Hello and welcome to live coverage of the first free practice session for the Italian Grand Prix. After the unpredictability of Spa, the Formula One paddock has set up camp at the historic Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.

The Belgian Grand Prix saw Sebastian Vettel take victory once again, but it was somewhat of a surprise on one of Red Bull's weaker circuits. The only one that suits the RB7 less than Spa? Monza. High-speed, low downforce. McLaren and Ferrari will be more confident of a win here than anywhere else, but as Mark Webber said, if Red Bull can take maximum points then it will be a "massive psychological blow".

The sun is shining and we should see a full weekend of dry running, which makes a change from recent races. Looking to get as much track time as possible this morning is Nico Hulkenberg in for Paul di Resta in the Force India, and Karun Chandhok who has replaced Jarno Trulli at Lotus in FP1.

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It has to be said, the circuit is a picture this morning as the sun beats down and the trees form shadows across the track. It's already 24C and there's not a cloud in the sky.

Obviously the pressure is on Ferrari this weekend as it has to please the fanatical Tifosi, but Bruno Senna will also be feeling the weight of expectation after his qualifying performance at Spa. He's since been confirmed for the rest of the season, and will hope to get more running than he did in FP1 two weeks ago when he spun in to the wall.

Car. On. Track. The session is underway and Heikki Kovalainen heads out in to the Italian sunshine.

Tyre compounds here are the same as in Belgium, the medium and soft tyres are available to the teams. But in order to prevent a repeat of the tyre controversy that occured before the race two weeks ago, Pirelli has advised teams to run no more than 3.75 degrees of camber

The Mercedes cars are carrying out two installation laps, as is Liuzzi, And Felipe Massa heads back out after pitting briefly. Only Barrichello hasn't been out so far

And Barrichello now joins the circuit to carry out the customary systems checks

As if you needed me to tell you, Vettel has a new helmet this weekend. So does Liuzzi at his home race, but I'm yet to spot any other new designs

Rhys emails in from Perth to ask: "Is there a difference in the length of the 2 DRS zones?"

Firstly, thanks Rhys for giving me the opportunity to talk about them. For the first time we have two seperate DRS zones, each with its own detection point. The first of these zones is between the second Lesmo and the Ascari chicane, and the second is on the start-finish straight, although I'm yet to spot the activation lines to give you an exact length on each

Nico Rosberg has a new helmet design too, but it's not a radical change from the norm

D'Ambrosio is the only man on track right now, and he sets the first timed lap - a rather pedestrian 1:43.577. I say pedestrian as the 2010 pole time was a 1:21.962

Button and Glock head out on track

ESPNF1 columnist Karun Chandhok has had pretty poor luck in Friday practice sessions so far, usually down to a car failure or weather. Today he's broken one of his mirrors, so hopefully that's as bad as it will get for him.

Alonso is on track too, as Button eases off during his flying lap

Button pits after almost completing a timed lap. Rosberg keeps the number of cars on track at three as the slow start to the session continues

Rakesh asks: "A burning question. Pirelli had said they would want to reduce the number of harder compound tyres in each race from 6 sets to 5 sets, as they had to destroy the extra unused set. Why do they have to destroy them? Can't they use it at the next race?"

Unfortunately not Rakesh. All the tyres taken to a grand prix are destroyed afterwards to prevent other companies from learning the secrets of the compound.

Schumacher and Alonso both pitted after setting quick sectors like Button, but D'Ambrosio and Kobayashi ensure the track isn't silent for too long

Jerome d'Ambrosio (TheReal_JDA) on Twitter: "Second outing after completing an aero run. All ok with the car so now time to start with the program."

Still no true times set after almost half an hour of the session

Nick asks: "how is a DRS zone tripped? is it electronic or they just know where they are?"

There is a detection point where the gap between cars is measured electronically as they cut a timing beam, and then an activation point that electronically allows the DRS to be deployed on a car that was within one second at the detection point.

Ricciardo sets the first flying lap, a 1:33.223

Uh oh, more trouble for Chandhok. He cruises towards the Parabolica playing with switches on the steering wheel and going up and down the gears before telling the team over the radio that the steering wheel isn't working. It is turning the wheels fine, but obviously the switches aren't having any effect

Cars doing timed laps. At last. Perez does a 1:33.772 for second quickest so far

Alguersuari goes quickest with a 1:29.779 in the Toro Rosso, which features prominent branding from it's new sponsor CEPSA on the rear wing

Hulkenberg has gone quickest with a 1:28.185

Buemi outbrakes himself in to the Roggia chicane, and bounces over the kerbs on that deters drivers from cutting the corner

Vettel is now on a timed lap, as the track has finally got busy. 14 cars on the circuit as Vettel goes fifth quickest so far

Mike Gascoyne on Twitter: "Problem with the steering wheel with Karun, quick stop to change steering wheel"

Vettel is quicker on his second lap, closely following Massa who moves over ahead of the Parabolica

Senna runs wide at the Roggia chicane, while his team-mate Petrov then does the same at turn one

Vettel goes quickest with a 1:26.381, 0.8s faster than Alguersuari in second

Vettel, Webber, Alonso, Massa and Hamilton all on track

A brief yellow as Buemi touches the white line under braking in to the Ascari chicane and slides sideways in to the gravel, but rejoins without much more than damaged tyres

Webber goes up to second after Vettel improves to a 1:25.914

Pirelli informs us that the fastest time of FP1 last year was Jenson Button's 1m23.693

Akshay asks: "any thing wrong with sutils car?"

Not at all Akshay, he's out on track now and 13th quickest so far

Luthando emails in his opinions: "This is just an observation - We have very limited running with half an hour gone in the session. I know that the track is still green but with such limited testing I am disgusted at how much track times teams actually waste. Yes the teams have limited tyres but theres just been a story going around about the unused sets of harder compound tyres that get given back to Pirelli at the end of most weekends."

Hamilton goes 0.5s quicker than Vettel, a 1:25.203

All of this running taking place on the harder of the two compounds, the medium tyre

We're waiting for timed laps from Rosberg, Button, Schumacher and Glock

It appears the sun has hit the track temperature sensor, as it has quickly jumped up four degrees

Hamilton going much quicker on this lap

And he improves to a 1:24.512, so he's now over 1.2s quicker than anyone else.

Rishikesh asks: "Whats with Alonso??? Is he saving the machinery & tyres??? Can't imagine Alonso behind at Monza!!!"

As you say Rishikesh, Ferrari wants to be at the front this weekend, so it is testing its upgrades that are brought specifically for Monza, and won't be too bothered by times at this early stage

Button goes second quickest on a 1:25.409

Rodger asks "At the race in Belgium Hamilton complained of being "massively slow on the straights." Does the McLaren appear to be running less rear wing here vs. the Spa specification?"

It does have a low downforce package here Rodger, as all the teams do, but it's not a noticeably different rear wing compared to Spa

Nick emails in on the track time debate: "The problem with trying to use FP1 for testing is that if you damage the car, then it can severely impact the weekend.

It's been suggested before, and F1 could save a *lot* of money, and increase the testing and track time for third drivers a *lot*, if they tested at many of the tracks on the Monday after the race - as MotoGP already does"

Neville asks: "Since Monaco Schumacher has matched and even surpassed the pace of Rosberg in every race. Are we seeing a switch in balance?"

I wouldn't say a switch in balance Neville, but Schumacher has been involved in less incidents. That's allowed him to show that they are still both closely matched, but the safety car helped him massively in Spa

Heikki Kovalainen is cruising around the Curva Grande and can't get out of first gear

And Schumacher runs wide at Parabolica, bounces through the gravel trap and returns to the pits, just after Rosberg skipped the Roggia chicane

And Kovalainen has stopped his car out on track before the first Lesmo.

Still under yellows as the Lotus is removed, so times aren't improving at present

And we're all clear again

Alonso is currently 0.8s slower than Vettel and 2.1s off the pace of Hamilton

Massa is sawing at the wheel as he wrestles the Ferrari through the Ascari chicane. He's 9th quickest and 2.6s off the pace

The front wing of Hamilton's car is off the McLaren and being worked on pretty rigorously by five mechanics. There's a lot of tapping going on and a senior engineer comes across to have a look

Vettel goes second quickest on a 1:25.231, still 0.7s slower than Hamilton

Tom asks: "I would like to know if there's going to be close to choose a rear wing setup as last year when some cars ran with the f-duct? Lewis and Jenson gone with 2 different setups but was close. Will it be as close this year?"

Yes it would still be close Tom as a bit more rear wing would lead to better cornering but slightly less top speed. With the DRS it could be beneficial to stay close in the corners and then have the use of the DRS to get the additional top speed. But of course that only works if you can stay within a second of the car in front...

Glock has only completed four laps and is yet to set a time. The only other drivers yet to hit double figures are Hamilton (8) and Schumacher (9)

Button is running a bigger rear wing at the moment and he gets some oversteer in Parabolica before asking if the rear wing is working over the radio

Schumacher is using all of the track and a bit more as he pushes on

Jerome d'Ambrosio has stopped out on track. He's gone straight on at turn one, and there's smoke coming out of the rear of the car

That problem will really hurt Virgin as Glock is still sat in the pits on only four laps

And as I say that, Glock leaves the pit lane

Schumacher runs wide on to the astroturf exiting the second Lesmo and he just catches the rear end before it gets away from him

Petrov is fifth quickest on a 1:26.625, while Senna is down in 15th, 0.7s slower

Good showings from Alguersuari and Hulkenberg at the moment in seventh and eighth so far. Alguersuari has a moment though as he comes up behind Glock who is travelling very slowly in the Ascar chicane. The pair exchange hand gestures as they pass, but Glock continues for another slow lap

All a bit strange that, Glock was gesturing to himself for a while after Alguersuari passed as if to say "What can I do?" Then after a slow lap he weaves all the way down the pit straight in front of Sutil

Chandhok spins at turn one, but continues

Alonso's work seems to be done for the day, he's out of the car in the garage

Button improves to a 1:24.963, second quickest now

Hamilton receives updates of where he needs to improve, and then sets the fastest first sector

The two McLarens on quick laps, Hamilton improves to a 1:24.127, and then Button follows him over the line in 1:24.786

Alonso is 2.5s off Hamilton's pace, and Massa is 2.7s back. Vettel is 1.1s off but doesn't improve on his latest lap

Sutil improves to fifth quickest with his final lap, 2.4s off the pace

Chequered flag is out and Schumacher goes 10th on a 1:26.699. Kobayashi was following him very closely in to the first corner on that lap and locked up heavily

Hamilton improves again on his final lap, a 1:23.865 putting him almost a second quicker than anyone else at the end of the session

As always with first practice, it's difficult to read too much in to, but it must be said it's a surprisingly big gap from Hamilton to the rest. Vettel and Webber are 1.3s and 1.5s off the pace respectively, while Sutil in fifth is 2.6s slower than Hamilton but only 0.3s quicker than Barrichello in 13th.

It looks like Alonso's car is going to have an engine change, as a lot of work is going on in the Ferrari garage.

So after all that, McLaren looks very quick, Red Bull well placed to show its true pace and Ferrari potentially in a spot of bother. Rosberg is hardly convincing for Mercedes in 18th too, 3.6s slower than Hamilton at the front. Of course, we're not sure what fuel loads teams were running or what parts they were testing, and there were no soft tyre runs, so you'll just have to come back for FP2 in two and a half hours to get a clearer picture, won't you? We'll see you then.