Live Commentary: Monaco Grand Prix qualifying - as it happened

Here we are then, the showpiece race of the F1 calendar. It's the Monaco Grand Prix!

What a weekend we've had so far. Nico Rosberg has dominated all three practice sessions but this morning, in the third and final practice, it was far from normal. There was crashes galore and now, 30 minutes ahead of qualifying, IT'S RAINING IN MONTE CARLO!

The Lotus team tweet a picture of the glorious Monte Carlo bay and it's looking glum. "Cold and now raining at the #MonacoGP, should make qualifying interesting... #GetLucky," write the team. It was lovely and sunny this morning for third practice but that seems like an week ago at the moment.

This morning saw Ferrari man Felipe Massa suffer a huge crash at Saint Devote (the first corner). The Brazilian appeared to lock up his brakes and was unable to turn the wheels, smashing his front-left tyre into the trackside barrier before sliding across the tarmac into the far barrier. Read more here.

REMINDER! Just in case you've forgotten how F1 qualifying works or you're new to the sport, here's a quick rundown:

All 22 cars take part in a 20-minute 'Q1' session. The six slowest cars after this period are eliminated and start the race from their position between 17-22.

Next is a 15-minute 'Q2' session where the remaining 16 cars battle for a place in the final top 10 shootout. As before, the cars that finish in positions 11-16 start the race from those spots.

Finally, the 10-minute pole position shootout where the 10 quickest cars from Q2 fight it out for the final positions on the grid.

The temperature has dropped significantly and with the rain we're in for a very, very interesting qualifying session.

The Mercedes of Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton look super-quick this weekend and Rosberg in particular, after completing a full house of topping the practice timesheets, is favourite for pole position surely.

He may be favourite for top spot, but Rosberg isn't showing any nerves. Mercedes have just tweeted a picture of him kicking a football about in the garage.

PREDICTION! With 10 minutes until Q1 begins, it's time for my prediction on the next hour or so. The coolness and rain is bound to play a part and because of that I'm going to opt for Hamilton over Rosberg to take pole. The Englishman has shown in the past how adept he is in changeable conditions and I expect him to shine today, even if the sun isn't.

The rain is easing off a little though but the drivers won't be used to the cooler temperatures after warmer conditions yesterday and this morning.

"Grey skies, cold, damp track. Qualifying should be interesting." That's the latest tweet from the Lotus team. Their number two driver Romain Grosjean was another man to crash this morning - his third incident of the weekend so far.

We've been wondering all morning if the Ferrari boys could fix Massa's car in time for Q1. They've just tweeted the latest update: "Race against time to repair Felipe's car...same chassis, new gearbox. We hope to make it on time for Q1..." You haven't got long!

It looks as if the teams will try and get out early because of the fear of more rain.

GREEN LIGHT! Q1 is underway! 20 minutes for all 22 drivers to set a time. I'd be amazed if there's no crashes because of the narrow, barrier-lined street circuit.

And we've already had a yellow flag because Bianchi has stopped after the first corner. His car is now being pulled away by a crane.

Hamilton is told by his engineer that this is hist best chance to get in a quick time is early on. He's told to "get a banker" in now.

The cars are out on intermediate tyres but the rain is getting heavier!

Hamilton's first lap is a 1:39.376 but he's beaten by former teammate Button before Webber then shoots up to first.

The times being set at the moment aren't that representative of what is capable because of the heavy traffic out on track. Di Resta is now fastest.

Alonso is the first man under 95 seconds as his teammate Massa watches on from the garage. Will the Ferrari team be able to fix his car in time? He's already going to incur a five-place grid penalty for changing his gearbox after the crash.

The times are getting loser and closer to the 90-second mark. At the moment Rosberg is on course to miss out at the first hurdle. Surely the man who dominated practice won't stumble?

Vettel reports back to his team that the track is drying more and more as a 'dry line' is burned into the Monte Carlo tarmac.

Rosberg goes second with a 1:27.632, behind Webber.

No sign of Massa yet and another man who hasn't set a time is Grosjean, who also suffered a crash this morning. It looks as if the best times of Q1 will be set in the final second as the track dries and dries.

Vettel crosses the line with exactly the same time as teammate Webber but they're both eclipsed by Rosberg, who goes half a second quicker. Hamilton is currently in danger of going out but he's on track and going well at the moment.

BOSH! Hamilton shows his mettle by going a second quicker than his teammate with a 1:23.779.

Grosjean has made it out but he's being quite tentative as he gets used to the wet conditions for the first time.

The Frenchman shows what he's made of by GOING FASTEST, six-thousandths quicker than Hamilton. We're now into the final minute and there's going to be a mad rush to be inside the top 16 and Q2.

Raikkonen reports back that he is having traction problems. He's in 14th at the moment and in danger.

Di Resta, who has been having a great season, is out!

Massa never made it out in the end and Van der Garde has got through for Caterham! The first team that the team has made it into Q2 this year.

OUT! Here are the six drivers, in order, who are knocked out at the first hurdle: 17 Di Resta 18 PIc 19 Gutierrez 20 Chilton 21 Bianchi 22 Massa

In the end it was Maldonado who went fastest in Q1. Here's the top 10: 1 Maldonado 2 Vergne 3 Alonso 4 Grosjean 5 Button 6 Hamilton 7 Vettel 8 Rosberg 9 Bottas 10 Perez

GREEN LIGHT! The 15-minute Q2 session is underway and the cars are straight out again. No time to lose because of the weather.

The weather hasn't got any better so the cars are still out on intermediate tyres. The McLarens of Button and Perez at the top at the moment.

Rosberg takes 1.8s out of Perez's time but then he's knocked off top spot by the Sauber of Hulkenburg.

The rain is easing and the dry line is becoming clearer and clearer to see on track. Who will blink first and switch to slick tyres. It would be a brave move but could be a master stroke.

It's Rosberg back to the front with a 1:22.119 as Van der Garde PUTS ON A SET OF DRY TYRES. Let's see how the Caterham gets on.

Most other cars are now looking to follow suit as Webber also puts on a set of slicks.

The red-marked super softs are being plonked on to Alonso's Ferrari. He's probably only going to have time for one flying lap.

Van der Garde's first time on the slicks puts him in sixth place. Surely he's not going to make the top 10, Q3 shootout?

Yet again it's going to be a frenetic finish to this part of qualifying. Will we see a big name knocked out?

None of the big names make a mistake and they're all safely through APART from Grosjean who doesn't make it.

OUT! Here are the six drivers, in order, who exited at Q2: 11 Hulkenburg 12 Ricciardo 13 Grosjean 14 Bottas 15 Van der Garde 16 Maldonado

So Maldonado went quickest in Q1 but then slowest in Q2!

These are the 10 drivers that will battle for pole: Vettel, Raikkonen, Rosberg, Hamilton, Alonso, Sutil Webber, Button, Vergne, Perez

GREEN LIGHT! GO GO GO! Ten more minutes of lap times and then we'll know who is on pole. All the cars are on brand new super softs.

Raikkonen is the first man out and he'll set the early benchmark in Q3.

The Finn's time is slow at a 1:20.269 and HAMILTON blitzes it with a 1:15.790.

The Englishman is bettered by Webber though as the Australian puts in a 1:15.134. The track is almost dry now by the looks of things.

The Mercedes' of Hamilton and Rosberg both dip under the 1:15 mark but once again Webber steals the show with a 1:14.726.

Mr Qualifying - Sebastian Vettel - has had a fairly quiet day but he's just gone fastest by almost four-tenths. Impressive. Into the final five minutes now.

Sky Sports F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz says that it is spitting slightly in the pit lane as the two Mercedes come in for a fresh set of tyres.

Vettel is still at the front ahead of teammate Webber. Will the times get any quicker as the rain is said to spit once more.

Here we go then, one last chance for the 10 drivers to set a time...

Webber goes fastest!

HAMILTON into the 1:13s but he's beaten by Rosberg.

The German completes a hugely impressive practice and qualifying. He topped all three practice sessions and now qualifying too.

It's a fourth pole in a row for the silver arrows and Rosberg will be joined on the front row by teammate Hamilton. Vettel is third.

TOP 10! Here's how they finished after Q3: 1 Rosberg 2 Hamilton 3 Vettel 4 Webber 5 Raikkonen 6 Alonso 7 Perez 8 Sutil 9 Button 10 Vergne

If you've only just joined us, our developing report of what has just happened in Monaco can be found here.

Make sure you join us for the race tomorrow. We'll be back at the same time of 12.30pm for coverage, with the race getting underway at 1pm. See you then.