Welcome back to ESPNF1's coverage of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Next up is qualifying and we should be in for an exciting session with Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren all in with a chance of fighting for pole.

In final practice Rosberg was fastest but Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn admitted his two drivers were not entirely happy with the car, especially on the medium tyres. Meanwhile, Red Bull's two drivers appear to be getting more and more competitive, with Vettel just 0.147s off Rosberg by the end of the session.

We shouldn't forget McLaren either as they took pole position at the first two races and Hamilton has yet to qualify off the front row (if you discount his grid penalty in China). They've looked a little off the pace in the last two practice sessions and Button admitted yesterday he's struggling to get his car working over a single lap.

Meanwhile, Ferrari is still struggling, possibly even more so in the heat of Bahrain. We know the Ferrari is not kind to its rear tyres and Alonso tweeted 27 minutes ago: "Making last changes in the car before qualy, it's gonna be difficult, but we will push 100%!"

Let us know your predictions for this session by getting in touch through the link above this tab. Who'll be on pole? Will there be any surprises down the field? Let us know your thoughts.

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh tells Sky Sports he thinks Red Bull has made progress this weekend and says Rosberg is looking strong with his new-found confidence.

© Sutton Images

The track was pretty dirty this morning but it has cleaned up a bit after FP3. Winds are still quite high and the drivers will have to take that into account as they attack this circuit over the next hour.

Siddesh says: "Well, it is looking like Nico is well set for Pole, but is Schumi even in the mix? Is a front row, or even row 2 a possibility?"

Gerrycel adds: "Schumacher will be on pole. The king is back and still hungry for wins and im sure he is still the best in f1 driver."

Nigel on Whitmarsh's quotes: "3 Cheers for Marty Whitmarsh--Red Bull has made progress this weekend, and Rosberg is looking strong with new-found confidence! Bravo Marty. Now tell us something we don't know!"

To be fair to him he was asked about his rivals' pace.

We've had confirmation from the FIA that Maldonado will get a five-place grid penalty after changing his gearbox before final practice.

Peter's prediction: "Michael on pole, Rosberg then Vettel and Button with Webber in his favorite 5th place!"

Pirelli tweets: "Pole position in 2009 (when this track layout was last used) was 1m33.431s - thanks to Jarno Trulli in the Toyota."

But we should add that that time was set on race fuel in order to comply with the rules back in 2009.

Tyres are being bolted to cars up and down the pit lane as di Resta gets the session underway.

The big question in this session is what tyres the teams will use. Traditionally the top teams aim to save the faster soft tyres, but the medium could be more useful in the race this weekend. We'll keep you up to date with the drivers' choices.

So far both Force Indias and both Marussias are out on mediums at the start of this session.

Massa heads out on the medium tyres. He didn't have a great final practice so will be keen to get some solid laps in early on in order to make Q2.

Jesus says: "Hello again, I predict Rosberg will take pole again, ahead of Vettel in second and Webber in third. I hope they'll be followed by the two McLarens, then the Lotus of Raikkonen. Down in the midfield, I think the strongest will be Ricciardo and the Sauber and Williams drivers. Once again, I hope some miracle brings Massa ahead! "

Hamilton has also joined the action on medium tyres.

Vergne holds a big slide in his Toro Rosso but keeps everything pointing in the right direction.

Massive wheelspin from Massa's Ferrari exiting turn 10. No traction whatsoever. He sets the fourth fastest time behind the Force Indias and Ricciardo.

Alonso has gone straight out on the soft tyres. The Red Bulls have opted for mediums. The two HRTs are the only other cars on soft tyres.

Hamilton locks up into turn eight and runs very wide. That will ruin this lap. Meanwhile, his team-mate Button sets the fastest lap with a 1:34.792.

Schumacher is pushing hard but runs wide in turn 12. He goes fourth fastest behind Hamilton who has now set a clean lap.

Huge understeer for Rosberg through turn 6 and he has to abort his lap.

Grosjean goes quickest with a 1:34.041. A very competitive lap time on the medium tyres. Are Lotus in the mix too?

Button told to put in another fast lap as the track is evolving all the time.

Rosberg sets his first clean lap to go third fastest behind the two Lotuses.

Alonso sets the fourth fastest time on the soft tyres. Hulkenberg has come back out on track on soft tyres too now.

Caterham are looking stronger this weekend with Kovalainen currently ahead of Senna and Vergne on the medium tyres.

Caterham technical boss Mike Gascoyne tweets: "Both cars in the mix with the cars around them."

That will make things more interesting at the back as the midfield teams struggle to make it through to Q2.

Lots of cars heading out on the soft tyres now. Massa, Perez, Kobayashi among the drivers going for another run. Vergne, Senna, and di Resta all need to improve a but to make sure they are safe.

The two Red Bulls have gone out again on the medium tyres.

Both Force Indias should be safe with their latest times on the soft tyres.

Vergne improves to tenth but could still be on the brink. Massa will be safe after setting the second fastest time with his soft tyres.

Kobayashi also improves and should be safe too.

Vettel and Webber will come under pressure soon and they are both still on the medium tyres.

The two Red Bulls do improve which shows how much the track is evolving.

Chequered flag falls and Maldonado looks set to get himself out of the bottom seven. And he does get through, looks like Vergne is out.

Kovalainen improves to 17th with a fantastic lap and that puts Schumacher out! Schumacher opted to stay in the pits after setting a time on the mediums earlier in the session. But it proved not to be enough and he is out.

So, Schumacher, Vergne, Petrov, Pic, de la Rosa, Glock and Karthikeyan are out.

Evident frustration in the Mercedes garage as we watch a replay of Schumacher's slightly scrappy first sector.

Kovalainen found 1.4s between his medium tyre and soft tyre lap. The track evolution played its part, but it was a fantastic lap from the Caterham driver.

Peter says: "Well there goes my prediction about Schumy... new kids on the block Perez in Sauber and Aussie Ricciardo do the trick so far. Great work !"

A big gap between Ricciardo and Vergne won't go down well on the Frenchman's side of the Toro Rosso garage.

To make things worse, Vergne is under investigation by the stewards for missing his call for the weighbridge at the end of the session. His team did wheel him back down the pits once they realised his error so he might be okay.

Q2 is underway but nobody is heading out.

The Force Indias head on track first. Di Resta on softs and Hulkenberg on mediums according to our data.

Massa, Perez and Ricciardo are also out on softs.

Massa, Perez and Ricciardo are also out on softs.

Raikkonen, the McLarens, Rosberg and the Red Bulls are out on softs.

Schumacher tells Sky Sports that his DRS was broken by the end of his lap. But a soft tyre run or even another medium tyre run would likely have put him through to Q2.

Hamilton goes fastest with a 1:33.209 and Rosberg is 0.010s off. Impressive lap times from both drivers.

Webber goes third fastest with a 1:33.311. It's tight at the top. All times have been set on soft tyres so far.

Kobayashi, Alonso, Perez and Senna are all scrapping for a place in Q3 but will be keen to head out again to try to improve.

Maldonado has a KERS problem and will have a gearbox penalty anyway so is not heading out again in this session.

We've yet to see Kovalainen either. He might choose to save tyres as he knows he will start from 16th at least and is unlikely to beat the cars ahead of him.

Grosjean is currently outside the top ten but we know he can go faster after his Q1 lap.

Hulkenberg gets himself into the top ten and drops Perez out of the Q3 cut off.

Massa is currently faster than Alonso and in the top 10. Can he make Q3 for the first time this season?

Di Resta sets a good lap to get up to fifth. The Force Indias are starting to show their pace despite missing Q2.

Ricciardo improves to seventh, dropping Massa out of the top ten.

Alonso needs to improve. Massa is at the weighbridge.

Alonos does improve to fourth. Grosjean also gets higher up in the top ten and knocks Raikkonen out of Q3.

Kobayashi and Hulkenberg are also knocked out of the top ten.

Perez, Ricciardo and di Resta all get through. Impressive laps from all of them.

Raikkonen walks through the paddock and does not look happy. He will start from 11th.

Raikkonen finished that session 0.129s off Perez in tenth place.

Jesus says: "Well, there goes my prediction about my fellow countryman, Maldonado... A shame about his car and his penalty. And there goes Massa, too... Although I didn't predict him in the top 10, but a shame anyway."

The session is underway but the only car in the pit lane is a Sauber being pushed back from the weighbridge.

The tyre blankets come off and Webber and Button are out on sets of softs. Hamilton heads out too.

Nagendra says: "Force India looks impressive despite missing FP2 ."

Vettel, Webber, Button, Hamilton and Alonso on track. That's Alonso's third set of soft tyres by my count. Unless he's on used tyres for his first run, which is entirely possible.

Eckhardt says: "Seems incredible that the Lotus team could have thought by looking at either position or time that Raikkonen would be safe? Seems rather cavalier…"

Webber sets a 1:32.785 behind Hamilton on a 1:32.671 and Button on a 1:32.711.

Vettel slower than all three of them with a 1:32.971.

Rosberg has yet to set a time. Alonso returned to the pits without setting a time. Grosjean, di Resta, Perez and Ricciardo are still in the pits.

Ricciardo heads out on softs. Grosjean is about to do the same.

Perez leaves the pits on softs. Webber heads out for his second run, as does Vettel.

Perez leaves the pits on softs. Webber heads out for his second run, as does Vettel.

Di Resta has gone out on medium tyres. Rosberg is on softs.

Di Resta might not set a time but will start the race on medium tyres, the only man in the top ten who will do so.

Rosberg starts his lap...

Alonso will not set a lap in this session.

Rosberg is looking quick in sector one but Webber is quicker behind him on the track.

Rosberg just shy of Hamilton's time in sector two .. but can only go fourth as he crosses the line.

Webber sets the fastest time with a 1:32.637.

Vettel faster with a 1:32.422. And Hamilton can't beat him. He's second, 0.098s off the Red Bull back on pole.

Button aborted his lap. Ricciardo also put in a very impressive lap for sixth ahead of Grosjean. Di Resta opted not to set a lap so will start behind Alonso, but he will start on mediums.

The order is Vettel, Hamilton, Webber, Button, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Perez, Alonso and di Resta.

The finger comes out from Vettel in celebration.

Jesus says: "Well... I nailed Webber's 3rd place and Button's 4th place haha"

I think everybody was expecting more from Rosberg in that session. He was 0.399s off Vettel in the end and appeared to make a mistake at the final corner.

Siddhesh asks: "How did Rosberg get bumped down to 5th from 4th if Button aborted his lap?! "

That must have been a mistake on my part. Rosberg went fifth as he crossed the line rather than fourth.

Pratik says: "Certainly impressive stuff by paul-di-rista in force india in q2…… force india showing some pace here"

Unfotunately we didn't see any of it on the FOM feed...

Tony says: "So pleased for Vettel it's very strange how some of the commentators have been ready to kick him when he has been down, well down Sebastian"

Jesus says: "Yeah, we were expecting more from Nico, but he only did one lap in Q3 and made a mistake; it wasn't in the final corner though, I believe: it was a left turn, and he locked his front-left wheel. "

He locked a wheel into the left-hander at turn 10 but still made the apex. We'll see what he says after the session and get a story up as quickly as we can. Stay tuned.

Thanks for all your comments during the session. We'll bring you the reaction to qualifying from the teams and drivers this afternoon and then we'll be back with live commentary of the race tomorrow.