Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

One of the issues with wet weather in Formula 1, the first reason why the start is delayed, people will say why can't the best drivers in the world drive in rain? Well they can, the problem is they can't see where they are going. Visibility is basically zero.

F1 has moved to a point where all drivers have collectively decided it is not safe to drive when you can't see at all.

The extreme wet tyre, which has a much deeper tread, is not a particularly effective tyre so all the drivers want to get on the intermediate as soon as they can. The intermediates has a shallower tread which means it disperses much less water - they are constantly caught between this issue of performance and safety when it comes to wet weather.

Image source, Getty Images

We should be getting ready to go racing in Malaysia but the rain is hammering down at Sepang. The medical car is making its way around the track but the crowd cries "ohhhh!' as it aquaplanes in the slippery conditions.

With the weather causing a bit of havoc at the moment, what are your predictions for today's race?

Send us your thoughts using the 'get involved' button on hte live page.

George Russell talking to Sky Sports: "It's going to throw a few things up in the air. It's obviously still really hot out there so, as soon as the rain stops we should be transitioning back to the slicks pretty quickly so yes, should be exciting."

Ian Fergusson
BBC weather forecaster

The FIA circuit rain radar has experienced an outage, with no current feed available to the teams or race control. Efforts underway to resolve the problem...

Max Verstappen, talking to Sky Sports, on his predictions regarding the current weather conditions: "Well, the thing around here it's always very difficult to know because there are new cells popping up so it’s hard to predict for everyone."

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

What is interesting about this race is that it is the first time all year the cars have competed in any way, in wet weather.

The only wet running anyone has done - it is only three or four drivers out of the whole grid and Verstappen is one of them - it was in January in Barcelona in pre-season testing, when they were all complaining about how bad the wet weather tyres are.

There are so many uncertainties going into this race.

BBC Sounds

Harry Benjamin, British racing driver Sam Bird and BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson are in position and ready to take us through this 56-lap Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

There are few ways you can tune in to commentary today, so don't worry if you've got stuff to do and need to leave the house.

You can either click the 'listen live' tab at the top of the live page, head over to the BBC Sounds app and search for 5 Live or you can ask your smart speaker to "play 5 Live".

More insight and analysis will be available on the F1: Chequered Flag podcast later today - just search ‘F1’ on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

It's absolutely chucking it down now as the national anthems are completed. With conditions so bad, the race satrt is going to be delayed.

BBC weather forecaster Ian Fergusson can tell is more: "The FIA forecasters have advised teams to expect this thunderstorm to gradually fade in intensity as we approach race start. They add that 'prolonged dry conditions are expected after this shower clears'.

"Official risk of rain in race is 90%"

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Max Verstappen arrived in Malaysia after a run of three consecutive podium finishes, and with Red Bull hoping to prove out an upgrade that had seen them finish less than 0.2 seconds off victory in Baku last Sunday.

In the tropical heat of Malaysia, around the demanding long corners of this track with perhaps the roughest surface of the season, the upgrade - centred on a new floor - has more than proved its worth.

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Lewis Hamilton spent the build up for this weekend's race defending Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, telling the media he was "the guy to lead us", following speculation about the Frenchman's future with the Scuderia.

The Italian team were not favourites to take pole position on Saturday, but Hamilton pulled a surprise lap out of the bag to qualify P2 on the grid for the second time this season. His first time on the front row was at the Catalunya Grand Prix in June - the race that ended his wait for a maiden victory for Ferrari.

Hamilton said the hot temperature in Malaysia is creating a "massive challenge" for the tyres, car and team members.

"We've made so many changes through all these practice sessions and, because the cars are sliding, these tyres are overheating," added the seven-time world champion.

"It was really, really hard to find a good balance, and we made one last change going into Qualifying and I think we hit the sweet spot."

Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane has just told Martin Brundle on his (very wet) grid walk on Sky Sports the rain is "growing and growing", so the intermediate is looking more likely to be the tyre of choice for the race start.

Meanwhile, former F1 driver Jean Alesi is probably like all of us right now. "It's fantastic!" says the Frenchman.

Image source, Getty Images

The year was 2017 and on the weekend of his 20th birthday, Max Verstappen took his second career win with victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix's farewell from the F1 calendar.

Fast forward nine years and the Dutchman was the quickest man over one lap at Sepang, taking pole position by 0.298 seconds ahead of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

The early stages of the campaign were difficult for Red Bull and Verstappen, leaving the four-time title winner more than 100 points off the championship pace. But with Baku's strong performance carrying over to this weekend, he feels Saturday's pole was a "fantastic" result.

"We have been trying many grands prix to get pole, sometimes a bit closer than others. But to finally get it from where we started the season, pretty incredible," he added.

Image source, Getty Images

Just as the drivers headed out for the parade, light rain started to fall at the Sepang circuit.

The grandstands are now full of fans holding umbrellas, as heavier showers are hitting the track.

The temperature is 31C today so the wet conditions can clear quickly in Malaysia.

"The rain is localised," says Arvid Lindblad. "It's decently dry around Turns Seven and Eight."

But world champion Lando Norris has just commented: "Tyres feel destroyed. Gone already."

Mercedes then tell Kimi Antonelli more rain is on the way.

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Hello, folks. Malaysia is getting ready to host the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix and for Sepang's one-off return to the calendar, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are going to head to head on the front row of the grid at lights out.

Red Bull's Verstappen starts on pole position for the first time this season and hoping to convert it into a maiden win of the campaign. For Hamilton, the Ferrari driver has the chance to gain points on second-placed George Russell, who starts seventh, in the drivers' standings.

Mercedes' upgrade package has failed delivered the goods so far, but championship leader Kimi Antonelli is now starting in the top three because of Isack Hadjar's five-place grid penalty.

The Italian is 66 points clear of Russell at the top of the championship and after struggling in Azerbaijan last weekend, a podium finish in Sepang will be high on his agenda.

The pit lane is open and the drivers have entered the track on intermediate tyres...