Felipe Massa follows his team-mate's lead soon after, switching to the harder compound, with Force India's Nico Hulkenberg also pitting for medium tyres.

Leslie Rogers:, external I remember a time Alonso was at Ferrari. Very rare to hear "Oh and Alonso is out of the race. That's an unusual sight." Oh well.

JavelBleach:, external Lewis will probably be happy just to stay there & annoy Nico all race. Nothing to lose.

James Morgan:, external Steward investigation into Ricciardo & Vettel contact is exactly what's wrong with F1 spectacle. Contact happens in racing.

A very early stop for Williams as Valtteri Bottas heads in to swap softs for mediums. A long way to go on those tyres, so you'd imagine a two-stop strategy is the order of the day for Bottas now.

Jenson Button started dead last, but he is up to 16th now, Alexander Rossi, Will Stevens and Sebastian Vettel behind him. Button has some work to do to close in on Felipe Nasr ahead of him. The Sauber is four seconds down the road.

Image source, Getty Images

Rachel T:, external I would not like Lewis in my mirrors all race long, Nico will be under pressure the whole time.

And race control determines that no further action is warranted after that first-lap contact between Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel clearly feels Ricciardo was in the wrong over team radio: "Where the heck was he supposed to go?" 

Lewis Hamilton is in his groove now as he sets the fastest lap so far with 1:24.889s, slicing a couple of tenths of a second off of Nico Rosberg's lead. It is down to 0.8s now.

Meanwhile, race control confirms that the incident involving Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel on the first lap is under investigation.

Image source, Getty Images

CörnishDarrenFewins:, external I remember a decent driver called Alonso.

Sebastian Vettel pits and switches to medium tyres after that early puncture before rejoining in 19th.

Meanwhile, out in front Nico Rosberg leads Lewis Hamilton by a second, with Daniil Kvyat third and Daniel Ricciardo fourth.

Ah, terrible start for Fernando Alonso on a weekend that just never got going. Two laps in and he is going to have to retire. "Lack of power," he reports before heading into the pits.

Image source, Getty Images

Trouble for Sebastian Vettel at the start, he is dropping back and its a puncture for the Ferrari after contact with Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull and he is going to have to pit.

LIGHTS OUT!!

We are off and great start by Nico Rosberg as he stays out in front of Lewis Hamilton, who tries to attack approaching the first corner, but no joy as Rosberg stays out in front.

Brilliant atmosphere as the cars snake through the stadium section. A lot of love for that section of the circuit.

David Coulthard
BBC F1 co-commentator

"I think there is going to be an incident/accident in that first corner."

Nico Rosberg leads the field away for the formation lap and everyone except for Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button are on the soft tyres.

Three former world champions at the back of the grid. Amazing scenes.

1) Nico Rosberg 2) Lewis Hamilton 3) Sebastian Vettel 4) Daniil Kvyat 5) Daniel Ricciardo 6) Valtteri Bottas 7) Felipe Massa 8) Max Verstappen 9) Sergio Perez 10) Nico Hulkenberg 

11) Carlos Sainz 12) Romain Grosjean 13) Pastor Maldonado 14) Marcus Ericsson 15) Felipe Nasr 16) Alexander Rossi 17) Will Stevens 18) Fernando Alonso  19) Kimi Raikkonen 20) Jenson Button