Hello and welcome to a sunny Monza for the final practice session ahead of the Italian Grand Prix/

We should have an interesting and revealing hour-long session ahead of us as the teams make their final preparations ahead of qualifying.

Vettel was fastest yesterday but there are plenty of reasons to think the Red Bulls won't have it all their own way today. We have yet to see the true pace of the McLaren on soft tyres (the best time they set yesterday was on hards) and Alonso's best lap in the Ferrari was completed under yellow flags. Given a clear track he can almost certainly go faster.

Vinay asks: "Any update on the team decisions of running F-Ducts?"

That's the big question and I can tell you that McLaren looks set to split its drivers. Button with the F-duct, Hamilton without.

Force India will not use the F-duct, Williams, Mercedes and Red Bull will all run the F-duct.

Renault will run the F-duct and we have yet to hear from Ferrari. I'll keep you updated as the session progresses.

So watching the McLarens will be interesting. Hamilton will have a better top speed, Button will have an easier car under braking and more grip in the corners. Button's set-up should be easier on the tyres and brakes, although tyres aren't that big an issue around here.

The cars are now out on track for their installation laps.

Vettel is out on track with aero paint all over the car again. They run that to see how the airflow is at the back of the car and have done it at the start of every session this weekend.

All the cars have been out now or are on track. No problems so far for any of the drivers. Senna seemed to spend more time getting out of the car than he did in it yesterday but has completed a successful installation lap already.

Webber is out on track with aero paint all over the back of his car too.

Marco asks: "Do you think the mclarens may have been running heavy on soft tyres to simulate race conditions?"

Yep, definitely. But they also did some slightly lower fuel runs as well, the question is whether they had as little fuel as the Ferraris and Red Bulls. I think they had slightly more.

Vinay asks: "What's with Red Bulls & Aero Paints? How come other team don't do that every so often?"

Other teams do it but Red Bull have been bringing new parts to its rear wing throughout the weekend. The lower beam is new on the car this morning. It's a good way to see how the air flows over the car but it also shows your rivals.

The two Virgins are the only cars out on track.

Ferrari has both its drivers using their eighth engine of the year today. But the team claims it is not an issue: "No worries for the engine, it is just a strategical decision. If there is a place where a new fresh unit can give some help this is Monza!"

Glock sets the first lap of the weekend with a 1:29.334.

Schumacher goes fastest with a 1:25.857 but is still completing installation checks, such as his testing his drinks system.

Mitul asks: "Will it still be eight engines limitation next season, now that there is going to be 20 races in 2011?"

Good question, I don't know for certain. I suspect it will be.

In 2013, when we will have 1.6 litre, four cylinder turbo engines they will restrict the limit to just four.

Update from Renault: "First run for Robert who has just left the garage, guys on Vitaly's car finishing checks"

Kubica sets his first timed lap with a 1:24.966, the fastest of anyone so far.

Hamilton goes fastest with a 1:24.100. All times have been set on hard tyres so far.

James Wise asks: "Back in the days of tire wars, Bridgestone and Michelin would send lackeys out on the track to pick up rubber chunks to analyze. Has anyone noticed Pirelli doing the same thing to get a leg up on the compounds for next year?"

I've no idea. I haven't seen any Pirelli technicians. But as anyone who has been to a grand prix at Monza will know, you can get onto the track at the end of the race and it is always covered in large chunks of rubber. They just need to make sure they don't pick up some GP2 rubber.

Hamilton's best time is now a 1:23.076, 0.658 up on Button. So already Hamilton is close to Vettel's best from yesterday and the track is much cooler than it was yesterday afternoon.

Button gets within 0.036 of Hamilton on that last lap. Depsite the different set-ups there is nothing to choose between them.

Vettel holds a big slide through the second Lesmo put keeps it altogether. His lap is 1.5 seconds off Hamilton but the car was sliding around quite a lot.

Vinay asks: "Do you think Force India's would be faster had they been running the F-Duct?"

It seemed that way yesterday but I'm sure they know what they are doing. With access to all their data they would have made the choice to get the car as high up the grid as possible.

Petrov is now ready to go: "Vitaly's car is now ready and he will head out for a first short run, Robert is coming back finishing his run"

Vettel is within 0.048 of Hamilton now with a 1:23.002. Webber is just behind with a 1:23.082.

Alonso clocks his first proper timed lap and goes seventh fastest.

Hulkenberg is fifth fastest after installing a new Cosworth engine this morning. He is still complaining about the set-up slightly.

Alonso is fifth, with a 1:23.460, Massa is 0.011 behind his team-mate. Both are on faster laps now.

Alonso goes third fastest, 0.075 off Hamilton as Massa understeers off at the second Lesmo. He just took way too much speed into the corner and ran wide. He's told to feel the car in the next few corners and if everything is still OK, stay out on track.

Hamilton is back out on track and Button has joined him.

Button is on the fastest lap yet... and he beats Hamilton's time by 0.096.

Nobody has ventured out on the soft tyres yet.

News from the pits suggests that Webber and Vettel are running slightly different set-ups on their rear wings. Webber with a touch more downforce.

Hamilton was on a very fast lap but got blocked by Liuzzi going into the Ascari chicane.

Massa is now second fastest, 0.104 odd Button's best of 1:22.830.

Webber has stopped on track after the first chicane... not sure what the problem is but it can't be good. He had just left the pits and was on his first flying lap when the engine died. It didn't blow up so is more likely to be electrical or a forced shut down to prevent damage. That is the end of his session as he walks back past the grandstands at the first chicane.

Less than 0.2 seconds separate the top five drivers.

Red Bull report a loss of power for Webber but gives no extra detail.

Most the big names are back in the pits. We should see some soft tyre runs very soon.

Petrov is now out on soft tyres, Schumacher is also on the option tyre.

Vettel goes second quickest on hard tyres. He is 0.019 off Button.

Webber has arrived back in the paddock.

Vettel returns to the pits. Next up, a soft tyre run.

Update from Ferrari as Button heads out on softs: "Both Felipe and Fernando are basically happy with the cars, whose behavior is similar to yesterday. Now it's time for the final run on softs"

Button is quick through the first sector ... and just ahead of his best time in sector two ... He sets a time of 1:22.768, a tiny bit faster than his previous time.

Alonso looked quick but must have made a mistake in the final sector as he was a long way off.

Masssa is 0.333 off Button on his last attempt.

Alonso goes fastest with a 1:22.656.

Hamilton can only manage third quickest with a 1:22.801.

Massa sets a 1:22.934 after getting stuck in traffic.

Alonso improves on his time with a 1:22.644.

Sutil gets up to seventh in his Force India. 1:23.303.

Button is second fastest just 0.080 off Alonso.

Hamilton is now on a fast lap, can he hold that advantage through the final sector? Yes, he goes fastest with a 1:22.498.

Vettel is 0.319 off Hamilton.

Alonso's best lap is baulked by Kobayashi in the Sauber.

Rosberg is sixth fastest with a 1:22.946.

The session is now over and Hamilton will hold onto his position at the top of the timing screens. But Vettel, is quick on his final attempt ... he goes second fastest with a 1:22.545, but did get slightly held up by a Lotus in the Parabolica.

So the session ends with 0.226 separating the top five. Rosberg and Hulkenberg look quick and Kubica and Sutil should be in the mix.

Thank you for joining us, make sure you check back for qualifying in just two hours time.