As it happened: 2010 Malaysia - Free Practice 3

• 05:30

  Good morning everyone. How are we all? Looking forward to FP3, I hope, which will begin in about 30 minutes.

• 05:31

  All eyes on the weather. From @Mikegascoyne earlier: Weather forcast same as every day, chance of showers in the afternoon. Poured down 5 mins past 4:00pm yesterday

• 05:31

  From @JRobertsF1: Very hot at the circuit today, 31 deg C at 11 am. Going to wander over to the @5LiveF1 commentary box where it's air conditioned...

• 05:32

  Meanwhile, it's all about finding your own entertainment. From @MyLotusRacing: Tony was in the pit as the sun was rising on his own trying to stop himself taking the car out...the world's most dedicated team principal

• 05:33

  Renault have been practicing their pit stops: http://twitpic.com/1crt5n

• 05:40

  For those in the UK, the BBC will be live streaming the session, along with live updates: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8600528.stm

• 05:41

  F1.com have live timing: http://www.formula1.com/live_timing/

• 05:45

  A glimpse into the Virgin Racing garage: http://twitpic.com/1csiec

• 05:45

  Autosport have live commentary of the session: http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/201

• 05:46

  And of course, don't forget to keep an eye on the McLaren dashboard. www.mclaren.com

• 05:49

  From @ClaireVWilliams: Just 10 mins or so till kick off for the last practice session. Rubens & Nico doing more mechanical set up work ahead of quali. It's HOT

• 05:55

  Live timing reset. Track temp - 46. Air temp - 31.

• 05:56

  From @MikeGascoyne: Forecast saying no rain for next 30 mins

• 05:58

  5live report thunderstorms are due this afternoon, round about the time of qualifying. If cars manage to set a time at all in quali, that will count for the grid. If not, quali will be run on Sunday morning.

• 06:00

  Mr Barrichello: http://twitpic.com/1csmwb

• 06:00

  Session begins.Trulli and Kovalainen head out first for Lotus.

• 06:03

  Installation laps are the order of the day for now.

• 06:05

  From @VirginRacing: @lucasdigrassi says no issue whatsover. Track has quite a bit of rubber on. Formula BMW were out earlier

• 06:07

  Just Rosberg remains in the garage, whilst all others have completed one installation lap.

• 06:07

  From Autosport Live: Sebastien Buemi reports on the Toro Rosso team radio that he had very little braking efficiency on that lap.

• 06:09

  Trulli in the car: http://twitpic.com/1cspa4

• 06:10

  de la Rosa team radio: "Expecting rain, we'd best get a move on."

• 06:12

  de la Rosa, Webber and di Grassi head back out on track.

• 06:13

  McLaren will be sending their drivers out in a few minutes.

• 06:13

  First lap time of the day - DEL 1:36.891.

• 06:15

  From @clubforce: shark fin engine cover on Adrian's car this morning

• 06:15

  Webber easily shaves almost two seconds off the time to go P1.

• 06:17

  Christian Horner on BBC Live: "Mark got a pretty good read from Sebastian's run on the option type yesterday, and he was happy with car. We've made some set-up changes overnight which they're getting to test this morning."

• 06:18

  All but five drivers out on track - x2 McLaren, x2 Mercedes and Sutil.

• 06:18

  Hamilton emerges from the garage.

• 06:19

  Alonso pops up to P1, ahead of Vettel who just pipped teammate Webber.

• 06:21

  21 cars out on track - Hamilton has found free air but closing on Petrov. Button is close behind Kubica.

• 06:21

  Rosberg has left the garage for his first laps of the morning.

• 06:22

  Hamilton jumps up to P2. Button 5th. Buemi also pops up to 7th.

• 06:22

  From @VirginRacing: Lucas came in early. It sounds like there might be a sensor problem. Team manager making sure everyone is drinking. It's dripping hot!

• 06:23

  Vettel picks up something on his front left tyre that flaps around for a few seconds before dropping off - doesn't seem to have caused him a problem.

• 06:24

  Schumacher pops up to P3. Rosberg's first lap time is 14 seconds off the pace.

• 06:24

  Sutil is the only driver not to have set a time, remains in the garage for now.

• 06:25

  Hamilton drops the benchmark again - 1:34.029. Rosberg improves to 6th, leaving Trulli as the slowest car so far - 8 seconds off the pace.

• 06:25

  From @ToroRossoSpy: Before the Driver Parade, kids will ask drivers questions on the grid. They should find it more interesting than usual media time with press

• 06:26

  Petrov is the first driver of the day to head off into the gravel. He regains the track seemingly unharmed.

• 06:26

  McLaren report rain expected at the track in five minutes.

• 06:28

  Sutil completes his first lap - moves up to 10th.

• 06:29

  Ted on 5live reporting that there may be a bit of damage to Vettel's front left brake disc - may or may not have been because of the debris picked up.

• 06:29

  From @VirginRacing: A camber change on timo's car. A front spring change for Lucas. It's impressive how quickly this can be done

• 06:30

  Most drivers are in the pits now, both McLaren's out, plus Sutil, Trulli and Senna.

• 06:34

  Hamilton puts in a really smooth lap for the fastest time of the weekend: 1:33.559.

• 06:38

  From @MikeGascoyne: Shower just missed the circuit. Both cars on second runs still on prime tyres

• 06:39

  20 minutes to go - HAM, BUT, ALO, BUE, WEB, MSC, VET, MAS, ALG, SUT.

• 06:40

  Toro Rosso sitting 5th and 9th. Alguersuari returns to the pitlane.

• 06:42

  Rubens in the pit box: http://twitpic.com/1csynp

• 06:42

  Schumacher and Rosberg have improved to 2nd and 3rd respectively, splitting the McLarens.

• 06:43

  From @InsideFerrari: a better second run for both drivers, considering that current top four already used soft tyres

• 06:45

  Most drivers back in the pits, just Vettel, Kobayashi and Glock out on track.

• 06:50

  10 minutes to go - HAM, MSC, ROS, BUT, ALO, MAS, VET, WEB, BUE, SUT.

• 06:53

  Webber improves to 2nd, just under a tenth off Hamilton.

• 06:54

  Five minutes to go and only Sutil and Glock remain in the pitlane.

• 06:55

  Replays show Kovalainen running wide onto the curves and a piece of the car goes flying off behind him.

• 06:57

  Webber improves to P1, whilst Hamilton returns to the pitlane. Vettel improves to P3.

• 07:00

  The field spread seems improved this race. Chandhok and Senna are 6.3 seconds off the pace, rather than the 10 seconds we have seen earlier in the weekend.

• 07:02

  Session is over. WEB, HAM, VET, ALO, MSC. Full results to follow.

• 07:06

  Full results: https://sidepodcast.com/2010/04/03/malaysia-2010-free-practice-3-results/

• 07:06

  Thanks to everyone who joined us for this session. We'll be back very shortly for qualifying.