Ahead of today's opening session the air temperature is 34 degrees C, while the track temperature is 46 degrees.

Even though it is the final race there are some updates, with Ferrari bringing a revised floor edge and McLaren updating its cooling louvres and floor edge. This is probably more with 2023 in mind than this weekend's season finale.

Due to the fact that this session takes place in daylight and qualifying and the race in the evening as far as conditions are concerned it is somewhat redundant, but at least it gives the opportunity to run some young drivers ahead of Tuesday's test.

Today we have Pato O'Ward in the McLaren, Felipe Drugovich in the Aston Martin, Liam Lawson in the Red Bull, Robert Schwartzman in the Ferrari, Logan Sargeant in the Williams, Pietro Fittipaldi in the Haas, Jack Doohan in the Alpine and Robert Kubica in the Alfa Romeo.

The lights go green and Drugovich leads the way, followed by Vettel, Russell, Ocon, Schwartzman, Bottas and Leclerc. As more drivers head out, all three compounds are in use.

"Something's going on with the car," reports O'Ward. Told to keep the car in second gear he is ordered to pit.

Interlagos-winner Russell posts the first time of the weekend, the Mercedes driver stopping the clock at 30.832.

A 29.496 sees Ocon go quickest, ahead of Leclerc, Lawson, Bottas and Hamilton as all bar O'Ward and Ricciardo are on track.

Perez goes top with a 28.926, however Lawson responds with a 28.810 and Leclerc a 28.724.

There is clearly an issue at McLaren where both cars are in the garage and a crew member is standing on a ladder seemingly fixing a problem with the overhead modular gantry which houses the all-important umbilical cord.

Leclerc consolidates his top spot with a 27.917 as Perez goes second, ahead of Lawson, Tsunoda and Albon.

Albon reports that his rears are struggling and is also suffering lock-up issues.

Twenty minutes in and Ricciardo finally heads out, the Australian immediately going 11th with a 29.445.

O'Ward is also back on track and along with Drugovich is the only driver yet to post a time.

Perez goes quickest again with a 27.853, like Leclerc he is on softs while third quickest Lawson is on hards.

"Sorry," I'm used to driving further down," admits Lawson as he parks well outside his slot.

"Engine hot, engine hot," warns Doohan, the youngster told to turn the car off.

Oh dear, Sargeant has spun and clouted the barrier at Turn 1. He is able to continue however and slowly makes his way back to the pits. "Tyres are gone, apologies," he says. He is currently fourth quickest (28.098) on softs.

No such problems for Albon who goes quickest overall with a 27.840 having been quickest in the first sector.

"Got a snap on the exit of Turn 1," warns Leclerc.

Hamilton (softs), who has been very quiet this far this session, improves to 11th with a 28.392, then goes quickest with a 26.633, 0.255s up on Leclerc's best.

"I have no knowledge of these tyres and I'm screwing up in a lot of places," admits Kubica.

Quickest in S1, Russell crosses the line at 26.853 to go second, as Bottas posts a 27.655 to claim fifth.

In the Aston Martin garage, Vettel's father watches the monitors as his son's final Grand Prix is underway.

"Oh my God, I didn't expect Fittipaldi to go there," declares Gasly.

"I'm sliding around everywhere, honestly," reports Tsunoda, a he proves the point by running wide.

Vettel improves to sixth with a 27.268, ahead of Schwartzman, Ricciardo, Bottas and Albon.

The session ends, Hamilton is quickest, ahead of Russell, Leclerc, Perez, Lawson, Vettel, Schwartzman, Ricciardo, Bottas and Albon.

Gasly is eleventh, ahead of Ocon, Tsunoda, Zhou, Sargeant, Magnussen, Fittipaldi, O'Ward, Doohan and Drugovich.

Check out our Friday gallery from Yas Marina here.