Well, I'm not sure what these teams are learning by letting these fellows hoon around in the wet, but they are providing good entertainment.

Sainz has been off at turns three and six, where he did a full spin. Verstappen has also been off.

"It's very slippery, but I don't care - we need to run," comments Sainz over team radio.

Bravo that man.

Image source, F1

F1 journalist Pablo Elizalde on Twitter:, external Full wets, as unusual a sighting as a Raikkonen smile.

Carlos Sainz and the boys and girls at Toro Rosso are braving the elements on the full wets, giving the soaking fans something to look at.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel has also gone out on inters, which seems brave, while Max Verstappen in the second Toro Rosso has also ventured out. He's on the full wets.

Williams on Twitter:, external Just in case there's any doubt...

Image source, Williams

If the flag didn't give the game away, the tins of morning lager removed all uncertainty.

Well batted.

Image source, F1

Amit Mandalia: Not a case of too many rules, more a case of too many rules being determined by the teams. They agreed to these penalties.

Travis: 25 places is over the top. If the penalty is going to be that harsh, the engine/component allocation needs to be more lenient.

Rickie Spanish: Indycar is more exciting and pure racing - F1 being a joke and a hurdle of rules, beyond comprehension of most fans!

Wave a slippery-track flag RIGHT in his face as he passes.

Image source, F1

Nico Hulkenberg: "It's super slippery - there's no grip at all."

Hulkenberg and Force India team-mate Sergio Perez have both just ventured out on the intermediate tyres, decided they didn't much like it and are now back in the warmth of the garage.

Andy Sutcliffe: "Quick get the rule book out and give him a penalty!" F1 is becoming a farce - too many rules and regs spoiling the sport.

Jeremiah Kariuki: Looks like the Manors are doing better than McLaren. We have had more yellow and red flags from McLarens for stalling!

Neil: 25 places in an already-uncompetitive car? Way to go, F1. Really motivational for teams.

Mercedes on Twitter:, external Just the tiniest of twitches see Rosberg and Kimi slide off briefly. Treacherous out there...

Team: "Bring it back in. If we damage anything we'll struggle to get out for qualifying."

So, we have five cars caught out badly by the weather there.

We had the two Mercedes cars and both Ferraris, plus the Toro Rosso of Max Verstappen, queuing at the end of the pit lane to go out, but as they sat there on the supersofts waiting for the light to turn green, the rain intensified.

Nico Rosberg and Kimi Raikkonen both sailed off and continued in the treacherous conditions before all five safely made it back to the pits.

Image source, F1

Alonso's stricken McLaren is cleared away and the other cars go out.

The rain is falling and the cars - the Ferraris and Mercedes among them - are queuing up to go out on supersoft dries.

Fernando Alonso has stopped on circuit in the McLaren.

"Transmission problem," is the Spaniard's message to the team over the radio.

Wow. Grim, grim times for one of the sport's most famous teams.

Image source, F1

Rain is expected at 11.30.

Craig Scarborough (F1 journalist) on Twitter:, external Is the problem the rules or the inadequacies of the engine manufacturers unable to meet them?

The Williams team seemed to be masking their true pace on Friday, ending the day in P14 and P15.

They are already much racier in this session, with Felipe Massa fourth and Valtteri Bottas fifth, both around four tenths off the quickest lap.

And Massa has just put a set of supersofts on...

Image source, EPA

Daryl Yates: A massive joke how can you even bother to race with a penalty like that? Seems like the FIA are doing this to kill the sport.

Steviemac: Why don't they make them start the race in Switzerland and have to drive to Austria...

Rob Stearn: The grid penalties for engine work are ruining the sport, the FIA are myopic.

Image source, Getty Images