1047: Having seen an FIA official inspecting events in the Toro Rosso garage, Ted Kravitz speculates that Alguersuari could be hit with five-grid place penalty for having his gearbox changed. This is TBC. Scrabbling over gravel, Grosjean goes for a little detour off the track. Sutil now fastest as he pushes Hamilton into second. The German just tells his team radio: "I wouldn't change anything on the car."
1042: Jaime Alguersuari is twiddling his thumbs in the garage - there's a problem with his Toro Rosso, which is now up on the stands being surgically inspected by his mechanics. All other cars are out. Championship leader of the pack Button now fifth, Webber down in 16th with Vettel 18th.
BBC F1 pundit Anthony Davidson: "Monza is the lowest-downforce circuit of the year by quite a distance. The car reacts here quite differently to any other circuit. Downforce is basically the pressure exerted on the wheels of the car on the ground, it is like an aeroplane but in reverse - an aeroplane gains lift the faster it goes whereas a car gains downforce. So it's an inverted plane. "But downforce and drag resistance go hand-in-hand. The more downforce you have the more drag you have. Because Monza has such long straights which make up such a large proportion of the lap, you need to run less downforce. That is why the cars are visibly different here they have skinnier wings and fewer elements on the front and rear wings. They look a lot less deep and substantial than at other circuits. "In simple terms, the car moves around a lot more on a low-downforce track. It is a bit more like driving your road car in the snow - it is much more challenging. You never feel confident that the car has the grip that is there for you around most circuits."
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz: "That's a massive setback for Giancarlo Fisichella. Whereas before that crash he would've expected to get into Q2 quite easily, now getting through Q1 is very much in the balance because he won't have had any opportunity to go through his qualifying runs. Not at all what he would've hoped for."
1035: That seems bound to affect Fisichella's chances in qualifying. He has just not had enough time in the car. Gone to the medical centre now to get the OK from docs. Did nerves get the better of him? Let me know what you think. Hamilton still quickest, then Glock, Alonso, Kovalainen, Sutil, Grosjean...
Joe in Monmouthshire on 81111 "How much harder will it be next year, especially under braking, carrying 53 laps of fuel with low downforce?"
1028: Fisichella has gone off at Parabolica! That's not good. It's a right-front locking situation, braking too late, as he tries to find the limit of a car he's unfamiliar with. The front-left wheel almost snaps off as he slams into the tyre wall. Drama. The Italian looks sheepish.
1025: Hamilton fastest now. The world champion, gaining between two or three tenths of a second by slipstreaming the car in front, absolutely flying. And he's got that Kers power boost button. Many tipping him for a second win of 2009 this weekend.
BBC F1 pundit Anthony Davidson: "You'll often see drivers and cars getting their best times three or four laps into a stint at Monza, when the tyres are yet to grain but when the temperature in them is near optimum. That could make things interesting come qualifying later."
1020: Liuzzi fastest now. Don't forget, he is replacing Fisichella - who grabbed Force India's first-ever F1 podium with second place in Belgium at the last race. Many believe that car now truly has some legs, though they may be more than Asafa Powell than Usain Bolt. And Adrian Sutil went quickest yesterday.
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