Another Force India on the track as Sergio Perez joins his team-mate in giving inters a go.

Not much spray kicking up behind either car.

All eyes on Esteban Ocon.

He's gone back out with inters on his Force India.

All quiet on the track once again after that flutter of activity. The rain has eased considerably and the track is drying quickly.

Not been the most eventful 50 minutes. I wonder how many European-based followers we have lost to sleep?

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

With the exception of Fernando Alonso and McLaren, the main seats on the driver market are all sorted, and Williams is the main team of interest remaining. Williams are not completely sold on the idea of retaining Felipe Massa for a fifth year and want to explore the possibility of Robert Kubica.

But they have not yet held the test they are planning to do with the Pole to check where he is in his recovery from his horrific rally accident in early 2011 and the effect the limited mobility in his right arm has on his driving. If that does not work out, Massa is their fall-back option, for want of a better description, with reserve driver Paul Di Resta very much an outside possibility.

“The team knows what I can give,” Massa said on Thursday. "The people in the management have their own way to decide, which hopefully is in the right direction as a top team. I'm totally motivated to carry on another year. I'm staying if the team really wants to have me as a professional. And I'm quite relaxed. If I stay here next year I'm sure I will do the best I can. But if not, I'm relaxed to find a different way of life as well. I will not wait until December. To be honest I don't put a timeline on it, but I hope it will be in the next weeks. I don't want to arrive maybe at the last two races not knowing about my future.”

"Track is good. Not much standing water," says Pierre Gasly.

Image source, Getty Images

Now Pierre Gasly heads out in the Toro Rosso for an exploratory lap.

Neither the Red Bulls or the Mercedes have gone out yet with 49 minutes left on the clock.

Charles Leclerc is getting a run out in the Sauber for the first time in this session.

Other driver changes sees Sergey Sirotkin in the Renault and Antonio Giovinazzi in the Haas.

Still waiting for Pierre Gasly to head out for the first time. It will be a very different Toro Rosso lineup today with Indonesian F2 racer Sean Galael getting an FP1 run out.

Image source, Rex Features

Fernando Alonso has got the halo on his McLaren for this exploratory lap.

His team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne has joined him now on the track.

Amit Mandalia: I remember 1st Malaysian GP in 1999: Schumi’s comeback from broken leg. Won by Irvine then DSQ for illegal barge boards but won appeal.

Now there's movement.

Both the Ferraris and the McLaren of Fernando Alonso. All on full wets.

Image source, Getty Images

Green light goes on at the end of the pit lane, so cars can head out out onto the track.

No-one initially takes up the opportunity.

Image source, Getty Images

The drivers are getting strapped into their cars - including Pierre Gasly at Toro Rosso.

The Frenchman has had to wait a bit a longer than he perhaps expected to make his debut today but only a couple of minutes for him to wait now.

Good news. The rain has eased and the conditions have improved enough for first practice to start at 04:30 BST.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

Fernando Alonso went to the UK and spent some time at the McLaren factory between Singapore and Malaysia but he has still not signed a new contract. It is expected to come, but he says there are still details to be worked out. “Still ongoing,” he said. “The conversations, nothing really changed. My wish, my intention is to study everything and make sure we have a competitive package. I think the team has all the ingredients to be competitive but the situation didn’t change from last weekend.”

BBC Sport understands his salary has been agreed and Alonso confirmed money “will not be a problem; the problem is how competitive we can be. That is the only thing. There are still some things going on and some pieces I need to fit in the programme and ideas I have for next year. I want to be competitive. If I stay in F1 it is because I feel I can be competitive. I am still optimistic I can do that at McLaren but we just need to fit a couple of things together.”

Actually, that earlier teaser was a little cruel because the circuit it shows is not the circuit it was in the past, rather how it looks in the area now.

It's Zandvoort, which has hugely changed since its F1 days - but its famous first Tarzan corner is still intact.

Let's try another one. Which F1 race did this circuit once host?

Image source, .

Image source, Getty Images

Max Verstappen is enjoying the final day of being a teenager today because tomorrow is is 20th birthday.

The celebrations have already started in the paddock.

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Don't forget you can listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and online right now.

Send any comments or questions you have for the team to #bbcf1.

Jack Nicholls
Radio 5 live Formula 1 commentator

Some of the shots we are getting of the far parts of the circuit it looks like the rain is easing a bit.