Welcome to qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix. The big news is that Fernando Alonso will not be taking part after crashing out of free practice on Saturday morning and damaging his chassis.

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Our latest weather report says there could be heavy rain just before qualifying. That should make things interesting.

Ferrari rue Alonso's error: "It is a pity as today we had the potential to fight for the pole with both cars and we will have only one available."

Although rain could be on the way, the sun is out at the moment and track temperatures are rising.

Pole position looks as thogh it will be a five-way battle between Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Massa and Kubica. But we can't rule out the Mercedes either.

But before we decide pole, we will have 23 cars on track fighting out in Q1. Finding a gap in the traffic is going to be crucial but chances are we will still see the 6 slow cars drop out and join Alonso in the bottom seven,

Still no sign of that rain so, not for the first time this season, we've had a bit of a bogus weather forecast.

The drivers are all getting in their cockpits now, it will be interesting to see how many head straight out to get a banker lap in.

The engines are fired up and Chandhok is told there is no chance of rain over his radio.

Ferrari clarify the rules: "The rules are very clear: you cannot use a second chassis on the same day, so once it was clear that the chassis was damaged ...."

Petrov, Chandhok, Kubica and Glock are the first on the track. Webber is also heading out early on.

Chandhok is the first to start a lap and has a clear track in front.

It might take a couple of laps to get the tyres up to temperature before they start putting in very fast laps.

Kubica is fastest but is now starting his first proper lap. All 23 cars are on track so it could get very busy out there.

And Kubica had to abort his second lap due to traffic. Entering the Nouvelle chicane he encountered three very slow cars in front of him.

Massa now fastest with a 1:16.013.

Kubica is now trying to find a bit of space on the track.

Chandhok does remarkably well to hold a huge slide coming out of the tunnel. That could have been a very nasty accident at the fastest part of the track.

Massa has now dropped into the 1:15.660s but the times will continue to tumble. Hamilton is just 0.016 off Massa's time.

Rosberg was going to set the fastest lap of all but hit traffic in the final sector.

Button has gone fastest but Massa is starting another quick lap.

All the front runners are out on hard tyres as there is no need to go out on the softs. Massa has now set a 1:14.757.

Alguersuari and Kobayashi need to improve to get into Q2. Kovalainen has put in a good lap in the Lotus to line up 16th fastest but there is still plenty of time in this session for that to be beaten.

To clarify, it's just Alguersuari in the drop zone but he is starting a personal best lap now.

Liuzzi looks like he is taking it fairly easy, it's not worth making a mistake in this session.

Alguersuari pops up to 15th on the soft tyres, leaving the bottom seven places filled by the new teams and Alonso.

Liuzzi is fifth fastest, having stayed out a bit longer than the front runners.

Kovalainen in teh Lotus is just 0.3 off Hulkenberg in the Williams so this could still be interesting.

Lots of drivers heading out for another attempt to make sure they are in Q2.

Kubica moves up to sixth but is not showing the pace he did in final practice.

Kovalainen makes a mistake at Mirabeau trying to find those crucial tenths. And on his next lap he spins at Loews he is really trying but it won't be enough. Crucially no damage to the car.

It's the end of the session and as predicted, the bottom seven is made up by the new teams and Alonso. He will have to pass all of them early in the race which should be very exciting to watch on this tight circuit.

Massa was 0.3 seconds clear of Webber at the front of the field but that could all change when they bolt on soft tyres.

Kubica ran a bit longer than most the other front runners in that session and finished third as a result.

Lotus boss Fernandes says it was the right decision not to split the Q1 session - "No disaster in qualifying despite what so many teams said. we were right in saying keep qualifying as normal. feel vindiacted. was exciting."

Meanwhile, Mike Gascoyne was happy with the performance of the Lotus car: "Good session, shame Heikki did not improve on second run. Only 2.3 sec of the quickest time in the session"

The cars are queuing to leave the pits for the start of Q2. Buemi gets out first ahead of Kubica and Massa.

All 17 cars are out and trying to find track position.

So the first lap times are being put in and Petrov is quickest so far on soft tyres.

Kubica goes to the top of the timesheets on softs too, it looks as though all the drivers have bolted on the softs for this session.

Sorry, my mistake Kubica is not on soft tyres, but still setting fastest times with a 1:14.625.

Rosberg is starting a flying lap, he looks very competitive at the moment.

Massa goes fastest on soft tyres with a 1:14.375 and that is pipped by Rosberg.

The two Force Indias and Barrichello are looking good to go into Q3 at the moment but Button, Buemi and Petrov are all contenders too.

Button gets up to 10th after being blocked slightly by de la Rosa. He will have to go even faster if he wants to make sure of a top ten grid slot.

Button has been struggling all weekend and is now going back to teh pits for another set of soft tyres.

Buemi starts a fast lap in the Toro Rosso as the others come back out of the pits for another attempt.

Button made a race-style tyre change in teh pit lane so was carrying plenty of fuel on his last run but has made no changes to the set-up of the car to get out of Q2.

Fastest man Rosberg is staying in the pits, he is happy with his time of 1:14.375.

Yellow flag in sector one, that could scupper some fast laps.

Petrov is off at Sainte Devote, he lost the rear and slammed into the barriers.

Liuzzi pops into the top ten as Petrov's wreck is cleared. Button is on the edge of falling out of this session.

Hamilton asks what is needed before starting a new lap. It's hard to see who will challenge Button, possibly Buemi who is on a fast lap now.

Buemi isn't quick enough and Button is on a better lap now.

Sutil is out, a bit of a disappointment there as Button goes up to eighth. But is immediately beaten by Liuzzi - great lap by him.

So its Hulkenberg, Sutil, Buemi, Petrov, de la Rosa, Kobayashi and Alguersuari who drop out in Q2.

Great results for Liuzzi and Barrichello. Button a little lucky Alonso wasn't in that session or he would have been out of Q2.

There is no telling who will be on pole, just two tenths separate the top six.

Kovalainen happy with his performance and seems proud that he kept it out of the wall when pushing to the absolute limit.

Ferrari confident Massa has what it takes: "Felipe is doing a fantastic qualifying. He has the potential to be on pole... Let's go for it!!"

But he is up against some very stiff competition in Kubica and Rosberg, and that's before we mention the pre-race favourites McLaren and Red Bull.

The session has started and it's Liuzzi out on used soft tyres. Interesting decision, as the cars directly behind him might start on hards.

Liuzzi comes back into the pits so maybe he won't use those softs for his fast lap.

Meanwhile, Kubica sets the benchmark with a 1:14.712 but is already going faster on his second lap.

Kubica sets an incredible time of 1:14.284, that is what we were expecting as a quick time around here.

Hamilton is taking it easy on his lap, he must have made a mistake and is now going for another run.

Kubica is back in the pits as the rest of teh field set about a competitive time.

Button is way off the pace of Kubica and won't be a contender for pole. Massa baulked his lap at the end there and that could go to the stewards.

Hamilton is now on a flyer capable of challenging Kubica. But he is 0.177 short.

Kubica is now going even quicker on a brand new set of softs. Webber has beaten Kubica with a 1:14.104 and now he is going even faster.

Kubica takes another two tenths out of the fastest time in teh first sector... he could take pole.

Webber goes even quicker and that is enough to hold off Kubica's best.

Massa is third after a very sideways moment but he is pipped by Vettel.

Webber takes back-to-back poles and will start from that all-important No.1 spot.

Webber's time of 1:13.826 was immense, 0.3 up on Kubica and 0.4 up on Red Bull team-mate Vettel.

So, Red Bull has proven that it can be quick anywhere, taking its sixth consecutive pole of the season. But there is still every reason to believe it will be a tight race tomorrow.

Thank you for joining us and make sure you check back for tomorrow's race.