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Formula 1 Australian GP

Australian Grand Prix race day

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Hamilton hasn't slowed down just yet - he's trading tenths with Vettel and keeping the gap under 0.7s.
Vandoorne will now be chased by Sainz, with Perez, Ocon, Leclerc and Stroll in a train outside the points.
Hamilton is pushing hard trying to keep up with Vettel, but is now told he needs to lift and coast by Mercedes, so perhaps is running light on fuel.
McLaren tells Alonso that "the last time a Red Bull did an overtake it was into Turn 13" so he knows what Verstappen might try.
Verstappen is tucked up tight behind Alonso trying to take fifth. Alonso is currently on course for those "big points" he promised.
Looks like the Haas double retirement was down to a pitstop problem and a potential loose wheel. The FIA is investigating unsafe releases for both Grosjean and Magnussen.
Verstappen enquires about the state of his battery. Red Bull tells him he's in the right mode and to look after his overtaking facility.
Ricciardo is told his tyres will be good to the end. Should be the same for Vettel too, who has six laps in hand over Hamilton in tyre life. Advantage Ferrari in the second half of this race.
Being allowed to unlap himself for the restart didn't do Hartley much good - he was still 30s off the tail of the field when it went green.
Bottas got alongside Vandoorne for eighth into Turn 3 but the McLaren hung on around the outside and stayed ahead.
A perky Hulkenberg tries to pass Verstappen for sixth down the outside into both Turn 1 and Turn 3 at the restart but can't make it.
Decent restart from Vettel, who holds the lead from Hamilton.
The safety car period is ending. We're restarting this race soon.
The lapped Hartley is being allowed to unlap himself ready for the restart.
"We did notice some damage to the car," Red Bull tells Verstappen as a gloomy aside. That's presumably from his Turn 1 spin earlier.
Red Bull tells Verstappen the FIA has ruled he was behind Alonso as the McLaren rejoined so he has to give fifth back. He does so.
"We thought we were safe, but there's obviously something wrong". Mercedes has potentially miscalculated the VSC minimum speed during the phase Vettel claimed the lead.
"The safety car is at Turn 14. The field is very spread out. This is probably going to be a long safety car period," Renault tells Hulkenberg.
"Free stop if you want - it's your choice," Ferrari tells Raikkonen, but he's staying out for now.
The majority of the field is now fresh softs now except Vandoorne and Bottas on supersofts in eighth and ninth and Leclerc and Hartley on ultrasofts at the back.
Retirements: Grosjean, Magnussen, Gasly, Ericsson, Sirotkin
Midfield: 11 Perez; 12 Ocon; 13 Stroll; 14 Leclerc; 15 Hartley
Order: 1 Vettel; 2 Hamilton; 3 Raikkonen; 4 Ricciardo; 5 Verstappen; 6 Alonso; 7 Hulkenberg; 8 Vandoorne; 9 Bottas; 10 Sainz
How can Hamilton respond to this? He's weaving around behind Vettel. "What just happened guys? Was that my mistake? Confusion in the world champion's cockpit right now.
Now it's a full-on safety car as the marshals are struggling to move the stranded Grosjean Haas.

By: Geoff Creighton

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