Now Kimi Raikkonen leaps into P2, 0.020s quicker than Sebastian Vettel.

The top 10 as it stands is:

1) Hamilton 2) Raikkonen 3)  Vettel 4) Verstappen 5) Rosberg 6) Perez 7) Hulkenberg 8) Bottas 9) Ricciardo 10) Alonso

Five minutes left and the drivers in trouble and in need of an improvement are:

17) Palmer 18) Kvyat 19) Sainz 20) Ericsson 21) Ocon 22) Nasr

Image source, Getty Images

If only for a moment...

Sebastian Vettel goes second quickest with a 1:40.359, just under a tenth of a second quicker than Nico Rosberg. Lewis Hamilton, though, is in a league of his own, eight tenths of a second ahead of Vettel.

Nico Rosberg lost a chunk of time on Lewis Hamilton in the middle sector. 

"I had two mistakes in there," he says. 

Image source, Getty Images

Eric: Fingers crossed for the real F1 champ to come out with his 4th title! #TeamLH, external#bbcf1, external

Nick: Come on JB top-10 one last time #F1, external#bbcf1, external

Bethonie: "It's like Tatooine but with only one sun" This is the kind of quality commentary I came here for #bbcf1, external

Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live Formula 1 analyst

That was an incredible time by Lewis Hamilton.

A 1:39.487 for Lewis Hamilton - the quickest lap of the weekend. Nico Rosberg goes second quickest, one seconds slower than Hamilton. 

Hamilton hammering it, Rosberg playing it safe?

Tom Clarkson
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

The track temperature has come down quite a lot since this morning so we might see some blistering times.

Excellent description of the vista from the commentary box by Jack Nicholls. "It's like Tatooine but with only one sun."

You won't understand that if you are not a Star Wars fan, which Allan McNish clearly isn't. He's looking at Jack like he's just spoken gibberish. 

Jenson Button sets the quickest lap so far, a 1:41.806. Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have come out to play now.

Image source, Rex Features

Daniil Kvyat is one of several drivers out early doors in Q1, hoping to lock in a time that will get them through to the second part of qualifying. Everyone that's gone out has done so on the ultrasofts.

Daniil Kvyat on team radio: "What about the brakes?"

"We have new brakes as discussed."

Away. We. Go.

The first part of qualifying is under way.

Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live Formula 1 analyst

The pole position is the one they're both going to gun for, I think it's more important for Hamilton. Rosberg has a bit of a margin while Hamilton has to win.

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Tune into 5 live sports extra right now for live commentary on the final qualifying session of the season.

An alternative take from Mark here... 

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Abu Dhabi

McLaren shareholder Mansour Ojjeh is here this weekend - the man who orchestrated the ousting from the company of his former friend Ron Dennis. Ojjeh does not usually do interviews, but I thought: “In for a penny, in for a pound” and went to ask him whether he’d talk about it on the record. “There’s no point raking over the past,” he said. “The future is going in the right direction and that’s what’s important.”

Image source, .

The sun is setting in Abu Dhabi as we get a feel for race conditions for tomorrow with it starting at the same time as qualifying. That gets under way in nine minutes, with commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra starting at 12:55 GMT.

Is there an air show happening in Abu Dhabi? Not seen much of it...