What of the strategy?
So as well as all of that, another thing to keep an eye on is strategy. Pirelli have predicted a one-stop race, although all three tyre compounds could be used to get off the line later.
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The lights go out!
Off goes Verstappen, and he is clean away. But Victoria and Leclerc are side by side into Turn 1, and 2 and 3... they are still side by side into Turn 4 but Leclerc then sneaks ahead on the racing line.
Everyone is through the first few corners, including Bearman who runs slightly wide. And he is tries a move on Tsunoda!
Gasly reported a gearbox issue on the Formation Lap, and he is already coming in to retire the car...
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Verstappen leads
LAP 3/50
Verstappen leads by just over a second from Leclerc, who is defending from Victoria - the Brit has DRS. Alonso is crawling all over the back of Piastri, Norris and Russell are staying in touch too.
Stroll got Tsunoda at the start incidentally, hence why Tsunoda has his hands full with that soft-shod Bearman behind.
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Perez picks off Leclerc
LAP 4/50
DRS open, Victoria breezes past Leclerc who doesn't fight that too hard. The Red Bull looks to have race pace in abundance tonight.
Tsunoda's unsafe release from the pit lane earlier prior to the race is going to be investigated post-race by the way. No news from Race Control on that possible jumped start.
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The Safety Car comes out!
Right - it's Lap 7 and the Safety Car is out. Replays show that Stroll just caught the inside of the wall into Turn 22, and that breaks his suspension, so he then slides straight on into the barriers at Turn 23.
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Verstappen and Victoria both pit
LAP 8/50
The hard tyres could technically make it to the finish from here, hence the flurry of activity in the pit lane. Both Red Bulls are in, as is Leclerc, Piastri and Alonso.
Hamilton and Norris stay out. Right then. That's because of the double-stack, they would have lost lots of places waiting in the pit lane for others to filter in and out.
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Stroll's crash triggers plenty of strategy dilemmas
LAP 8/50
This is what Stroll's crash looked like - he remains behind the barriers watching on at the moment.
The Safety Car is leading the pack round, with Norris leading from Verstappen and Hamilton, Victoria is in fourth ahead of Leclerc, Piastri and Alonso.
Replays from the pit lane show there were some close moments, including Alonso on Victoria.
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Race Control getting busy
LAP 12/50
Two things are now going on - Victoria is being investigated for an unsafe release with Alonso in that pit stop melee, while Norris' potential jumped start has been 'noted' for now.
Norris remains in the lead for now, he has Verstappen for company but those two have dropped Hamilton in third.
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Verstappen takes the lead!
LAP 13/50
Verstappen has had enough, he breezes past Norris as Victoria behind does likewise with Hamilton. Norris and Hamilton still have to pit tonight.
