Hamilton goes P1 on his first run, but there are still a few of the top names to set times.

Still 7 cars to set times, meanwhile Alonso goes fastest.

Trulli, di Grassi, Kovalainen, Yamamoto, Senna, Button and Kubica have no times as yet, but Button's on track now.

Vettel goes P2 and Webber P6, then Hamilton takes P1 again.

Button only makes P14.

Current bottom 7:-

Liuzzi
Trulli
Glock
Kovalainen
di Grassi
Senna
Yamamoto

After a few ups and downs the bottom 7 remain the same, with Yamamoto and Senna swapping places.

18. Liuzzi
19. Trulli
20. Glock
21. Kovalainen
22. di Grassi
23. Yamamoto
24. Senna

Q2 now, several cars out right away.

Vettel, Webber and Kubica are the only three who have made it to Q3 in every qualifying this year,

Top 3:-

Vettel
Massa
Hamilton

With Button 9th

Current Q2 drop zone:-

Petrov
Hulkenberg
Alguersuari
Sutil
Buemi
Heidfeld
Kobayashi

Vettel's currently fastest.

Bottom 7 are changing places with each other, but none are getting into the top ten.

Final Q2 drop zone :-

11. Hulkenberg
12. Kobayashi
13. Heidfeld
14. Sutil
15. Petrov
16. Alguersuari
17. Buemi

Q3, seven cars out fairly rapidly. Webber, Hamilton, Button in a crocadile.

Hamilton P1
Webber P2
Button P3

Alonso now P1

Vettel goes P2

Kubica P4

Hamilton goes into the wall at the pit entry.

Massa P4 now.

Webber P2 now.

Vettel  goes P1

Webber goes P2 again.

Alonso pushed down to P3.

Final qualifying result:-

1. Vette
2. Webber
3. Alonso
4. Hamilton
5. Rosberg
6. Massa
7. Button
8. Kubica
9. Schumacher
10. Barrichello
11. Hulkenberg
12. Kobayashi
13. Heidfeld
14. Sutil
15. Petrov
16. Alguersuari
17. Buemi
18. Liuzzi
19. Trulli
20. Glock
21. Kovalainen
22. di Grassi
23. Yamamoto
24. Senna

Petrov will be 20th on the starting grid barring other penalties.

The forecast probability of rain has become a reality. The intensity of said rain is fluctuating and the BIG question is whether the cars will start on intermediates or full wets. There is also a possibility that the race will start behind the safety car.

There doesn't seem to be much in the way of standing water, so it's more likely that they'll start on intermediates, but it is currently lashing, so who knows?

It has just been announced that the start has been put back 10 minutes, because of the rain.

One of the problems is that no-one has any experience of running in the rain on this track.

Further announcement that the race will start behind the Safety Car.

Seems like they will start on extreme wets.

Lots of pitting for tyre changes is expected.

Still raining heavily, but is expected to lessen soon.

Unspectacular start as the crocodile gets underway.

The spray is phenomenal.
I think they will have several laps behind the Safety Car before enough water has been shifted to allow proper racing.

Forecast is for another 20 minutes of rain.

The spray is still quite phenomenal, but does seem to be a bit less in places.

LAP 3 AND THE RACE HAS BEEN STOPPED!!!!

Current forecast is for rain for a further hour, but they are looking at re-starting in 20 minutes....apparently!

Rain has reduced to a drizzel, the question nowis how long before darkness falls. It's approaching 4 pm local time.

The rules appear to say that half points will be awarded if the race lasts for more than 2 laps but less than 75% distance. So as we were on lap 3 or 4 then they'll all get half points if there's no more racing or sufficiently reduced amount of racing.

They need to complete 42 or more laps to get full points.

Race to restart at 0805 BST, behind the safety car again.

Rain did stop, but has started again.

The track is not draining and the squeegee trucks are out.

Someone had their Left and Right tyres on the wrong way round!!!

We're underway again, there's still a lot of spray, but is quite visibly less than it was earlier. Though when you get the Driver's-eye-view, there doesn't seem to be much difference.

Dramatically different amounts of water in different parts of the track. Large amounts of spray in some areas and almost none in other places.

1 hour 35 of race time left - 1 hour 25 to sunset!!!

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Rain for a further 5 minutes, but no word of intensity.

Those who have pitted for new tyres were able to go half a second faster now in catching up with the pack, but some of the drivers are still saying it's not safe to race.

Safety Car in at the end of lap 17.

A lot of change right away.

Scumacher's up a place and is pressing Button who has been passed by Rosberg and Massa.
Rosberg gets past Button and Hamilton.
Sutil goes wide and loses a place.

ACCIDENT!!!!
Webber goes wide, across the rumble strip. loses grip. spins. hits the wall and catapults across the track. Rosberg goes onto the grass but Webber's car is travelling too fast and Rosberg cant avoid hitting him.

THEY'RE BOTH OUT. SAFETY CAR OUT AGAIN!!

Some of the cars pit for intermediates under the Safety Car, but several laps on and they are not prforming too well.

Schumacher has now passed Button,
 Some more back markers retire. (di Grassi, Trulli)

Hulkenberg is now eying up Button, who pits from 6th and exits in 16th

Sutil spins on intermediates and Senna goes off, also on intermediates. They don't lose places though.
Hulkenberg is 10th after pitting for intermediates, but loses it to Petrov.
Buemi and Glock crash.
Safety car deployed.
Vettel pits and exits P!
Alonso pits but has a problem and exits P3 behind Hamilton.

Buemi and Glock's crash being investigated.

Near collision in the pit lane.

Safety car in at end of lap 34.

Hamilton goes wide at the first corner and Alonso gets through.

Massa has a good look at Hamilton, but it's no go.

Sutil passes button for 13th, but they both run wide and both are passed by another car. Button 15th and Sutil 14th.

Sutil recovers quickly and makes up two places. Passes another car but runs extremely wide and loses those three places and is back just in front of Button.

Petrov has just slipped of track and there is a HUGE impact. MASSIVLY audible, wheels come off, but he climbs out virtually unscathed. No safety car though.

AARRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

VETTEL'S OUT!!!!!! His Engine has blown!

Sutil tries to pass Kobayashi, but hits him instead and puts himself out of the race.

At some point Kovalainen got a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

Barrichello runs wide and loses two places, to Kubica and Liuzzi. (Commentators were surprised to see Liuzzi finish ahead of Barrichello. They actually said 'We didn't see that.')

Alguersuari makes it into 10th. but Hulkenberg gets it back in the last moments.

Button finishes in 12th.

Alonso and Hamilton are the only two of the championship contenders to score points.

Alonso 11 points ahead of Webber.
Webber 14 points ahead of Vettel.

Hamilton is in 3rd place, 21 behind Alonso, 10 behind Webber and 4 ahead of Vettel.

Result:-

1. Alonso
2. Hamilton
3. Massa
4. Schumacher
5. Kubica
6. Liuzzi
7. Barrichello
8. Kobayashi
9. Heidfeld
10. Hulkenberg
11. Alguersuari
12. Button
13. Kovalainen
14. Senna
15. Yamamoto
16. Sutil
17. Vettel - retired
18. Petrov - crash
19. Glock - crash
20. Buemi - crash
21. di Grassi - retired
22. Trulli - retired
23. Rosberg - crash
24. Webber - crash

With 2 races left, the only contenders for top position are now:

Position	Driver	Country	Team	Points
1	Fernando Alonso	Spa	Ferrari	231
2	Mark Webber	Aus	Red Bull-Renault	220
3	Lewis Hamilton	GB	McLaren-Mercedes	210
4	Sebastian Vettel	Ger	Red Bull-Renault	206
5	Jenson Button	GB	McLaren-Mercedes	189

though Button's chances are only mathematical.