Blue skies and sunshine at Monza as we get ready for the start of the first free practice session for the Italian Grand Prix. Who's your money on?

THE CHEQUERED FLAG IS OUT - Lewis Hamilton is still out on track, trying to imrpove his fastest lap time - and he does, 1:23.865. Nealry a second quicker than team-mate Jenson Button in second, with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber third and fourth. Not a bad way to bounce back from what he admits has felt like the worst year of his career.

Alonso is 2.5 seconds off the pace of leader Hamilton. Ferrari that far behind in front of their adoring Italian fans? That won't go down well.

Hamilton is given some guidance on where to make up time, and does just what is asked - 1:24.127 is the new best time of the morning. Button follows him over the line with a time of 1:24.786 to tighten his grip on second place.

Kovalainen's early problem is revealed to be that he was stuck in second gear so the team told him to stop to prevent engine damage.

Hamilton's lap of 1:27.582 makes no difference to the top of the standings.

D'Ambrosio's problem is revealed to be an engine difficulty, and Glock's exhaust sensors have been causing him problems all morning, which is why he was so late in coming out of the Virgin garage.

Alonso is in the pits, hat and sunglasses on - he's clearly done for the session.

Time running out and the front four remains Hamilton, Vettel, Button, Webber.

Just under a second separating the top four - McLarens and Red Bulls - with the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa in sixth and ninth place, both over two seconds off the pace.

Alguerisuari is left waving in fury at Timo Glock as the dawdling Virgin driver forces him to jam on the brakes as he tries to overtake.

Button is back out on track, and Timo Glock goes out for his first meaningful lap of the session. With d'Ambrosio having limped home and team-mate Glock only getting out now, this is not a great session for Virgin.

Jerome D'Ambrosio's session comes to an end as a puff of smoke comes out the back of his car at the first corner. If Virgin fail to score a point this weekend, they will set a new record for the longest run of races without scoring a point. Now if that's not an incentive to pull their socks up...

Webber's lap of 1:25.459 keeps him in fourth, with team-mate Vettel remaining in second after a lap of 1:25.269.

"Are you sure the rear wing's working?" asks Button on the team radio, as he oversteers at the Parabolica.

Ballast issues at McLaren - that's what the tapping is all about.

Mercedes duo Rosberg and Schumacher are in 17th and 18th place at the moment.

Vettel moves up into second place with a lap of 1:25.231.

Hamiton remains in first place, but it does not look like he will be back out on track too soon - a large crowd of mechanics are crouched round the front wing of his car, tapping away with a hammer.

Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi moves into 10th place with a lap of 1:27.281.

Hamilton, Button, Webber, Vettel, Alonso is the top five heading into the last half-hour of the first session. Webber is just going back out to try and improve his postiion.