Length: 5.303 km
Number of Laps: 58 (307.574 Km)
Best Lap: M. Schumacher - 1'28''214 (2001, Ferrari)
Record Pole: R. Barrichello - 1'25''843 (2002, Ferrari)
2002 Pole: R. Barrichello - 1'25''843 (Ferrari)
2002 Podium: M. Schumacher - J. Montoya - K. Raikkonen

It's all change in Melbourne as F1 returns to the concept of Friday qualifying in an effort to add to the spectacle.

Remember the idea is that each driver runs just one hot lap today - in addition to an 'out' and 'in' lap - to decide the running order for Saturday's main qualifying session. The fastest runner on Friday is the last man to take to the track on Saturday.

Consequently the first man out is reigning World Champion Michael Schumacher:

The German begins his out lap and immediately tries to get some heat into his Bridgestones. He crosses the line to begin the first hot lap of the season: 0:29.145 at the first split, 0:52.343 at the second and 1:27.103. Slower than last year and not the most exciting of laps from the German.

Now it's Rubens, the Brazilian appears to be pushing harder 0:28.740 at the first, 0:51.808 at the second, 1:26.372 over the line, the fastest lap of the weekend thus far.

Montoya is on track the Michelins tipped to do well this weekend. 0:29.055 at the first split, 0:52.319 at the second, 1:27.450 over the line to go third, a ragged lap.

Ralf Schumacher gets really out of shape at turn 2, 0:29.848 at the first split he's lost time, 0:53.062 at the second, 1:28.266, he goes fourth 1.8s down.

Coulthard: 0:29.080 at the first split down on Barrichello, 0:52.178 at the second, 1:27.242, the Scot goes third.

Barrichello, Michael, Coulthard, Montoya and Ralf.

Next out is Kimi Raikkonen who topped the timesheets this morning. 0:28.840 at the first split after a small mistake at turn 2, 0:51.886 at the second split, 1:26.551 over the line to go third.

Jenson Button is next out in the BAR, the English youngster has had limited track-time thus far. 0:28.886 at the first split, 0:52.209 at the second and 1:27.159 over the line, good enough for fourth.

Jarno Trulli is next out, he's ragged at turn 2, posting 0:29.090 at the first split, 0:52.511 at the second, he goes sixth with a 1:27.411.

Barrichello, Raikkonen, Michael, Button, Coulthard, Trulli, Montoya and Ralf.

Nick Heidfeld takes to the track, 0:29.141 at the first split, 0:52.383 at the second, 1:27.510 to go eighth.

0:29.079 at the first split for Giancarlo Fisichella in the Jordan, 0:52.484 at the second, over the line at 1:27.633 to go ninth.

Jacques Villeneuve is now on track in the T-Car, the Canadian has only run four laps thus far today in the BAR following major problems this morning. 0:28.887 at the first split, 0:51.951 at the second. Over the line at 1:26.832 to go third behind Barrichello and Raikkonen.

Panis is next out in the Toyota. 0:29.504 at the first split, 0:52.534 at the second, the Frenchman crosses the line at 1:27.352 to go seventh.

Local hero Mark Webber is next out, the Jaguar star quite sensational this morning. A major moment at turn 2 but it's OK, 0:29.396 at the split, 0:52.627 at the second, over the line in 1:27.675 a disappointing twelfth.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen is on track. 0:29.265 at the first split, the Sauber looking very ragged, 0:52.588 at the second and over the line at 1:27.563 to go eleventh.

Barrichello, Raikkonen, Villeneuve, Michael, Button, Coulthard, Panis Trulli, Montoya and Heidfeld.

Alonso is on track in the Renault he's another driver that looks ragged, especially at turn 2. 0:29.200 at the first split, 0:52.536 at the second and over the line 1:27.255 to go seventh, excellent.

Next out is new boy Ralph Firman in the Jordan his target is his team-mate Fisichella who is thirteenth. 0:29.378 at the first split, 0:52.978 at the second and crossing the line in 1:29.977 after running across the grass in the last sector, the Jordan clearly lacking grip.

'Jungle Boy' Pizzonia is next out: 0:29.430 at the first split just a little too enthusiastic, 0:52.702 at the second. 1:30.092 as he goes far too wide at the penultimate corner.

Justin Wilson is next out in the Minardi. 0:30.191 at the first split way off the pace. 0:54.166 at the second split and over the line in 1:30.479 to go eighteenth, last.

Jos the Boss takes to the track and posts 0:29.792 at the first split in the Minardi. 0:53.667 at the second split and over the line in 1:30.053 to go seventeenth ahead of Pizzonia and Wilson.

0:28.925 at the first split for da Matta in the Toyota, 0:51.996 at the second. 1:27.478 over the line to go eleventh.

With that, the session is over, with more than ten minutes still remaining.

Barrichello, Raikkonen, Villeneuve, Michael, Button, Coulthard, Alonso, Panis, Trulli and Montoya.

As much as the WilliamsF1 were disappointing, so the BARs were surprising, especially when you consider their limited running this morning. Drivers such as Firman and Pizzonia are going to have to curb their enthusiasm, while Alonso and da Matta were both outstanding.

It's hard to read too much into this simply because we all know that strategy is going to play a major part in tomorrow's qualifying session and indeed the race.