Ahead of Q1 the air temperature is 21 degrees C, while the track temperature is 28 degrees. It remains bright, sunny and very windy.
Remember that Comedy series Soap from the late 70s and early 80s?
Each episode would begin with a round up of the numerous totally implausible plots hanging over from the previous week, followed by the words... "confused, you will be", and as we head into qualifying, and then the race, we cannot help but notice the similarities.
In almost every session the pecking order has appeared to change, the form differing from team to team, driver to driver. Following his clash with the barriers yesterday afternoon Norris was quickest this morning. However, Verstappen is very much in the mix, as Hamilton, though in all honesty, based on experience and what we've witnessed thus far this weekend anything can happen.
Like Monaco, Baku bits back and even the smallest of mistakes will be punished. One of Leclerc's quickest lap this morning would have been disallowed this afternoon because he exceeded track limits, while a number of drivers, including Piastri, appeared to be pushing that little bit too hard.
And as if that wasn't enough there were a few spots of rain during the F2 race, with the threat of more over the next hour.
While we expect to see one of the usual suspects on pole, we expect to see a few big names fall by the wayside while a few of those further down the order spring a shock or two.
Ahead of the green light, and with an eye on the weather, there is a queue in the pitlane.
First out is Albon, followed by Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Bearman and Ocon.
Piastri is still in his garage with his front wing yet to be fitted.
Albon posts a benchmark 43.778 however Bearman responds with a 43.122.
Hulkenberg brushes the barrier at Turn 15, leaving a cloud of dust.
Lawson goes top and Sainz second, as Leclerc goes quickest in S1.
Tsunoda goes third, ahead of Alonso, but both are demoted when Leclerc crosses the line at 41.982. Teammate Hamilton goes sixth.
A 42.407 puts Norris second, as Albon has stopped just after Turn 2.
As Verstappen goes second with a 42.210 the session is red-flagged.
Albon has clouted the inside wall at Turn 1. "I'm out, sorry," he reports.
Piastri is also sorry for the Australian was on a hot lap when the session was red-flagged.
As he heads back to the pits Bearman reports that he has a "branch" on his car, having been blown by the wind.
Antonelli has been noted for a yellow flag infringement.
The session resumes and Gasly leads the way, followed by Alonso, Stroll, Russell and Antonelli.
As more drivers head out it's a pretty even mix of mediums and softs.
Gasly improves to eleventh, but is demoted when Alonso goes ninth.
Antonelli remains tenth after aborting his lap, having suffered a couple of snaps. "What happened in the last corner?" he asks. "Tail-wind gust," he is told.
Hamilton (41.821) goes quickest and Piastri second (41.839) as the session is red-flagged yet again. This time it is Hulkenberg who has come to grief, in Turn 4. The German heads back to the pits, minus his front wing.
Ahead of the restart, Stroll, Albon, Bortoleto, Hulkenberg and Antonelli, who has yet to post a time, comprise the drop zone, with Ocon, Hadjar, Gasly and Bearman hovering.
"You have tonnes of time," Toto Wolff assures Antonelli. "Six and a half minutes."
Sainz is first out when the session resumes, followed by Bearman, Ocon, Lawson and Hadjar.
Sainz fails to improve on eighth, while Leclerc goes quickest in S1.
Bearman goes twelfth and Ocon fifteenth.
Lawson goes seventh as Russell goes top with a 41.646.
No sooner has Leclerc gone quickest than Norris goes quicker (41.322) and Antonelli seventh.
A 41.331 puts Verstappen second.
Ocon goes fourteenth, Tsunoda eighth and Hadjar fifth (41.656).
Bortoleto goes twelfth, Alonso ninth and Stroll eighth.
Gasly is off at Turn 4, with teammate Colapinto hitting the wall moments later and causing another red flag. The session will not resume.
Understandably, in the Alpine garage, Flavio Briatore is not impressed. Ironically, Colapinto crashed at exactly the same spot as he did last year, albeit in a Williams.
"A bit of a rookie error let's say," admits Albon. "I think I was first out and I was the first car through Turn 1. I had absolutely no grip and when I came through a lap later I had loads of grip.
"A silly error," he adds, "and a shame as we have been top eight all weekend. Frustrating, I wish I had a restart button."
Norris is quickest, ahead of Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Hadjar, Hamilton, Piastri, Stroll, Alonso and Antonelli.
We lose Colapinto, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Gasly and Albon.
Sainz is first out for Q2, followed b y Bearman, Hadjar, Lawson and Alonso.
Again, as more drivers emerge, it's a mixture of mediums and softs.
On his out lap Hadjar takes to the escape road at Turn 4.
At the start of his flying lap, Bearman clouts the wall at Turn 2. "It's broken," he reports. "Sorry guys, so stupid."
A yellow flag is quickly followed by a red as the Briton jumps out of his stranded car.
Leclerc gets things underway again, followed by Hamilton, Bortoleto, Sainz and Hadjar.
As he begins a flyer Leclerc makes a mistake in Turn 1, the subsequent yellow causing problems for his teammate behind.
Bortoleto posts a benchmark 43.214 but this is immediately eclipsed by Hadjar, Lawson and then Sainz (41.675).
Norris goes top with a 41.396, teammate Piastri going second with a 41.636.
Russell and then Antonelli split the McLarens to go second and third.
Hamilton can only manage eighth (42.824), while another mistake means his teammate fails to post a time.
Verstappen goes second with a 41.446, 0.050s off Norris' pace.
As Tsunoda goes ninth, Piastri brushes the barriers and Leclerc pits for fresh rubber following yet another mistake.
Hamilton ditches the mediums for softs, while Leclerc sticks with the yellow-banded rubber.
Hamilton fails to improve on tenth, while his teammate goes quickest in S2.
Alonso goes eighth (41.857), and as Leclerc goes fourth it means Hamilton is out.
Piastri goes second, Tsunoda eleventh and Antonelli fifth.
Hadjar goes seventh as Hamilton pits, the Briton resigned to his fate.
Though safe, Verstappen goes quickest in S2, crossing the line at 41.255 to go top. Teammate Tsunoda makes it by the skin of his teeth which is bad news for Alonso.
"Oh my God, what the **** was that," cries Stroll, clearly caught out by a gust of wind.
Quickest is Verstappen, ahead of Norris, Piastri, Russell, Antonelli, Leclerc, Lawson, Hadjar, Sainz and Tsunoda.
We lose Alonso, Hamilton, Bortoleto, Stroll and Bearman.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Baku here.
sign in