Ahead of today's qualifying session the air temperature is 26 degrees C, while the track temperature is 30 degrees.
It was another McLaren 1-2 earlier, this time Piastri coming out on top.
Leclerc, who already has 10-place grid penalty, was clearly struggling, and consequently the constructors' title is McLaren's to lose.
As was the case yesterday it was the battle behind that excited with the leading fourteen drivers covered by 1.001s, with the Haas pair very much in the move.
While Perez' fate must clearly be sealed by now - unless Carlos Slim is to buy the team, the remainder of the weekend offer the perfect opportunity for a potential to serve notice... likewise the likes of Doohan and Colapinto.
Look at FP2 and FP3, we saw a number of drivers running wide, and with the track limits now coming into play we could yet see some surprises.
In the moments before Q1, there is frantic activity around Gasly's car.
The lights go green and the Aston Martin pair - as is tradition - Alonso heads out on a set of hards that he intends to scrub for tomorrow. His teammate is on softs.
Russell leads his teammate out, both following Alonso's example and running the white-banded rubber. Perez follows, on softs.
Stroll posts a benchmark 24.366 as more drivers head out.
Perez crosses the line at 23.559, however his time is deleted for exceeding the track limits at Turn 1.
Albon goes quickest (24.153) and his teammate third, however Colapinto's time is deleted. Both Williams drivers having 5-place grid drops after taking on new gearboxes.
Sainz goes quickest with a 23.487, as Verstappen goes second, ahead of Leclerc and Tsunoda.
Quickest in S2, Magnussen goes third, as Piastri goes fourth and Norris fifth. Hulkenberg goes seventh with a 23.772.
Russell goes eighth and Hamilton ninth, as Alonso goes tenth.
A 23.729 sees Stroll improve to eighth.
Perez disputes his track limits violation, the Mexican, like Colapinto, yet to post a time.
Hamilton told that he's losing out to Sainz in Turns 6 and 7.
With 3:35 remaining, ahead of the final assault, the danger zone comprises Gasly, Zhou, Doohan, Lawson and Perez. However, as the Mexican has his time reinstated, and is promoted to third, it's bad news for Bottas.
"This is unbelievable," says Hulkenberg of the traffic jam in the pitlane.
Zhou goes twelfth, as his teammate goes quickest with a 23.481.
Tsunoda goes eleventh as Hamilton is warned that it will be tight. There is a queue at the final corner.
Gasly goes fourth but Leclerc goes top.
Norris can only manage ninth, as Albon goes fifteenth.
Verstappen remains fourth, Alonso fifteenth and Russell ninth while Hamilton can only manage eighteenth.
"I messed that up big time, guys," admits the seven-time world champion after running over a bollard that had been dislodged by Magnussen.
Quickest is Leclerc, ahead of Bottas, Sainz, Verstappen, Gasly, Perez, Magnussen, Piastri, Russell and Norris.
We lose Albon, Zhou, Hamilton, Colapinto and Doohan.
A lot of drivers are clearly very frustrated, and as a result the air turns a shade of blue... could community service penalties await?
Among those clearly angry is Lawson who - on a flying lap - happened across a very slow Russell on the racing line.
Verstappen is first out for Q2, as he comes towards the end of his out lap, Russell heads out, followed by the Haas pair and the Ferraris.
Soon all bar Piastri are on track.
Hulkenberg is under investigation for a pit exit incident.
Verstappen posts a benchmark, and very impressive, 22.998.
Russell crosses the line at 23.805 while Hulkenberg responds with a 23.522.
Sainz goes second as Magnussen aborts his lap.
Norris goes second with a 23.098, as Lawson goes sixth, ahead of Leclerc, Stroll and Magnussen.
Alonso goes eighth.
Tsunoda goes third (23.427) but is demoted by Piastri (23.199) as Perez goes ninth.
Leclerc reports that he almost went off into the wall at Turn 14.
Magnussen leads out his teammate as the final assault gets underway. Soon they are joined by the other thirteen drivers.
Magnussen can only manage eleventh, while his teammate goes second with a 23.040.
Gasly goes third, Russell sixth, Perez seventh and Stroll tenth.
Sainz is quickest in S2, as Alonso goes sixth over, thereby demoting his teammate.
Leclerc goes top but has his time deleted, as Sainz takes his place with a 22.985.
Lawson remains eleventh as Bottas goes ninth, thereby demoting Tsunoda.
A disaster for Leclerc and Ferrari. "No freaking way," says the Monegasque when told that his time had been demoted.
Quickest is Sainz, ahead of Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Norris, Piastri, Alonso, Russell, Bottas and Perez.
We lose Tsunoda, Lawson, Stroll, Leclerc and Magnussen.
Check out our Saturday gallery from the Yas Marina here.
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