This time though, the Maseratis just missed out on being the quickest on the track.

Daniel Serra, in the N.34 Maserati MC12, posted a time of 1:33.073, just off the top time of 1:33.024 set by Belgian driver Jimenez and Brazilian Dahruj in a Mad Croc Racing Corvette.

Not far back, in fourth, are Maserati's other two Brazilians: Bernoldi/Negrao (1:33.266). Bartels/Bertolini set the ninth best time (1:33.486) to improve on their morning effort.

In nineteenth came Heger/Mueller in the Triple H Team Hegersport (1:34.220).

The sessions were run under grey skies and, after an hour, a sprinkling of rain came down. Even though this lasted only a few minutes it altered the teams' strategies. As usual in pre-qualifying, the teams covered only a few laps to preserve the tyres for the main event.

Temperature: air 24, asphalt 32

The two Brazilian crews took centre stage as they collected a Maserati one-two in Friday's free practice at Interlagos, Sao Paolo.

Fastest on the track was Enrique Bernoldi (1:33.046). In the race Bernoldi will be pairing up with his fellow countryman, Xandinho Negrao. Negrao is substituting Miguel Ramos, a driver he crewed with in 2008 when driving a Maserati MC12 for the Vitaphone Racing Team.

Second on the timesheet, after posting 1:33.148, is the N.34 Maserati MC12. Fielded by Triple H Team Hegersport, it features the all-new duo of Francisco Longo and Daniel Serra, making their debut in the Maserati MC12. Both drivers have experience in the Trofeo Maserati Brasile driving the GranSport.

Their team mates in the N.33 car, Heger/Mueller, placed seventeenth in 1:35.266.

Eighteenth-placed Bartels/Bertolini (1:35.453) used the hour and twenty minute session to study the track. It is a new one for almost all the drivers, above all for the FIA GT1 as it is the first time the series has been held in Sao Paolo.

After the heavy rain that fell on Thursday afternoon, this morning's sessions were held under cloudy skies but on a dry track.

Temperature: air 23, asphalt 27