Image source, ap

Only the die hard fans have braved the rain, with a fair few empty seats at the moment.

Everyone has been out for a bit of a splash through the puddles now apart from the two Toro Rossos and the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

The new Haas team have had a splendid first two races, but things have taken a turn for the worse in Shanghai. 

Romain Grosjean, sixth and fifth in Australia and Bahrain, was very dissatisfied with the car on Friday, saying it was “very difficult to drive” - and it seemed that was not solely to do with the high tyre pressures mandated for everyone and about which he complained vociferously. 

At least he got some laps in, though. Team-mate Esteban Gutierrez did inly six laps in total all day - including in- and out-laps - after a gearbox sensor failure in the first session and a brake-by-wire failure that locked the rear brakes and caused a fire early in P2.

You've thought about this one too much!

Now here comes Lewis Hamilton for the first time in this session with a shade over 30 minutes left.

"Everything feels normal," reports Kevin Mganussen. "It's ok really, well apart from the wet obviously."

Magnussen, and several others, are back in the pits, leaving Nico Rosberg and Daniil Kvyat on the track.

Kvyat goes fastest of all through the first sector but is pushing a bit too much in the conditions as he has a brief off before returning to the circuit.

Image source, F1.com

Here's Valtteri Bottas, who was the first driver out on track in this session. His run was watched with interest by some of the other drivers before deciding whether or not to get out there.

We've had six cars out so far, Pascal Wehrlein is the latest to venture out onto the wet track.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

Fernando Alonso has provided over the last fortnight a pretty convincing riposte to those who doubt his commitment to the McLaren-Honda project. 

After breaking a rib in his terrifying accident in Australia, he wanted to race in Bahrain two weeks later and, when told by FIA doctors he couldn’t, stayed with the team all weekend helping replacement Stoffel Vandoorne. 

This weekend, he has turned up in China - still less than four weeks since suffering an injury that will take six weeks to heal - and is driving. 

Alonso admits he is in discomfort, but said he could handle it. “I feel good,” he said. “I missed the feeling of being in the car. 

"Even if we are not super-competitive, I love what I do. A little bit of pain, the rib is a bit fractured so that is normal and there are long corners here, but the pain is manageable, I guess, and there is no other risk to be in the car.”

Fernando Alonso, who got the green light to race this weekend after missing the Bahrain GP with a broken rim, is informed that the rain is easing as he weaves his way around the circuit.

Huge spray kicking up behind the Williams, to be expected. Kevin Magnussen heads on out for his first run since first practice, while both McLarens are out on the track.

Getting busier.

Valtteri Bottas finally gives us something to watch on the track as he takes the Williams out on full wets. 

Felipe Massa is about to join him.

BBC weather's Ian Fergusson: "0512 BST. The current spell of rain is just about to ease, but a threat of showers remains on into the afternoon."

Tom Clarkson
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

"The rain is easing off a little bit. Assuming it is not too dangerous out there we should see Kevin Magnussen out there today and get some mileage after suspension failure yesterday."