Mercedes engineer to Lewis Hamilton: "Okay, we are going to try and extend this stint."

Shoddy stop by Ferrari as they struggle to get the front right wheel off's Kimi Raikkonen's car. He is eventually back out but the 6.6s stop costs him so valuable time. His team-mate Sebastian Vettel is now running in third.

Amy Brown: Put your foot down, Lewis!

Kur7t: Rosberg comes in to the pits #Hamilton, external has to make his move now.

As Lewis Hamilton closes to within DRS territory, Nico Rosberg pits. In and out in 2.6s with fresh softs on.

Hamilton responds by slamming his foot down on the accelerator and going purple through the final sector, while Kimi Raikkonen pits from third.

Valtteri Bottas heads into the pits to serve his penalty after that pitlane contact with Jenson Button. A 10.7s stop and he is back out. 

Mix of strategies being used throughout the field, and the closest battle is up at the front, with Lewis Hamilton 0.9s behind Nico Rosberg.

Squeaky bum territory for the race leader.

James Jackson: Feel for @alo_oficial, external Can't be fun being at the back of the grid when you have had such a successful career.

Mark O'Neill: Alonso threatening to retire the car. He's better off just retiring period.

Joe: Alonso wanting a safety car? Where's Piquet when you need him?

Sebastian Vettel is elevated to fourth as Sergio Perez pits from fourth to take on more softs. 

Vettel, though, is flying. He sets the fastest lap of the race so far with 1:46.078. Further ahead, Lewis Hamilton has brought that gap down between himself and Nico Rosberg to 1.3s.

Kenny Smith: It's getting dark, and Alonso wants to take his ball in. #teasready, external

Pitflaps: Alonso taking his 2016 sabbatical already.

James Allen
BBC Radio 5 live F1 commentator

Fernando Alonso, 17th, sounds like he has had enough.  

"If we don't get a safety car, then I'm going to retire the car," he says.

Max Verstappen is feeling racey. He is currently 15th but flies down the inside of Marcus Ericsson at Turn 7 and takes the position. "Mad Mac" is in the mood now for some overtaking.

Tom Clarkson
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter

Bit by bit Lewis Hamilton is taking little nibbles out of Nico Rosberg's lead. The gap is now down to 3.8s.

Sebastian Vettel, on worn tyres that have rattled off 24 laps, finally makes his first stop and it is for more softs. No one stop then for Vettel, as he'll make one more stop for supersofts towards the end.

1) Rosberg 2) Hamilton 3) Raikkonen 4) Vettel 5) Perez 6) Grosjean 7) Ricciardo 8) Hulkenberg 9) Massa 10) Kvyat

Lotus' Pastor Maldonado talking to BBC F1's Lee McKenzie after he was taken out by McLaren's Fernando Alonso on lap one:

"It happens - that is racing. We are already thinking about next year and trying hard to get better and better. We have all the tools and chances."

Lee asks if he is confident that Lotus will become Renault.

He replies: "Hopefully, yes."

Max Verstappen, after passing his team-mate Carlos Sainz and into P11, locks up and is on team radio soon after. He's flatted spotted his tyre and has to pit for the second time.

Still waiting for Sebastian Vettel's first stop as we approach half-race distance. In contrast, Fernando Alonso makes his third stop of the race, after the early collision and subsequent drive through penalty. He is back out and running dead last.