Panasonic Toyota racing driver Jarno Trulli was the quickest man on track today after he managed to set the best time before rain starting falling on the Spa Francorchamps circuit. Second quickest was the Brawn of Jenson Button and the Renault of Fernando Alonso. Fourth for the session was Sebastien Buemi, followed by Jaime Alguersuari, Rubens Barrichello, Kimi Raikkonen and Heikki Kovalainen.

Track temperature was at a cool twenty degrees as drivers prepared to take to the Spa Francorchamps circuit for the first time this weekend with Giancarlo Fisichella and Sebastian Vettel, with a used Renault power unit in his Red Bull, the first men out this morning. However, within the next few minutes the majority of the grid has appeared to complete their first installation laps. Due to the length of the track it takes until fifteen minutes into the session before Jaime Alguersuari appears to start the first timed lap of the day, just under two minutes with Sebastien Buemi crossing the line a few minutes later.

Laps continue and almost thirty minutes in there is a light rain falling in the final sector of the Spa Francorchamps circuit. It doesn’t take long for this to turn into a heavier downpour and the circuit is now declared wet with drivers returning to pitlane in order to change to the intermediate rubber. However most remain in the pits as the radar indicates that the rain won’t last long.

Just ten drivers had set a time before the rain hit and now, forty minutes in and with wet weather tyres bolted to his Toro Rosso, Jaime Alguersuari heads back onto the track to get his first experience running in a Formula one car in these conditions. Teammate Sebastien Buemi is also back out but the rest of the grid remain in their respective garages.

As the light rain continues, the two Toro Rosso drivers set times over twenty seconds slower. Fifty minutes in and Rubens Barrichello emerges from the Brawn garage with intermediate rubber on his contender. Luca Badoer is also out and has a minor lock up along the way. Kimi Raikkonen also decides to join the ‘action’ as such, as does Jenson Button, the championship leader on full wets. Rubens Barrichello has now returned to the pits and Alonso, Grosjean and Webber all appear.

With an hour gone, Buemi spins his Toro Rosso at Pouhon and is into the tyre barrier. Lewis Hamilton is also out on track followed by the majority of the field who are all keen to get some running on this track, even if it is in the wet. With fifteen minutes remaining in the session, only Nico Rosberg remains on track. Practice starts and further laps conclude the session, but the fastest times remain those that were set before the rain hit.