Ahead of Q1 the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 49 degrees. It remains sunny and hot.

Yesterday afternoon and again this morning, Piastri showed an astonishing pace, leaving his rivals, including teammate Norris, for dust.

Leclerc was third quickest, his teammate ending the session with a gearshift issue, ahead of Russell, Verstappen and Hadjar.

Antonelli and Alonso made it into the top ten, as did Hamilton and Lawson, as RB continues to show good pace.

On the evidence thus far, this afternoon isn't so much about who will claim pole but how big the gap will be and who will fill the second and third rows.

As ever, and definitely unlike last week and Imola, the softs are the way to go and the mediums are not going to throw any surprises, but the red-banded rubber only appears to be good for one lap, so any mistakes or traffic could prove disastrous.

The Stakes threw a late surprise earlier, while Alpine, Williams and Haas are clearly struggling.

Other than over enthusiasm and traffic, something else to look out for is track limits which up to now have gone unpunished. A number of drivers have strayed over the lines literally in the previous three sessions, but from here on in there will be a price to be paid.

As in previous years, despite the change to the final complex, we see cars slow around Turns 11 and 12 to create a gap for their flyers, so this will bew an issue this afternoon, particularly in Q1 and Q2.

The lights go green and Colapinto leads the way, followed by Ocon, Berman, Stroll and Albon.

All are on fresh softs.

Colapinto gets things underway with a 13.897 while Ocon can only manage 14.016.

Stroll stops the clock at 13.699 while Albon goes second with a 13.745.

More drivers begin to emerge among them the McLaren pair.

Hulkenberg posts a 13.499 but did he run wide in the final corner?

Tsunoda can only manage fourth, as Lawson goes top (13.482).

Sainz goes third, but is demoted when Antonelli posts a 13.344 and Norris a 12.799..

Russell goes second (12.806), as Hadjar goers third with a 13.266.

Quickest in S2, Piastri stops the clock at 12.551 despite a couple of mistakes in the final sector.

Alonso goes fifth, ahead of Hamilton and Hadjar.

Verstappen splits the Papaya pair with a 12.798, just 0.001s up on Norris.

While Sainz remains 18th, Albon is currently sixth.

A number of drivers, including Colapinto, appear to be going for three soft runs.

Norris is first out for the final assault, the Briton 0.248s down on his teammate who is also heading down the pitlane. There's a problem in the pitlane where Colapinto has an issue and can't move, leaving a queue of frustrated drivers behind him. The Argentine is currently 11th.

As drivers overtake the stranded Alpine, the likes of Leclerc are under pressure to complete another flying lap.

Bortoleto improves to seventh and Hulkenberg tenth.

Antonelli goes fifth, Gasly ninth and Hadjar eleventh.

Sainz goes thirteenth, as Colapinto fails to leave the pitlane.

Hamilton goes ninth, Lawson seventh, Ocon fifteenth and Bearman eleventh.

Tsunoda can only manage nineteenth as Stroll goes seventh.

Quickest is Piastri, ahead of Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Antonelli, Leclerc, Stroll, Lawson, Albon and Bortoleto.

We lose Hulkenberg, Ocon, Sainz, Colapinto and Tsunoda.

A massive blow to Red Bull and home boy Sainz.

"Not good," says the Spaniard when told that he is P18.

"I don't understand why we're going so early," says Albon as he waits in the pitlane, while there is concern over whether Tsunoda damage the floor of his car when running wide at the start of the session.

Albon heads out to get Q2 underway but is quickly overtaken by Alonso. Bearman joins them.

Albon posts a 13.113 but it's a scrappy lap. Bearman responds with a 13.650.

Verstappen goes purple in S1, but Bortoleto goes quicker!

Verstappen crosses the line at 12.358, as Lawson goes second (13.102) only to be demoted by Bortoleto who posts a 13.046.

Gasly goes second with a 12.611, Hadjar third but both are demoted when Norris posts a 12.056.

Alonso so goes third (12.523), but Leclerc has a 12.495 up his sleeve. Hamilton goes third (12.447), but drops to fourth when Piastri posts an 11.998 to go top, 0.058s up on his teammate.

Russell goes fourth and Antonelli ninth.

Russell reports dark clouds in the distance (over Turn 13), but there is no prediction of rain during the session. The Briton adds that he is happy to give his teammate a tow if needed.

Stroll leads the way as the final assault gets underway. Piastri, Norris, Verstappen, Russell and Hamilton appear to have settled for what they've done.

Stroll improves to twelfth, while Antonelli goes eighth. But is it enough?

Gasly goes ninth Albon tenth and Bortoleto eleventh.

Hadjar goes sixth, which is bad news for Albon.

Lawson remains thirteenth, while Bearman remains fifteenth.

Piastri is quickest, ahead of Norris, Verstappen, Russell, Hamilton, Hadjar, Leclerc, Alonso, Antonelli and Gasly.

We lose Albon, Bortoleto, Lawson, Stroll and Bearman.

"Dirty, dirty, Hass," says Albon of Bearman. "They knew what they were doing, purposefully slow in sector three."

"That was the best I could do with the used tyre," says Bearman.

Check out our Saturday gallery from Barcelona here.