Image source, AP

McLaren looking pretty handy, with Jenson Button third, 0.750 seconds off the pace with Kevin Magnussen slotting into fourth.

Nico Rosberg also improves on his second lap on these soft tyres to sneak ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton by a tenth of a second, which was pretty much the gap between the pair in final practice earlier today.

Lewis Hamilton improves on his next lap, a 1:10.457 moving him to the top of the pile, 0.236 seconds quicker than his Mercedes team-mate. Fernando Alonso slots into third, but he's 1.1 seconds adrift. Williams' Felipe Massa is fourth with team-mate Valtteri Bottas fifth.

However, Nico Rosberg is flying and benefits from a giant tow from Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen round the final corner and onto the final straight from to go quickest by an impressive half a second with a 1:10.693.

Lewis Hamilton goes quickest with a 1:11.223, three tenths quicker than Felipe Massa with Valtteri Bottas three tenths further back.

Sauber's Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez are first out and they're not messing around. Both have bolted on the soft tyres.

Right then, let qualifying begin. Eighteen cars in action, the four slowest will be booted out and the times then reset.

Image source, Getty Images

This weekend is McLaren's 350th start using the Mercedes-Benz power unit - and by coincidence comes at the circuit where they started their partnership back in 1995. It's almost the end of an era as the team will switch to Honda power for next season.

Lewis Walsham, external: What happened to the 'McLaren will win races in 2014' promise that Ron Dennis gave us at the start of the year?

Connor Price, external: The double points at the end of the season overshadows this whole championship battle.

Most drivers are in their cars as the start of qualifying approaches. And it looks like a party atmosphere in the grandstands, too, with the fans having taken their spots. Eight minutes to go.

Image source, f1.com

Formula1.com:, external Ahead of #Qualifying for the #BrazilGP, here's how the intra-team rivalries have played out so far.

BBC weatherman Ian Fergusson: Forecasters have now advised teams that heavy showers are no longer expected into qualifying.

We will have commentary from James Allen and Allan McNish via the 'Live Coverage' tab at the top of the page just a few minutes before the session starts. As ever, Jennie Gow will be down in the pit-lane sniffing out the stories.

Image source, Force India on Twitter

Force India:, external Fans flooding the pit-lane - gives a whole new meaning to the term "busy pit-lane"! #UnsafeRelease

Kayleigh Gray: "Rosberg for pole, Ham P2, Bottas P3."

Image source, Getty Images

If Nico Rosberg secures pole position, I imagine Lewis Hamilton probably won't be that bothered as the German has only converted two of his nine poles this season into race wins. By comparison, Hamilton has converted six of his seven poles.

Image source, Getty Images

Another front row lock-out here for Mercedes - which they've achieved at the last six races - will see them equal Williams' 1993 record, when Damon Hill and Alain Prost were driving, of 28 front row starts.

Image source, Getty Images

Loving your work so far on the caption contest (see 15:27 entry). Keep them coming...

Bulent Yazici: ‏"I am the world champion, la la la, I can't hear you, la la la."

Simon Baker: ‏"Wonder how bad my car will be next season..."

Buzz: "So this is how mark felt last year"

Just 24 minutes to go until the start of qualifying, which will last one hour and be split into three sections. With Marussia no more and Caterham not present, there will be just 18 cars involved. So four will get the boot after Q1, a further four in Q2 and that will leave 10 to fight it out for pole in Q3.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Interlagos

‏"A few spots of rain on drag up from TV compound to paddock but nothing to affect the drivers as yet. Still bright but clouds building."