Session restarts in one minute. 

Fernando Alonso will be hoping to get longer out on the circuit. He had just gone out for the first time when Jolyon Palmer crashed, meaning he had to head straight back in.

Helmet off, Jolyon Palmer strides to the back of the Renault garage. He looks understandably frustrated at having his time on the circuit cut short.

Meanwhile, the stricken Renault has been recovered and marshals are cleaning up the remaining bits of debris. 

The rest of the drivers are waiting patiently to head back out. Shouldn't be long before the session resumes.

Image source, AP

Image source, Rex Features

Tom Clarkson
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

Jolyon is not limping which is great to see, so physically he is fine.

It looks like Jolyon Palmer lost the back end of his car at the final corner and before he knows what's happening he is into the barrier.

"I'm fine," he reports over the radio.

Red flagpublished at 05:24 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2017

05:24 GMT 24 March 2017

Red flag and it's for Jolyon Palmer's Renault. 

And now Sebastian Vettel goes quickest with 1:24.926 to give us a Ferrari one-two at the top of the order. 

So that's Ferrari-Ferrari-Mercedes-Mercedes in the top four and once again Lewis Hamilton is ahead of Valtteri Bottas. The Briton showing his new team-mate who is boss?

Image source, AP

Lewis Hamilton improves to move back into P2 with a 1:25.096, just 0.063s slower than Kimi Raikkonen on the slower compound of tyres.

Kimi Raikkonen, on supersofts, goes top of the timesheet with a 1:25.087, 0.062s quicker than Valtteri Bottas, who had just gone quickest moments earlier.

Both Ferraris are on the track now. Will we finally see more pace from them after a low-key showing in first practice? 

Tom Clarkson
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

Max Verstappen's car is up on the jacks but the floor is being put on as I speak.

And Lewis Hamilton goes quickest with a 1:25.283 on a set of softs. Expect it to be a short stay as Valtteri Bottas is coming round now on supersofts.

Thirteen of the 20 drivers have been out on track now with the noticeable absentees being Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

Meanwhile, Felipe Massa is currently quickest after a 1:26.367 but Lewis Hamilton is on a quick lap now...

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Melbourne

The F1 Group, under new ownership following the takeover over the winter that removed Bernie Ecclestone, has set out its future vision for F1 in a news conference today. 

Much of it was ground that has already been covered. But a couple of matters stood out. Sporting boss Ross Brawn said he was keen to work with the teams and the FIA to come up with a new aerodynamic design philosophy that allowed the cars to race closer together. If you want to read more on how that might happen, cast your eyes over a feature we did on this website earlier this week. 

Commercial boss Sean Bratches was asked how the new pay TV-only deal for F1 in the UK squared with the desire to increase F1’s reach. He didn’t really have a convincing answer, other than to talk about using digital media to promote the sport. How that will replace the lost audience remains unclear.  

Romain Grosjean skips across the grass at Turn One after a lock up. The slow mo replay makes for a dramatic shot as tufts of grass kick up behind the Haas, but it looks like no damage done as he gets back on his way.

Image source, AP

Fernando Alonso is definitely not going to be out anytime soon. His McLaren is up on the stands and surrounded by mechanics.

Alonso's team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne is out there though as Romain Grosjean sets the first time of FP2 with a 1:26.912.

Image source, Rex Features