ESPNF1's full commentary of the first practice session will appear here from 0130GMT (0930 local) with the action starting 30 minutes later. Join us then and, in the meantime, check out Laurence Edmondson's preview. If you have any questions you want to send us, click here

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Good morning and welcome to coverage from Shanghai. The sun is out, which is a welcome sight for everyone after a grim couple of days, but it's cold.

OK, here we go. Vitaly Petrov heads out ... Paul di Resta in the Force India the first out on an installation lap

Sebastian Vettel out of the Red Bull garage and Petrov is pushed back into his

Karun Chanhok, who has been tweeting like a good 'un since he arrived in Shanghai, does some stretches as he prepares

Everyone is now out or has been out except Michael Schumacher

Mike Gascoyne: "Track very dirty and low grip, normal for China. Both saying track is very dirty but should improve throughout session."

Good on-board shots with Lewis Hamilton. The authorities have covered up the big stands on turns 12 and 13 with a huge advertisement. Sadly, interest here is moderate and these just don't sell out. So rather than show the race with banks of empty seats, the smoke-and-mirrors brigade have converted the seats into a massive hoarding.

Renault: "Both cars are back in the garage. The engineers are proceeding to system checks."

We believe Virgin are missing some equipment and personnel as they have been grounded in England by the Iceland volcano fall-out. Red Bull had a lucky escape as they had an engineer and parts (including Mark Webber's front wing) grounded at Heathrow, so they raced to France and got the last flight out of Paris before that too was shut down.

Ferrari: "Fernando is back in the garage as well. nothing major to report, the track is very slippery." If you have any questions you want to send us, click here

The track is quiet after the installation laps as the technical experts do their work

Stan asks: "Which teams have the most significant upgrades for this round." Well, for starters both Saubers, both McLarens and Alonso's Ferrari appear to be running the so-called F-duct wing-stalling device today

Force India: "Installation laps completed for Paul and Adrian. All OK, track still quite green. they are out of the car for about 15 minutes now."

Christian Horner interviewed on the BBC denies the Red Bull has or has ever had a ride-height control system. "We started to look at something, as everyone did, but didn't commit any time to it as we felt it contravened the regulations."

Force India: "Paul di Resta getting ready for his first run of the day, a seven-lap run on the hard tyres."

A lot more activity out on the track now

Another casualty of the Iceland ash appears to be BBC pundit Eddie Jordan who is stuck in Britain - and with the airport lockdown still in force, he might struggle to be in China in time for the race. HRT's Karun Chandhok posts a 1:48.021.

"Can you please explain the F duct and its significance," asks Len. In brief and without getting too mechanical … it's a straight-line speed boost which apparently works through the driver closing off a valve in the cockpit that helps stall the rear wing.

Petrov sets the quickest time. "We have got another aero update this weekend: new front wing system and new floor," reports his team. Virgin has a problem as Glock's front left wing is hanging low and brushing the track.

"It will be interesting to see if this "F-Duct" system has any impact for the new users on top speed and whether RB still have the quicker car," emails Sant.

Paul di Resta in the Force India sets a 1.39.548

de la Rosa a 1.39.101 ahead of Petrov, who has just completed his run

Jaime Alguersuari 1.38.504 leads the way at the moment. Massa is back fifth fastest

Glock's Virgin appears to have suffered front-wing problems after "hitting a bump". That has to be a worry for them as everyone else is fine. They did have issues in Spain in February.

Glock has a power-steering failure according to the Virgin mechanics

Buemi has hydraulic problems and is marooned in the garage after one lap.

Force India's di Resta reports: "Balance not too bad at start, flat spotted front right, circuit very low grip."

Kubica goes fastest with 1.37.899 ahead of Massa, Alguersuari back in third

Michael Schumacher appears to be "just going through the motions" this season according to the BBC's Anthony Davidson. Don't shoot the messenger. Agree with him? click here to let us know.

Hamilton tops the times with 1.37.536 from team-mate Button with Kubica third.

Button sets a 1.37.008, the advantage all gained in the final sector

It doesn't appear Mercedes have the F-duct in place. McLaren are fastest in all sectors and Button and Hamilton overall. Early days but an impressive start

Button on 1.36.677 just ahead of Hamilton with 1.36.775. Kubica still in third. Webber posts 1.39.340. Chandhok and Senna back in 19th and 20th

Kubica says that he has oversteer at several places on the circuit. Lotus: "Both drivers saying grip is very low and car nervous with loose rear at high speed."

Alonso breaks down with flames squirting out his car - nothing major - at turn 6. The yellow flag comes out. He gets out and starts the walk back to the pits, seconds after leaving the garage. After Malaysia, that's a worry.

Alonso reported an engine "problem". Possibly failure more than a problem given the amount of smoke that was pouring out just before he stopped. This could be the old engine he used in Bahrain? Buemi and Alonso the only two drivers not to have posted a time

Virgin: "Timo came in earlier for a power steering check, but it's ok now and he's been lapping fine. Car bottoming a bit though."

Ferrari: "Felipe is back in the track with some new parts to be tested." Senna and Sutil have both had off-track excursions

Massa looks quick. Will he challenge Button's time? Trulli's Lotus lost a bit off his diffuser on the bump at turn 1. That will worry more of the cars before the weekend is out

Tom asks: "Why even have Friday practice? Everyone seems to not be excited in F-1. Someone needs to get going in this deal, don't just sit around looking good." It's to allow the teams to get the car set-up just right. There's always been this kind of practice, it's only lately Bernie and his merry men have tried to turn it into a TV spectacle

Stan says re Schumacher: "I just think he under-estimated Nico."

Massa 1.38.098 so Button still fastest

Interesting observation from Renault: "The track temperature has gone up by 6 degrees since the beginning of the session. it is currently at 28C"

Michael Schumacher 1:37.809 for those who have asked. And Sant asks about speeds - they are topping 300kph, and we will be looking at 320kph on race day

Rosberg goes second fastest in 1:37.809, splitting the McLarens

David emails: "I feel this race needs to be wiped off the Calendar, I just don't understand how Bernie can take away races from like USA where there always is a Massive crowd and have these races in places like China and Bahrain where there is no one interested.. About time F1 starts looking after the fans." Now there's an altogether different subject. Here are my views on the matter

Ferrari confirms Alonso's engine which blew was the one taken out of the car in Bahrain. And Buemi's Torro Rosso piles into the barriers at the end of the straight and the front is wiped out. The red flags come out and we are pleased to say the driver is fine

Good grief ... as Buemi braked at the end of the straight both front wheels blew off as the suspension disintegrated. I have never seen that before. Buemi had no control over the car from that moment and he's really very fortunate

One of Buemi's wheels has made it over the catch-fencing and is being surveyed by spectators.

There's a lot of debris to clear up and there's won't be much time left in this session assuming they even manage to get back

A good email from Ben: "Why did the wheels come off - aren't they supposed to be tethered?". yes, they are tethered but there is a limit to everything, and at the end of the straight with heavy braking the forces at play on the wheels at that point would have been considerable

Well done to the marshals. We are back and a number of cars head back out for the last five minutes of FP1

Buemi back at the Torro Rosso garage looking a bit shaken. And if you see what happened, who can blame him?

Into the final minute

Schumacher goes fourth fastest

The chequered flag is out so it's the last lap for those on track

Button's final lap was four seconds slower than his earlier one, and that's that for now. He is the fastest of the session, ahead of Rosberg, Hamilton, Schumacher and Vettel. Alonso's Ferrari suffered engine failure and then Buemi had a massive crash when his wheels flew off - fortunately he's fine. We will be back in a little under two-and-a-half hours (0600GMT, 1400 local) so join us then. In the meantime, if you have any questions you want to send us, click here

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