It will have been a pleasing first practice session for Lewis Hamilton, with everything having gone swimmingly for the reigning world champion.

If there is one place Hamilton is desperate to have a "perfect" race, it is Monaco, as he explains in his latest BBC column.

"Whatever I feel about my abilities, somehow I have never executed a perfect weekend in Monaco," he says. "Will I ever have one of those perfect weekends here? I don't know, but I am going to give it everything I have got over these next four days."

Hamilton also talks about his new Mercedes contract, and Ayrton Senna in his latest column which, as ever, is well worth a read.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Monaco

Image source, Getty Images

"The talk between the sessions over a chilly lunch time in Monaco has been all about two men - Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Both had striking sessions this morning. Hamilton was absolutely on it from the minute he hit the track, as if he was trying to send a message to team-mate Nico Rosberg. It seemed to work. Rosberg hit the barrier at Tabac trying to match Hamilton's time, and when the German got to within a couple of tenths, Hamilton knocked another second off his best.

"Meanwhile, Verstappen continues to prove the hype is real. To be second fastest on his first ever experience of Monaco, regardless of fuel loads, is making quite a statement."

Image source, Getty Images

"You can't just attack it in the first free practice session, you need to build up to it gradually."

That is what Max Verstappen said before producing a stand-out performance in first practice for the Monaco GP this morning, finishing second fastest to Lewis Hamilton.

If that is 17-year-old not attacking, what does the rest of the weekend have in store for the impressive rookie?

Image source, Getty Images

Smooth sailing for Lewis Hamilton so far in Monaco. Very early days though.

We are going to put the brakes on this live text commentary for a short while but we will back up and running at 12:30 BST for second practice, which gets under way at 13:00 BST.

In the meantime, have a read of Andrew Benson's report and we'll see you after lunch! Au revoir for now.

Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst in Monaco

"Max looked very good right from the off. I watched him at the second part of the swimming pool section and he was very aggressive with his steering but also very precise. The kid can drive, clearly, but he has good confidence in the Toro Rosso too."

So Lewis Hamilton tops the timesheet for first practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, as he did last year although his time of 1:18.750 is half a second slower than his 2014 effort, suggesting he has more in hand.

However, the standout performer has to be Max Verstappen who, in his first foray on the Monaco circuit, clocked the second fastest time, just 0.149 off Hamilton's benchmark.

Image source, Getty Images

1) Lewis Hamilton 2) Max Verstappen 3) Daniel Ricciardo 4) Sebastian Vettel 5) Carlos Sainz 6) Pastor Maldonado 7) Daniil Kvyat 8) Kimi Raikkonen 9) Nico Rosberg 10) Felipe Massa

11) Fernando Alonso 12) Jenson Button 13) Romain Grosjean 14) Sergio Perez 15) Nico Hulkenberg 16) Felipe Nasr 17) Valtteri Bottas 18) Marcus Ericsson 19) Will Stevens 20) Roberto Merhi

LEWIS HAMILTON FINISHES FASTEST IN FIRST PRACTICE FOR THE MONACO GRAND PRIX.

Max Verstappen leaps up to P2 as the chequered flag is waved.

Joseph Murphy Every driver has to drive each of the other team cars at least once. The driver's championship and team championship are separate.

Paul Beverley F1 teams should be made to drop their lowest scoring driver each season, you'd be guaranteed a fight between team-mates then.

Chris Hopgood Have missiles and banana skins like Mario kart?

Shaun Hughes Let the engineers go nuts. Only rules that cars have four wheels, one driver and a set size engine. Anything else goes!

The traffic may be of no bother for Max Verstappen, but it is getting under the skin of Daniil Kvyat, whose message over team radio is bleeped as he uses a bit of colourful language during a complaint of traffic behind him. "Calm down," he is told over team radio.

Image source, Getty Images

Sir Stirling Moss has his name etched in Monaco history. He became the first British winner of the race in 1956 but produced arguably one of the greatest drives of his career on the street circuit five years later.

He was in an ageing Lotus but successfully managed to hold off a far superior trio of Ferraris with a stunning drive round the twisty streets to take victory in the opening race of the 1961 season.

That achieved with overheating problems with his Lotus - an issue managed by Moss by removing the sidepanels from his car and dousing himself in water.

"Ready... What the...! THERE'S SOMEONE ON OUR BALCONY"

Image source, Lotus

With just over eight minutes to go, everyone is out on the circuit except for Fernando Alonso.

Max Verstappen is unperturbed by a bit of traffic as he climbs back into P3 with a 1:19.365. The 17-year-old is just six tenths off Lewis Hamilton's time.

Image source, Formula 1

Formula 1.com: It's the Force India cars who are burning up the track in FP1.

Image source, Manor

Manor: Our in-garage tree seems to have caught your attention, so here's another couple of branches for you...

So far so good for Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, with the former fifth fastest and the latter sixth fastest.

There's barely anything between Massa and Nico Rosberg, who is fourth fastest, 0.004s to be exact. All looking good for Williams in Monaco.

Image source, Lotus

Into the last 15 minutes of this session and it has been a trouble free one so far for Pastor Maldonado. He has been ticking along nicely, minding his own business, and has the 14th best time so far with 1:21.267, 2.5s down on Lewis Hamilton's benchmark.