Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the opening Grand Prix of the season in Melbourne.

Lewis Hamilton asks his pit crew if Alonso is on a three stop - "yes, but we still want to keep him behind" comes the answer.

Fernando Alonso has closed right up behind Lewis Hamilton - the former team-mates will go wheel-to-wheel here...

The rain is here - just enough to grease up the track a bit, not enough to justify a switch to intermediates.

Raikkonen is warned to stay out for the brief shower that we're now getting - umbrellas and ponchos come out among the crowd. Lotus's star will be delighted that the rain will soothe his ageing tyres.

Raikkonen has stretched his lead over Lewis Hamilton out to nearly 13 seconds - both drivers now seem certain to be going for a two-stop strategy, something which a bit of rain will only help them with.

"Light drops of rain, but don't expect a lot" Red Bull tell their drivers over the pit radio.

Nico Rosberg goes out! He was in third place, but the car shoots out a plume of thick white smoke - rather like the cardinals choosing a Pope - and grinds to a halt. Possible gearbox problem, given his niggles earlier in the weekend.

Raikkonen currently leads from Hamilton, with Rosberg in third place - but all three have only stopped once so far.

Pastor Maldonado goes out - the Williams spins off and gets stuck in the gravel on the last turn, just as he was about to come into the pits.

Rain expected in eight minutes!

Poor stop for Massa he was looking in great shape earlier, but is now sevemth and seemingly an also-ran. Ahead of him Vettel is now right up behind Alonso.

Felipe Massa comes into the pits now - aand he comes back out behind Alonso, Vettel and Sutil.

Sebastian Vettel goes past Adrian Sutil! Brilliant bit of driving round the outside followed by some late braking.

Felipe Massa is our leader - but he is sure to come in to the pits soon.... unless he tries to make it with just two stops?

Sutil beats Vettel out of the pits! But he loses the lead in any case as Fernando Alonso has stormed round since changing tyres, and now grabs the initiative.

Sutil is coming in at last - and Vettel is coming in too!

Alonso re-emerges in seventh place - and up ahead of him, Vettel almost loses it on turn 1. Looks like the world champion needs new tyres again already...

Sutil is actually growing his lead - and now Fernando Alonso is in for his second stop.

Sutil remains 1.5 seconds ahead of Vettel, and in the lead - he's simply not being caught, and he doesn't appear to be struggling for grip. Meanwhile, it looks like Raikkonen is coming in for a second stop.

Mark Webber darts into the pits - he was going nowhere in bad traffic, seems like he just decided to take a punt on making an early change.

Lewis Hamiton's pit crew tell him over the radio that he's "doing a great job" and that his "pace is just what you need". He's 10.5 seconds behind Raikkonen - so it seems likely Mercedes are trying a two-stop strategy as well.