Lewis Hamilton then missed the apex at Turn 3, a very messy first sector from the reigning world champion.

Surely it's Nico Rosberg's pole to lose?

A mistake by Lewis Hamilton at the first corner. Just how much will that cost him?

Mark Gallagher
BBC Radio 5 live Formula 1 analyst

The gap in performance is huge between Rosberg and Hamilton, and huge between Mercedes and the rest of the field. Rosberg looks in fine form, but much of the gap can be explained by Rosberg’s clearer run this weekend. Hamilton has had technical issues and then that lock up in practice this morning.

Sounds like Red Bull just did not hook it up.

"That was a really bad lap," says Max Verstappen. "We need to see what we can do with the tyres."

Can they find a little bit more?

Image source, Getty Images

So the order after everyone's first lap in Q3 is:

1) Rosberg 2) Hamilton 3) Raikkonen 4) Ricciardo 5) Verstappen 6) Sainz 7) Alonso 8) Hulkenberg 9 Perez. 

No time yet from Daniil Kvyat.

Lewis Hamilton is 0.7 seconds down on Nico Rosberg, emphasising just how good a lap that was form Rosberg. He's looking on it, that's for sure.

Meanwhile, Kimi Raikkonen goes third quickest with 1:43.540. 

The expected challenge from Red Bulls doesn't appear to be there.

Image source, Getty Images

Daniel Ricciardo crosses the line with a 1:43.7 but he is immediately beaten by Nico Rosberg who does a 1:42.584. What a lap from Rosberg! He's 1.1 seconds clear of Ricciardo, but here comes Lewis Hamilton...

Image source, Getty Images

Daniel Ricciardo is the first of the front runners to start a flying lap. 

Here we go...

Image source, AP

"The right front is always difficult to wake up," says Lewis Hamilton.

Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen waste no time getting out onto the circuit.

Kimi Raikkonen and Daniil Kvyat, meanwhile, bide their time before heading out.

Here we go then. The battle for pole position is under way.

Jenson Button, talking to Radio 5 live Sports Extra: “Turn 14 exit, I tapped the wall with the left rear. I didn’t think I hit it that hard, but it has broken the wheel and given me a puncture. A lot of people clipped the walls this weekend, but only I got a puncture! It has been a tough weekend because I just haven’t found the pace in the car. The race will be tricky, because Force India and Toro Rosso are very quick over a long run. But you never know what will happen here. It gets mixed up after lap one, with safety cars and the like, so you have to stay positive.”

Image source, AP

What's the next step up from a sweaty boot? Underpants?

The marshals are using their bums to push the barriers back into place after Romain Grosjean's crash. Obviously works as you'd never know there had been a crash there. 

Q3 is due to start in three minutes.

There will be a 10-minute delay to Q3 as that barrier is repaired after Romain Grosjean's crash.

Jenson Button also came to a stop around the same time having damaged his steering after brushing a wall.