901). Moments later, his teammate, who could be out of a job next weekend, posts 24.272.

Rosberg and Hamilton head out, the German on mediums and his teammate on supers.

Palmer splits the Manors with a 25.719.

Having gone quickest in the first two sectors, Hamilton locks-up in T12, resulting in a wicked flat-spot, but still goes on to post a 21.441.

Perez goes third with a 24.400, the Mexican on the mediums, hence the 2.959s difference to Hamilton.

A 22.065 sees Massa go second, the Brazilian on the supersofts, moments later, Ricciardo posts 21.028, having gone quickest in the final two sectors.

Vettel, like Ricciardo on supers, goes quickest in S1, but loses pace in S2. At the line the German posts 25.800 to go ninth, losing time at T12 when he runs wide.

No such issues for Raikkonen who posts 21.487 to go third, 0.459s off Ricciardo's pace.

Rosberg shoots straight to the top of the timesheets with a 20.811, the German, on supersofts, quickest in all three sectors.

Elsewhere, excursions for Sainz, Vettel (again), Sainz (again), Bottas and Kvyat, with turns 4 and 11 the scene of the most incidents.

Rosberg improves with a 20.547 as Vettel also improves (22.193), but remains 1.646s off the pace.

After 20 minutes, the Haas duo, Magnussen, Verstappen and the McLarens have yet to post a time.

As Kvyat complains about "pulling on the brakes" - which probably explains his numerous offs - the cameras pick up on another mistake from Hamilton.

Grosjean, who yesterday complained bitterly and constantly about his brakes, runs wide in two turns on the same lap. Nonetheless, he goes on to post a 23.847 which puts him 13th.

Other than Palmer, the Force India duo are the only drivers yet to try the supers this morning, both still on the mediums.

Button's first flying lap sees the Briton go eighth with a 22.340.

Approaching half-time, Verstappen heads out on a new set of supersofts.

Grosjean is a very unhappy bunny. "The rears have gone, I don't know what to do," he sighs.

Verstappen's first flying lap sees the Red Bull driver go third, (21.379), 0.4s down on his teammate and 0.832s down on Rosberg.

Hamilton runs wide in T5, the Briton currently fourth, 0.894s off the pace.

"I lost the sync going on to the main straight," reveals Verstappen, referring to a possible gearbox issue. "We saw that," comes the reply.

At 'half-time', it's: Rosberg, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Bottas, Massa, Vettel, Alonso and Button.

Check out our Saturday gallery, here.