Ahead of today's opening session, indeed the first session of the year, the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 39 degrees.
Even though it is the first race of the season, there are updates, plenty of them.
McLaren has a revised Front Corner and Beam Wing, while Ferrari has a new Front Suspension, Sidepod Inlet/Engine cover and Rear Wing/Beam Wing.
Red Bull has gone the whole hog, with a new Front Wing, Nose, Front Suspension, Floor Body, Floor Fences, Floor Edge, Coke/Engine Cover, Cooling Louvres, Rear Suspension, Beam Wing, Rear Wing and Rear Wing Endplate.
Mercedes has a revised Sidepod Inlet, Floor Body, Coke/Engine Cover, Beam Wing, Front Suspension and Rear Wing, while Aston Martin has a new (deep breath) Nose, Front Wing, Front Corner, Sidepod Inlet, Coke/Engine Cover, Cooling Louvres, Floor Body, Floor Fences, Rear Suspension, Rear Corner, Beam Wing and Rear Wing.
Alpine has a revised Sidepod Inlet, Coke/Engine Cover, Floor Body, Rear Corner, Rear Wing and Rear Suspension, and Haas a revised Front Wing Endplate, Front Wing, Sidepod Inlet, Floor Body, Floor Fences, Floor Edge, Coke/Engine Cover, Rear Wing Endplate, Beam Wing, Front Suspension, Front Corner, Rear Suspension and Rear Corner.
RB has new Sidepods, Front Wing and Front Suspension, while Williams has new Cooling Louvres, Coke/Engine Cover, Front Wing Endplate, Front Wing and Coke/Engine Cover.
Finally, Stake has a new Coke/Engine Cover, Floor Body, Front Wing, Rear Wing, Front Corner and Rear Corner.
Being the first session, and with all those updates, some of which are for performance others circuit specific, we are not going to come out of it with any idea of the true pecking order, indeed that won't come until tomorrow afternoon.
This weekend there are two local heroes, three if we are counting all Antipodeans, and all three are under some sort of pressure to perform, now and in the coming races.
It also goes without saying that there are no reserve drivers on duty, that will come in Abu Dhabi.
The lights go green and Hulkenberg is first out, his Stake sporting a massive aero rake. He is followed by Hadjar, Norris, Bortoleto, Gasly and Doohan. Aero rakes and flo-vis very much in evidence.
In no time at all there are 15... 16... 17... drivers on duty, all sporting mediums.
Last to emerge are Albon and Ocon.
Of the first wave, Verstappen goes quickest with a 19.771, while Leclerc and Hamilton go second and third, until Piastri splits them with a 20.142.
Ocon heads out leaving Albon as the only no show.
Russell goes fourth, ahead of Sainz, Hamilton and Doohan, but all are demoted when Norris crosses the line at 18.765.
"I touched the wall on the entry to Turn 9," reveals Lawson. "I just brushed it."
An 18.317 from Leclerc as Albon finally heads out.
Norris retakes the top spot with an 18.253, ahead of Leclerc, Gasly, Sainz, Piastri and Alonso.
Though he was first out Hulkenberg is the only driver yet to post a time, while his teammate is currently 3.7s off the pace.
Russell improves to second with an 18.030.
As Lawson improves to 12th with an 18.815, Hadjar goes third with an 18.218.
With 42 minutes remaining the session is red flagged after Doohan runs wide and kicks up a cloud of gravel at Turn 6/7.
The session resumes with 35 minutes remaining.
Piastri is first out, followed by Leclerc, Hamilton, Norris and Tsunoda.
As more drivers head out, all appear to be on mediums still, while Verstappen has opted for softs.
"We feel good," says Zak Brown, "but pre-season favourites? I'm not so sure.
"We need to give it all we've got, but there will be some teams more focused on 2026, so we will see how that plays out."
Leclerc improves to 17.842 but Verstappen crosses the line at 17.696.
More drivers switch to softs, including the Mercedes pair and Sainz.
Russell goes second with a 17.716 as he warns that it is "very hot inside the car".
A wild snap for Gasly in Turn 11 as Alonso improves to fifth with an 18.191 on mediums.
Quickest in S1, Sainz (softs) is quickest again in S3, crossing the line at 17.401 to go top. In a Williams.
With 20 minutes remaining there's another red flag. Bearman has hit the wall at Turn 9/10, suffering a vicious snap of oversteer after running over the kerb. The youngster a mere passenger.
"I'm OK, sorry," he tells his team having suffered significant damage to the left side of the car.
The session resumes with 11 minutes remaining.
Russell leads the way, followed by Norris, Doohan, Piastri, Tsunoda and Bortoleto.
The majority are now on softs.
Piastri goes third with a 17.670, while Norris is clearly frustrated as he battles an obstinate Tsunoda.
Quickest in S3, Norris improves to third with a 17.518, while Hamilton can only manage 8th on the softs, 0.6s off his teammate's pace.
Albon improves to seventh with a 17.921 as Alonso goes eighth.
In the final minutes a number of drivers switch back to mediums.
Doohan goes quickest in S2, but a poor final sector means he only improves to 12th.
At the death Norris goes quickest with a 17.252 as Russell is off at Turn 4, after clipping the grass as he exited Turn 3.
"Did I drop a wheel?" he asks. "Yes, you did," he is told.
The session ends. Norris is quickest, ahead of Sainz, Leclerc, Piastri, Verstappen, Albon, Russell, Alonso, Hadjar and Stroll.
Tsunoda is eleventh, ahead of Hamilton, Doohan, Antonelli, Bortoleto, Lawson, Gasly, Hulkenberg, Ocon and Bearman.
Check out our Friday gallery from Albert Park here.
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