15:01 Mercedes has no telemetry for Rosberg but fortunately Nico reports that he got a good practice start just now.

15:00 Away they go on the formation lap. All 22 make it away cleanly and the mechanics exit the grid to the pit lane.

14:59 It looks like Magnussen is the only man on medium tyres. Everybody else is on softs.

14:58 The tyre warmers are about to come off and expose the first option in the strategy.

14:53 However, it's the front tyres that tend to degrade quicker around this circuit, which sometimes throws up some different results in terms of strategy. But expect the likes of Force India to be a bit easier on the tyres still, although the Red Bulls also looked light on their rubber in Friday practice.

14:51 All drivers have the choice of compound to start the race after a wet qualifying yesterday. Every set put on at the pit stops will be fresh, so the whole grid is on an even playing field in terms of strategy.

14:49 Just ten minutes ahead of the start of the race now. That means the media have all been told to clear the grid 15 minutes ago and soon the VIPs and hangers on will have to exit too.

14:47 There's a full grandstand on the pit straight, but you never quite know whether they have are all paying for the privilege or are on a freebie.

14:45 Williams' Rob Smedley says the pit wall will be keeping an eye on the skies during the race, so we could get a little bit of rain still. He adds a podium is possible for his boys today.

14:44 Alonso is arriving in his fifth place grid slot. He's confident Ferrari can have the best performance of the year so far. The car has certainly looked a little bit more competitive, but there were suggestions they were showboating on Friday to impress the new boss Marco Mattiacci.

14:42 The cars are on the grid and being prepped for the start. Vettel says the track is back "where it was on Friday morning" after some overnight rain.

14:35 Welcome to ESPN's live coverage of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend. It'll be no surprise for you to hear that a Mercedes is on pole, but the two Red Bulls managed to qualify ahead of Nico Rosberg yesterday in the wet. It's dry today, so expect the Mercedes to be a league ahead, but tyre degradation will be quite high and the question is whether to two stop or three stop.

Lap 1

Hamilton leads into Turn 1. Massa makes a great start but makes contact with Alonso even before they reach Turn 1.

Alonso has made a good start nonetheless and is up to third ahead of Ricciardo. Vettel is second but is already seeing Hamilton pull away.

Rosberg is down to seventh, Ricciardo is fourth.

Lap 2

Robserg moves past Hulkenberg for sixth place, but it's not a good start for the second Mercedes.

Massa is still fifth depsite that whack with Alonso on the run down to Turn 1.

The two McLarens have lost out with Button 14th and Magnussen 16th.

Lap 3

Hamilton already leads by 2.4s from Vettel, who is 1.1s ahead of Alonso.

Lap 4

Button beats Vergne into Turn 2 for P13. Nice move as Magnussen complains he has front wing damage. He seemed to take a knock in Turn 1 at the start.

Ricciardo is 0.8s off Alonso and should have a quicker car overall. But the straight-line speed is pretty evenly matched between those two, so it won't be easy to pass.

Rosberg attempts a move on Massa at Turn 1 but the Williams is able to hold him a bay.

Lap 5

Hamilton now leads by 3.5s from Vettel. Alonso has upped his pace and is a second off Vettel and 1.5s ahead of Ricciardo. Alonso is also the quickest in sector one, so maybe the Ferrari is quicker than we thought.

Now Rosberg is past Massa, he went by at the hairpin on the last lap, using the immense straight-line speed of the Mercedes to get the job done.

Lap 6

Alonso is visibly closing on Vettel's Red Bull now.

Alonso is pushing very hard but has to be careful not to take too much life out of his front-left tyre.

Mercedes confirms the telemetry has gone completely on Rosberg's car. That means he will be responsible for all aspects of race management, including fuel usage.

Lap 7

Sutil's race has come to an end and he is wheeled back into the pits.

Alonso is now complaining of front-left graining. Sometimes the tyre will go through a graining phase and then come back, but a driver can lose a lot of time in between.

Lap 8

Hulkenberg appears to be closing on Massa. The Force India is a little easier on its tyres, so he may well come good towards the end of the stint.

Button is the first to pit and takes on medium tyres.

Lap 9

Button rejoins in last place, but will have an advantage if all the other cars out there are losing time with a graining left front.

Vettel told he cannot pit now because there is not a gap in the traffic behind to slot him into. The pit wall has to earn their money at times like these.

Meanwhile, Hamilton leads by 8.5s and appears to have tyres in better shape than anyone.

Lap 10

Grosjean pits from 11th. He also takes on mediums and comes out ahead of Chiton and Button.

Not only can you see the wear on the tread of Alonso's tyre, the contact with Massa also made a mess of the sidewalls.

Lap 11

Massa pits and so does Raikkonen. Medium tyres on the Ferrari, but Massa has a very slow stop as the rears did not seem to be ready and are not going on.

Smoke is pouring from the brakes. Maybe it was damage to the hub from that first lap contact that means the wheels are more difficult to fit. Massa rejoins in last place.

Lap 12

Alonso has a smooth stop to switch to mediums. Force India also get Hulkenberg away relatively swiftly.

Alonso rejoined in seventh and is the quickest car in sector two at the moment. Quicker than the Red Bull and Mercedes because of his new tyres.

Lap 13

Vettel reacts by pitting for medium tyres. Alonso has got ahead of Vettel by pitting that lap earlier. Good work by the Ferrari pit wall to manoeuvre their man forward.

Vettel is very quick on his new rubber, but again will struggle to have a straight-line speed advantage over the Ferrari.

Lap 14

Rosberg pits and comes out behind the two Toro Rossos who haven't pitted yet. Rosberg also took a turn of front wing angle after complaining of a lack of front-end grip.

Lap 15

Hamilton stays out for another lap, and why not? He's 17.1s ahead of Ricciardo who hasn't stopped yet either and over 30s ahead of Alonso in third.

Perez passes ex-team-mate Button for 14th place.

Vettel radios to say he is too slow on the straight to pass Alonso and the team confirms he should back off to save tyres and fuel.

Lap 16

Now Ricciardo pits from second to take on medium tyres. Ricciardo comes out behind Rosberg after staying out longer on old tyres. That was probably inevitable in this race, but with Rosberg running without telemetry it might have been a good idea to make him work for position.

Hamilton is still happy with his car but is losing time to Alonso at the moment by staying out. On the other hand he will be able to set himself up for a two stop by staying out, which in theory is the quicker strategy due to the length of the Chinese pit lane.

Lap 17

Hamilton runs wide, after a lock-up at Turn 6. Looks like it's time to pit.

And in comes Hamilton. Medium tyres go on and there's a bit of smoke from his front brakes, but nothing unusual. And out he goes again to resume the lead.

Lap 18

Perez attacks Magnussen, who decides to pit for new tyres - that's his first stop after starting on mediums.

Alonso is now 3.7s off Hamilton, so it looks as though that has closed the gap at the front, but the you have to remember that he is now on tyres that are seven laps younger and he will be able to comfortably do a two-stop.

Rosberg reads out his fuel left on his dash and Mercedes says he is on target.

Lap 19

Good to see the Lotus of Grosjean going well in ninth place after their tricky start to the year. Points could be on for today.

Lap 20

Alonso has now dropped to 4.5s off Hamilton, so the Mercedes is able to ease into its comfortable lead again. Rosberg is starting to close on Vettel so that's the next battle we'll see among the front runners.

Lap 21

Rosberg should be able to breeze past Vettel with the extra fuel he has in hand and the immense straight-line speed of the Mercedes.

Rosberg is now 1.5s off Vettel and closing. He's 3.1s clear of Ricciardo who is quicker than both Alonso and Vettel at the moment and will want to get into position to pick up any scraps. Rosberg is being clocked at 334km/h on the straight, so with DRS will have an advantage of roughly 10km/h.

Lap 22

Rosberg is on the back of the Red Bull now but did struggle to stay on the back of the Red Bull through the long Turn 13,

But Rosberg has more straight-line speed and attacks Vettel on the inside at the hairpin. They both run a little wide but Rosberg has the line into the last corner.

Lap 23

Vettel is trying to attack Rosberg back into Turn 1. But can't quite make it stick and Rosberg takes the position. Great driving by both of them but that has allowed Ricciardo to close on Vettel.

Ricciardo has a look into the hairpin and puts Vettel off line.

Lap 24

Ricciardo now attempts a move on the outside of Turn 1 with the use of DRS and his fresher tyres. This is going to be a great battle between these team-mates, with both very evenly matched so far this year. Ricciardo was quicker in qualifying but Vettel got a better start, so there are scores to settle.

Lap 25

And Vettel is told to let Ricciardo through. Will the world champion obey the order? Ricciardo is given the same order to pass his team-mate. In theory, this is a straight race.

Vettel asks which tyres Ricciardo is on. He's told it's the same and then tells the pit wall "tough luck" so Ricciardo won't get a free pass.

This is getting spicy, as Ricciardo attempts a move into Turn 14 and Vettel closes off the inside.

Lap 26

Ricciardo attacks again into Turn 1 and Vettel has no response other than to come across on his team-mate. He decides not to play it safe and gives Ricciardo the space.

Ah, now we get an extra message saying Ricciardo is on a two-stop, so that could be why Vettel made way.

Lap 27

Back at the front, and Hamilton leads by 10.9s from Alonso. Rosberg is 4.7s off Alonso so the Ferrari is showing good race pace. However, we think Alonso is on a three-stopper so he will have to keep an eye on Ricciardo who is only 10s behind and has one less stop to make.

Lap 28

Bad news for Grosjean as he has lost fourth gear. That Lotus is still proving problematic and that might mean his hopes of a point are gone.

Gutierrez pits from 15th.

Lap 29

Interestingly, Hamilton has used more fuel than the rest, so might have to save towards the end of the race. I don't think that will cause him any issues.

Grosjean has real problems as he runs wide and then slows on the long straight. He's about to retire.

Button pits for the second time.

Lap 30

Rosberg has now closed the gap to Alonso to 3.0s. Ricciardo is 7.0s back on Rosberg but is still inching closer to the Ferrari. It could be that Alonso is trying to eke out a two-stop here, strategies are liable to change as the track rubbers up and fuel loads go down.

Lap 31

And Rosberg takes another 0.8s out of Alonso on that last lap. Looks like we should have a battle on our hands soon. There is a Marussia between the two on the back straight, but Rosberg soon finds a way past.

Lap 32

And the gap closes to 1.2s. Rosberg is going to be able to attack very soon. Will Alonso put up a fight? It seems inevitable he will lose the position, but he is still in a battle with the Red Bulls behind.

Hamilton, meanwhile, is 15.3s clear at the front.

Lap 33

Rosberg is told to push hard to pass Alonso. There are blue flags out for the Ferrari, but I suspect that is the mistake of the local marshals.

Lap 34

Alonso pits before Rosberg has a chance to attack. Medium tyres go on that have to last 22 laps to make the end. His last stint was 15 laps.

Vettel is complaining about a Caterham coming out on fresh tyres and passing him and unlapping himself.

Lap 35

Hamilton now leads Rosberg by 17.7s.

Vettel pits for medium tyres now. My mistake on Alonso's tyre usage, it was actually 25 laps on those last tyres, so he's set for a two stop quite easily.

Lap 36

Vettel is also back on a two stop strategy despite being told earlier in the race that he was on a different strategy to Ricciardo. Odd stuff, but as I said, strategies change with the track rubbering up and fuel loads coming down.

Lap 37

Hamilton now leads by 18.9s from Rosberg. Ricciardo is 7.5s off second place and 12.1s ahead of Alonso, who has made his second stop.

Lap 38

A replay shows Rosberg locking up and running wide at Turn 11. He comes into the pits for new medium tyres.

Ricciardo pits too. Rosberg is out behind Alonso and we now think they are both on the same strategy.

Ricciardo comes out ahead of Vettel still and has fresher tyres. So even if Vettel is a little bit angry, he has little chance of getting back past his team-mate.

Lap 39

Hamilton pits with smoking brakes. New medium tyres go on and the mechanics clean the rubber from his front wing to help with front-end downforce.

Red Bull confirms Ricciardo will go to the end on his new tyres.

Hamilton leads Alonso by 32.9s with Rosberg 5.6s behind the Ferrari. Although that was before, or as, Hamilton pitted.

Lap 40

The real gap at the front is 12.7s between Hamilton and Alonso as Alonso and then Rosberg set new fastest laps of the race.

Rosberg says reading the fuel level is becoming annoying for him, but without telemetry the team is very keen to know.

Lap 41

Rosberg closes the gap to 2.1s off Alonso. Ricciardo is 6.0s further down the road from the Mercedes with Vettel 7.3s off his team-mate.

Lap 42

Massa is now being lapped by Alonso and Rosberg. Disappointing day for the Williams who is down in 16th after that botched first pit stop.

His team-mate Bottas is seventh and 2.9s off Hulkenberg and 12.8s ahead of Raikkonen, who has had an anonymous race. He was not happy with the car in qualifying, hence the 11th place grid spot.

Rosberg breezes past Alonso on the back straight, not the battle we'd hoped for. Once again, the lack of Ferrari power is laid bare.

Lap 43

Alonso didn't put up a fight, but he will have had one eye on the Red Bull of Ricciardo behind. The gap is now 6.6s between Alonso and Ricciardo. That should be a more exciting battle, with the two cars more closely matched on the straights.

Lap 44

Hamilton's lead over his team-mate is 14.9s so we should be set to see the two Mercedes cruise to the finish.

Ricciardo takes another 0.8s out of Alonso on that last lap. He's closing in quickly with 12 laps remaining.

Lap 45

Alonso sets a new personal best on the last lap, but again Ricciardo is able to close the gap, this time by 0.3s.

Rosberg is told fuel is fine until the end. So despite the lack of telemetry he is managing fuel perfectly well.

Lap 46

Alonso pushes hard again to take another tenth off his personal best, but still Ricciardo closes. This is going to be interesting as Alonso has to manage the wear on his front left tyre while ensuring he still has a decent gap over Ricciardo.

The Red Bull can see Alonso on the straights now, with no backmarkers in between. But it's going to be a tricky gap to close.

Lap 47

Hamilton still leads by 14.8s. If they finish as they are then Hamilton will close the gap to Rosberg to four points in the standings. Just goes to show how costly a retirement is for the two Mercedes drivers this year.

Ricciardo is again told he can close the gap to Alonso and told he has a 12.8s lead over Vettel.

Lap 48

Ricciardo now has the gap to 5.3s to Alonso. But remember, it's one thing catching Alonso, it's quite another to pass him. Vettel continues to drop off but has a 7.3s lead over Hulkenberg.

Lap 49

Rosberg is closing the gap as it now stands at 13.7s. But it's not going to change the result unless Hamilton develops a problem.

Alonso is 4.4s off Rosberg and still has a 5.3s gap to Ricciardo.

Lap 50

Ricciardo inches 0.4s closer to Alonso, but now doesn't have enough laps left at that rate to close the 4.9s gap. He has to up the pace again.

Red Bull realise that and tell Ricciardo to keep pushing in case Alonso runs into tyre trouble at the end. His tyres are six laps older, but Alonso has driven a masterful race today.

Lap 51

Unfortunately we don't have many brewing battle down the field. Comfortable gaps between all the cars in the top ten. Magnussen is 1.6s off Vergne and closing on 12th place, so that might be our best bet at wheel-to-wheel action.

Lap 52

Five laps remain as Hamilton leads by 14.1s at the front. Alonso is 6.3s back from Rosberg and Ricciardo is 3.6s off the Ferrari.

But Alonso locks up under braking, suggesting the rubber might just be starting to wear thin on the front left.

Alonso just keeping one eye in the mirror. This could get interesting, but Ricciardo is being held up by Maldonado.

Lap 53

Ricciardo lost 0.4s behind Maldonado and now has a gap of 4.0s to Alonso.

Bottas sets a new personal best and closes the gap to 2.4s to Hulkenberg.

Lap 54

Hamilton starts his lap and pulls out a big advantage over Rosberg, who has a slightly slow lap and is now 17.0s off the leader. Not an issue for Rosberg, however, as he has a 5.5s gap to Alonso.

Ricciardo closes the gap again to 3.7s to Alonso but it won't be enough unless things go drastically wrong in the final two laps.

Bottas continues to reel in Hulkenberg with the gap now down to 1.7s at a rate of 0.7s a lap.

Lap 55

Ricciardo passes a backmarker and still closes the gap to 3.5s. But I suspect he is starting to realise he is fighting a losing battle here.

Vettel is now 20.6s off Ricciardo, which is a big gap between team-mates. Hulkenberg has responded to Bottas with the gap steadying at 1.4s.

Lap 56

So Mercedes maintains its 100% win rate and takes it's third one-two in a row. The only blotch on the team's record is Hamilton's retirement in Australia and that's what keeps Hamilton four points shy of Rosberg in the drivers' standings.

Hamilton starts his last lap. Rosberg is 19.0s off his team-mate with Alonso holding a gap of 2.8s.

Bottas now down to 0.7s off Hulkenberg as they start the final lap, that will be good to watch...

Hamilton makes it three in a row as he wins the Chinese Grand Prix!

Rosberg finishes 18.6s off his team-mate after fighting back from seventh following a slow start.

Alonso takes third by 1.2s from Ricciardo, a brilliant race for Alonso and a much-needed podium for the Ferrari.

Hulkenberg holds on to sixth by 0.5s from Bottas.

One move we did see was on the last lap was Kobayashi on Bianchi, but it was only for 17th place and the honour of the backmarkers.

Not as thrilling a race as in Bahrain, but it still had a few moments. It will be very interesting to see the fallout between the two Red Bull drivers after Vettel was told to let Ricciardo through because they were on different strategies, only to be moved onto the same strategy as Ricciardo later in the race.

No doubt Hamilton will be in a jubilant mood and has a big smile on his face as walks into the podium green room. Mercedes' Ron Meadows is also there to offer pats on the backs to his two drivers and pick up the constructors' trophy.

Thanks for joining us today for the Chinese Grand Prix. We'll have all the reaction from the drivers over the next few hours so make sure you stay logged on to ESPN F1.