Fernando Alonso shaves a few seconds off our sole timed lap of the session, improving to 1:53.854. 

Alonso and Marcus Ericsson are the only drivers out on the soft tyres, everyone else on inters.

"It is really slippy," says Ericsson.

We have just been treated to a slow-mo of Fernando Alonso's McLaren kicking up a few sparks as he circulates the track. The Spaniard sets the first timed lap of the session, an unrepresentative 2:00.736.

Where did those blue skies go?

Good dedication to the topic here, with crayons being brought into play.

"I can still do better so can I do it again," asks Nico Rosberg, as he spends the early part of this session indulging in some practice starts.

"You can do another start Nico," is the reply.

No timed laps with 15 minutes of the session gone, but all 20 cars have been out for an installation lap as they test the conditions after this morning's diesel spillage.

Oh, a little moment for Valtteri Bottas as he slides a little wide in his Williams on his way back into the pits. Both Bottas and his Williams team-mate Felipe Massa are the only two drivers to opt for wet tyres.

Roberto Merhi is back in the seat for Manor, with Alexander Rossi popping back to GP2. 

Rossi and Merhi are sharing driving duties for the final few races of the season, with Rossi having raced in Singapore and Japan. 

Merhi will compete this weekend, as well as at the Abu Dhabi GP, and he has been out for a check of the conditions this morning.

Eight drivers have been out on the circuit, Sebastian Vettel one of them and is not best pleased with the conditions of the track surface after that diesel spillage at Turn 8...

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

"Ideal circuit, you say? That’s easy. Suzuka - perhaps with the original 130R. Full stop."

At last! Some track action as practice gets properly under way, Marcus Ericsson heading straight out on to the circuit. He is on inters, with the track having been declared wet.

The drivers will only have one hour of first practice, after that diesel spillage wiped out the opening 30 minutes.

With Lewis Hamilton sayingin his latest BBC Sport columnthat he would like to have a go at designing circuits, we have been asking you to send in your designs to#myidealcircuit, external on Twitter.

Just joined us and wondering why I am rambling away and not talking about what's happening in practice? 

That's because no-one is out on the circuit at the moment because a track sweeper spilled a fair bit of diesel while doing its duties this morning.