1417: Me voy. Many thanks for your company today. Race time tomorrow is 1300 BST. Nothing against Red Bull, but I'm praying for rain... I'll be here from 1130 BST for all the build-up - including the latest fashion statement from Eddie Jordan.

From Arkimsa on 606: "It's going to be a cracking start. The Red Bulls know Lewis and Alonso are on their tails this time... no room for errors!"

Lewis Hamilton after qualifying third: "I don't think anyone expected them to be so fast. It's a decent gap, but we'll continue to push and try to pull this round."

Pole position man Mark Webber: "Christian [Horner] said before the session 'you probably won't get to drive a car like this around this track very often so go and enjoy it', and I did. It was a sensational quali session."

Jenson Button on BBC One after qualifying fifth: "It's not too bad. We were struggling yesterday and we didn't think we'd be where we are now. I made a mistake in turn eight, which is frustrating. Even so, it's alright. It's not a bad place to start. The Red Bulls are going to be very difficult to beat. Lewis was a tenth in front of me but still nine-tenths down on Webber. This should be a walk in park for the Red Bulls. If it's dry, it probably will be. Never say never..."

1405: Mark Webber looks chuffed to bits with his pole position, but maybe Seb Vettel has remembered the pole-sitter hasn't won a race yet this season? Michael Schumacher outqualifies Nico Rosberg by 0.114 of a second.

From MUFC_4_E3VER on 606: "Grid is very nicely poised for tomorrow's race."

1402: Who would have guessed it? Well, pretty much everyone... It's a Red Bull one-two headed by Mark Webber. On row two, Lewis Hamilton sits alongside former McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso, leaving a frustrated Jenson Button in fifth in the other McLaren. Michael Schumacher is sixth, ahead of Robert Kubica, Nico Rosberg, Felipe Massa and Kamui Kobayashi.

1400: Seb Vettel posts a 1:20.101 to go top but here's Mark Webber with a 1:19.995! Hamilton and Button still going - but they can't beat that surely.

1358: A minute to go and it's a straight fight between Mark Webber and Seb Vettel for pole. Who's your money on?

1355: First flurry of laps over and only Kamui Kobayashi is yet to venture out. Michael Schumacher up in fifth behind the two Red Bulls and the two McLarens. Here comes Kamui Kobayashi now, and he'll have a clear track to enjoy.

1354: It's a Hamilton, Button, Schumacher one-two-three... but not for long. Sebastian Vettel takes a second out of the McLarens, and then Mark Webber goes even quicker with a 1:20.239. Brutal.

1351: Fernando Alonso darts out of the Ferrari garage - and narrowly avoids taking out Nico Rosberg. "Alonso should get a penalty for that," Rosberg radios back to his Mercedes team.

1350: The 10-minute top-10 shootout starts here. Red Bull have had a car on the front row in the last nine races - and they will again here, let's be honest. Two of them in all probability.

From Simon via text: "Re 1247: Those trousers are rhubarb, Cheesy!"

1347: A frustrated Rubens Barrichello, who didn't make it out of Q1 having targeted Q3, tells the BBC he got stuck behind traffic. "The trouble is we have six cars that are so slow and if they don't get out of the way..."

1346: Which Red Bull was quickest in that session? Mark Webber this time. Sebastian Vettel is second, then Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton's McLarens. Great effort by Kamui Kobayashi in the BMW-Sauber, up in eighth.

1342: Session over and Kamui Kobayashi's late charge up to eighth pushes Adrian Sutil into the bottom seven where the Force India driver joins Pedro de la Rosa, Nico Hulkenberg, Vitaly Petrov, Sebastien Buemi, Jaime Alguersuari and Vitantonio Liuzzi.

1341: Less than a minute remaining and Adrian Sutil creeps up to 10th...

1338: Williams tell Nico Hulkenberg that "Q3 is a realistic target". The German is currently 12th. Adrian 'Super' Sutil needs to get his skates on: he's 11th.

Lotus's Jarno Trulli on 5 live Sports Extra: "Yesterday I had a better pace and was happy with the car but today I don't know why but it felt different, it was slipping and I wasn't very comfortable or confident with it. Even so, with the updates to the car, we've made an improvement and have closed the gap with our direct competitors."

1336: Nico Rosberg up to ninth, but still lagging behind Mercedes team-mate Michael Schumacher, who has gone third.

1333: Red Bull times two, then McLaren times two, before Bob Kubica sandwiches himself in between two Ferraris. The Mercedes pair of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg languishing in 16th and 17th which seven minutes remaining.

1330: BBC pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz reports that both Red Bulls are still on the hard tyres, just to really ram home their dominance over the rest of the field. Webber first at the moment, then Hamilton, Alonso, Liuzzi, Vettel. The quick times are flying in now though.

1328: Q2 up and running. Sebastian Vettel is out bright and early this time, joining Vitanonio Liuzzi on the track.

Lotus's Mike Gascoyne on Twitter: "Good laps from both drivers, well clear of the Virgins and closing on the group ahead. Tony pleased."

1323: Barrichello seems to tell his Williams team he "didn't understand a word you said, which is a little bit frustrating". Indeed. He finds himself outqualified by Nico Hulkenberg, who is in the old Williams. Vitaly Petrov sneaks into Q2 in 16th ahead of Vitantonio Liuzzi's Force India.

1320: And he's gone! Disaster for Rubens Barrichello, who had hoped for so much more in his upgraded Williams. Also going out: Jarno Trulli, Heikki Kovalainen, Timo Glock, Lucas di Grassi, Karun Chandhok, Bruno Senna.

1319: Pedro de la Rosa up to sixth now - and that leaves Rubens Barrichello in trouble. This is the same Barrichello who was targeting Q3... seconds remaining.

1317: Vitaly Petrov zooms up from 18th to ninth, but it's ever so tight and there are still two minutes remaining. Pedro de la Rosa now in 18th.

1315: By the way, wherever Vitaly Petrov finishes, he'll go back five places because Renault had to change his gearbox. The Russian is currently 18th and in the drop zone.

1314: Among those struggling near the bottom: Vitaly Petrov in the hastily glued-together Renault, and Force India's Vitantonio Liuzzi.

1312: Vettel out on the track now with seven minutes remaining. His first flying lap is enough only for fourth. Rubbish... Hamilton and Button up top ahead of Webber and Vettel. Neat.

1310: Jenson Button goes fastest ahead of McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Everyone on the track except Seb Vettel, who's probably got his feet up and smoking a cigar before he emerges and blows everyone else away. Probably.

Renault on Twitter: "A tremendous effort by Vitaly's crew over lunchtime to get his car ready. Vitaly is out on his first run and didn't forget to thank everyone for their help this morning."

1307: Massive roar from the crowd as Fernando Alonso pops up in first. No times yet from McLaren or Red Bull.

1304: First to show: Massa, Trulli and Kovalainen. The Brazilian's time is 1:23.068 in the Ferrari, and he quickly gets company at the front from team-mate Fernando Alonso in second.

BBC Sport's Andrew Benson in Barcelona: "Re 1254: I went to see EJ at his swish Chelsea apartment not long ago, and on the way I saw one of the shops where he gets his clothes. It was a surreal experience to walk past a shop window and see Eddie Jordan's shirts and swimming shorts (or something very like them) on display."

From anon via text: "Re 1257: Only Red Bull can stop Red Bull... And they usually do."

1300: Off we go then. Twenty minutes of Q1 to come.

1258: Turns out Michael Schumacher's so pleased with his upgraded Mercedes, he's been showing off in the pitlane. The seven-time champ has been fined 8,400 euros for being caught speeding twice during practice.

1257: Sorry, I'm all trousers and no talk. Three minutes to go. Can anyone stop Red Bull? The pole-sitter is yet to win a race this season, so will Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel be battling it out to claim second on the grid?

From Leanne from Rotherham, via text: "Can I suggest they are terracotta? I love Eddie! Come on Schumi! Your fans are still behind you!"

1254: Apparently, even Eddie Jordan doesn't know the colour of his trousers. I'm told the BBC team in Barcelona reckon they're "pink with a shimmer of red". I'll say it again: where does he get these things from?

1251: Oh good, here's Uncle Ross Brawn to take our minds off Eddie Jordan's trousers. "We're a bit behind at the moment. Red Bull are looking quite far ahead," says Uncle Ross, team boss at Mercedes. "But we've made a lot of progress and we've got a lot more to come."

From Mary, Manchester, via text: "I love Eddie Jordan's shirts but what's going on with the peach trousers?"

1247: Eddie Jordan, who had to miss the China Grand Prix cos of the ash, celebrates his return to our screens with some pale raspberry trousers and a patterned, pink shirt. I've got to be honest, we're struggling to describe the colour of the trousers. So far, I've got peach, apricot, salmon... Brave, anyway, as you would expect.

1245: The BBC telly boys and gals are switching from Red Button to BBC One. Let's see if they make it time... Yep, there they are, Jake Humphrey resplendent in pale blue shirt and indigo jeans. Jeans? On the BBC? I frown...

BBC Sport's Andrew Benson at Barcelona: "Re 1205: I've just spoken to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and he insists Vettel is not going to get a penalty - he says it was Vettel's decision to go to see the stewards after the session because there was some confusion over the yellow flags. He also told me that I wasn't quite right to say earlier that their car has all-new bodywork apart from the front and rear wings. It turns out 'the rear wing is a little bit different, too'!"

From moonmonkey0794 on Twitter: "Re 1200: I've been a brave - and frankly stupid - person, and put a £10 bet on Hamilton pole."

Button shows impressive pace to escape Benson

BBC Sport's Sarah Holt in Barcelona: "It could almost be described as balmy in Barcelona over lunch but the clement weather wasn't preventing a certain A. Benson and one J. Legard bothering Jenson Button at the McLaren motorhome. I have photographic evidence for you, Caroline, of the world champion trying to escape Andrew's clutches. Ledge managed to ask Button, who finished fourth behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton in third practice, if the car was more to his liking today and the world champion responded with a hopeful 'yes'. AND for those of you interested in the food on offer at McLaren, I can tell you that Andrew was tucking into a plate of roast potatoes and olives."

From Tevezgate on 606: "There COULD be eight drivers starting with grid penalties... is that a record for the most drivers possibly starting with a penalty?"

1224: So good news for the mighty Adrian Sutil there, but nothing yet from Renault. Vitaly Petrov ploughed into the barriers during this morning's practice, doing some serious damage to his car.

Force India on Twitter: "Adrian's problem has been traced to an issue with an electrical hardware part. It has been changed and he's good to go for qualifying."

BBC pundit Eddie Jordan: "I saw Michael Schumacher arrive at the Barcelona paddock this morning and he certainly had an extra little spring in his step which, if we all know Michael, means he has something up his sleeve. Schumacher was fifth in third practice ahead of his team-mate Nico Rosberg. The team have made some changes to the Mercedes to make it more to Schumacher's liking and it remains to be seen what difference they'll make in qualifying. It'll also be interesting to see where Nico comes into the frame as he has been one of the big surprises in the first four races."

1212: Now, complicated TV-viewing scenario this afternoon on account of this election thing. Jake and the team will begin on the Red Button at 1215 BST then hotfoot it to BBC One at 1245 BST. It will all be seamlessly simulcast on the website for UK users *crosses fingers*.

1208: Three drivers have already picked up penalties. Hispania's Karun Chandhok and both Virgin drivers will drop back five grid places, Chandhok for changing his gearbox, and Virgin because they "failed to inform governing body the FIA which gear ratios they were intending to fit within the permitted two-hour time limit from the end of Friday practice." Slapped wrists all round.

1205: Now, I bring some potentially interesting news from the Circuit de Catalunya. Five drivers have been summoned to the stewards for setting a fastest time in final practice under yellow flags. They are: Nico Rosberg, Jaime Alguersuari, Sebastien Buemi, Nico Hulkenberg AND Sebastian Vettel. No verdict yet but there COULD be penalties.

1200: Hello. Welcome back. Red Bull have been on pole in all four races so far this season. They've locked out the front row twice, and it would take a brave - and frankly stupid - person to bet against them making it a hat-trick today.

1106: It looks very much like Red Bull's race to lose. It could be up to the rain to stop them. Qualifying coming up at 1300 BST. I'll see you at 1200 BST.

1102: Session ends and Sebastian Vettel is P1 with a 1:20.528, Mark Webber second ahead of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Then it's Michael Schumacher, Felipe Massa, Nico Rosberg and Fernando Alonso to complete the top eight.

1059: Mark Webber decides enough is enough and heads back to the garage, which catches his Red Bull team by surprise - according to BBC pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz.

1057: Seb Vettel slices a whopping seven-tenths of a second off Mark Webber's quickest time. The German's 1:20.528 puts him top, ahead of Webber, Hamilton, Button, Schumacher and Massa. A minute remaining.

1054: Adrian Sutil's Force India brings out the yellows, parking up on the grass coming out of turn nine. Not sure what happened there. He's running ninth quickest... Replays show the car just conked out suddenly. Not ideal.

1047: With 14 minutes remaining, Michael Schumacher is languishing in 10th... but he's now got the softer tyres on and a 1:21.583 moves him up to third, gatecrashing the Red Bull/McLaren party at the top of the leaderboard. Nico Rosberg, who still has the hard tyres on, is well back in 12th.

1040: Webber, Vettel, Hamilton, Button the top four - and I wouldn't be surprised if that's how it is come the chequered flag tomorrow.

From Craig, Southampton, via text: "F-Duct... why not snorkel? Or something less techy? There isn't enough non-techy names for stuff in F1."

1035: It's now a Hamilton-Vettel-Button top three, Hamilton posting a 1:21.699 on the hard compound tyres.

BBC Sport's Andrew Benson at Barcelona: "Some viewers have noticed from Fernando Alonso's on-board camera that he is taking his left hand off the steering wheel on the straights and moving it down inside the cockpit, and have wondered why. He is operating Ferrari's new version of what has become known as McLaren's 'F-duct' aerodynamic device (although Mark Webber told BBC Sport last week that McLaren actually call it the J-switch '). More and more teams are adapting one of these systems, which basically channel extra air on to the rear wing on the straights, so its effectiveness is reduced, cutting drag and increasing top speed without reducing performance in the corners, which is the age-old F1 engineering trade-off. Interestingly, Red Bull's stunning speed here has come without the team using one of these systems - theirs is still in development."

1031: Kamui Kobayashi is actually top of the pops with a 1:22.436, ahead of young Michael Schumacher, Pedro de la Rosa... Nope, Jenson Button has just popped up in third.

1028: We're back under way with a little over half an hour remaining. Bruno Senna is the first to brave it, but I'll bet he avoids the kerb heading into turn four.

1024: Ah, this explains it. Stewards are now sweeping water off the newly-painted kerb, and replays show both drivers touching the kerb and then losing control at the same turn.

1020: Kamui Kobayashi is off in the gravel. No surprise there... but Vitaly Petrov is off as well - and in a big way. The Russian loses it coming into turn four and careers into the tyre wall - and Renault have got a massive rebuilding job on their hands. "Something's happened as he reached the braking point," reckons Maurice Hamilton on 5 live Sports Extra. Red flag time.

1016: Hulkenberg's time is a fairly conservative 1:24.378. Plenty of cars coming out now.

1014: Williams' Niko Hulkenberg is all on his own on the track and he's posting the first timed lap of the day.

BBC Sport's Andrew Benson in Barcelona: "Jenson Button said yesterday that he thought Red Bull were unbeatable here, and Fernando Alonso basically agreed with him. But just why are the Red Bulls so quick? Well, every team has brought major upgrades here but Red Bull's, while being discreet, is possibly the biggest of all. It turns out that, apart from the front and rear wings and monocoque, every single piece of bodywork is subtly different, which makes the Red Bull not far from being a new car for this race."

1008: All quiet again out on the track after the initial burst of activity. Neither Michael Schumacher nor Nico Rosberg have ventured out yet.

Lotus technical chief Mike Gascoyne on Twitter: "Boys worked until 2.30am this morning to get the cars ready but all updates now on and ready for qualifying. Rain overnight means track very 'green' this morning. Circuit is dry but low grip. No problem on either car."

1003: More from 5 live Sports Extra, who report that Williams fitted new parts to their cars last night, and that a confident Rubens Barrichello has targeted Q3 later. Ambitious...

1000: And we're off. BBC 5 live Sports Extra report that Christian Klien got his super licence just 10 minutes before he took Karun Chandhok's Hispania seat in first practice yesterday.

BBC Sport's Sarah Holt in Barcelona: "Hello again. The sun is shining ahead of third practice in Barcelona but the threat of rain looms with qualifying due to take place at 1300 BST. I was padding through puddles on my way to BBC HQ in the aftermath of overnight rain. That rain will have washed away the rubber laid down on the track during Friday practice, which means the tyres will be worked much harder during Saturday's twin sessions. Some F1 experts welcomed the rain, whispering 'anything to stop Red Bull's march to pole.' McLaren's Jenson Button ominously called Red Bull 'untouchable' after practice with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso agreeing it will be difficult to beat them. Third practice could tell us more."

From Andy at work in Aylesford, via text: "It would be nice for the McLarens to get the front row today but agree it'll more than likely be the Red Bulls. Oh, and Bob, stop looking at this and do some work!"

BBC Sport's Andrew Benson in Barcelona: "It was a surprisingly easy run in to the track this morning. I've not been to the Spanish Grand Prix since 2004, which was before Alonso-mania properly took off, and I was expecting miles of traffic jams on the way into the track. Perhaps the Ferrari driver's fans have seen those Red Bull lap times from Friday and figured there is no way their man is going to be on pole today. Or maybe our BBC car was out just a bit early for those who had spent a night on the tiles in this wonderful city, where things don't really begin to get going until about 10pm."

0950: Struggling on the track, unloved by the crowds... I think I might be starting to feel sorry for Michael Schumacher, which is not something I feel at all comfortable with. For that reason, I'm very much hoping yesterday's quick times mark the start of a revival.

0947: Biggest smile after practice yesterday was worn by Michael Schumacher, who put four races of toil behind him by finishing third quickest in both sessions. Let's hope he didn't relax afterwards by reading the papers, many of which carried an interview with his manager Willi Weber. "There is a certain Schumi-tiredness," said Weber of his attempts to get sponsorship for the seven-time world champ. "The people are saying, 'My God, what is he doing?' You only know him as a winner. In the past the stands were full of Ferrari caps. Now I can count the Mercedes caps with one hand."

From Graham on 606: "Re 0930: No."

0940: BBC weatherman Ian Fergusson says we're in for a dry and sunny final practice session. Qualifying will also probably stay dry, although there's a small chance of a shower. For tomorrow, he's going for a dry start but possible showers later on.

0937: Even championship leader Jenson Button reckons Red Bull might be "untouchable" in Barcelona. The picture might become even clearer today. Final practice coming up at 1000 BST, with a crucial qualifying session to follow at 1300 BST. Crucial, because overtaking is nigh-on impossible at the Circuit de Catalunya.

0930: Hello there. The latest forecast for Barcelona predicts light rain showers for race day tomorrow. Without them, Red Bull look to have this sewn up. Care to disagree?