@mfbull: Your published comment was the reward. Thank me later.
Hulkenberg jumps ahead of Button into 12th with his latest lap.
Alonso now leaps into 12th with his next run, some two tenths quicker than Button's quickest time.
Hulkenberg complains his downshifts are slow.
@Caffrey: We don't know what the issue is yet.
Or if there is an issue, that is.
@SudhakarP: Hamilton stopped on track earlier as a precaution. The team had no telemetry on his car and when he reported a snap at the rear the team advised him to pull over to preserve his race engine.
Rosberg shaves four tenths off the headline time, dipping it to a 1:30.124. Verstappen jump to fourth, right behind team-mate Sainz. Just two tenths separating the two Toro Rosso rookies.
For those who asked, Vettel is now out on track.
Vettel starts his first timed lap of the day.
@rockedin123: Your guess is as good as mine.
I'd say Alonso was right about the initial statements not helping the situation - had McLaren waited, assessed the situation and then released a measured statement a day or two later, the whole mess could have been avoided.
Vettel's first lap puts him sixth, two tenths down on Kimi.
Maldonado has a bit of a wobble coming out of Turn 9.
Ricciardo crosses 1.663s down on Rosberg, but it's enough to split the Toro Rosso drivers and go fourth.
@rpr: No, they don't. The stuff about when he was unconscious is what really confused me, as he said he was only out in the ambulance.
Massa the latest driver to run wide at Turn 9.
@Varun: At the moment there is a McLaren either side of the two Force Indias. Two tenths covering all four cars.
@mfbull: I think he had a rare moment of being completely blameless. Not much you can do about being pitched into the wall like that.
Raikkonen and Vettel have both improved to second and third. Raikkonen just eight tenths down on Rosberg, Vettel a further five tenths down.
Bottas' latest effort only puts him eighth.
Hulkenberg now reporting the driveability of his Force India is very bad.
Not unusual to hear so many complaints in FP1 as teams try to find the sweet spots of their cars.
@rockedin123: The FIA will be looking into it. That McLaren wouldn't be allowed to race if there was a genuine safety concern.
Alonso getting really wide through Turn 12. Looks like he had a spot of understeer there.
That answers my question from earlier. Silly rule.
April 10: Free practice 1