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Formula 1 Australian GP

F1 Australian GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race

Sunday's action from the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park

Mick Schumacher, Haas VF-22, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522

Over two years on from the cancelled Australian GP due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, F1 returns to a revamped Albert Park.

The key track changes see sections of the circuit widened, the Turn 9-10 chicane taken out to increase speeds in a flowing back section and the entire layout has been resurfaced. All changes have been made in the hope of increasing overtaking opportunities and creating more exciting races.

F1 world championship leader Charles Leclerc starts from pole position for Ferrari ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in an eventful qualifying which saw two red flags.

Fernando Alonso crashed in Q3 and Nicholas Latifi and Lance Stroll collided during Q1 which resulted in the Aston Martin driver picking up a three-place grid penalty. Alex Albon was disqualified from qualifying due to an insufficient fuel sample left in his Williams and will also start at the back.

The Australian GP gets underway at 6am BST (3pm local time).

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Penalty
Stroll has been handed a five second penalty for weaving on the main straight. Stewards have also noted the incident with Bottas at Turn 3.
At the front Leclerc has the freedom of Albert Park with a 12.7s lead over Perez with Verstappen out of the running.
Some hard racing between Stroll and Bottas. Bottas had to take evasive action at Turn 3 The Alfa Romeo driver is not happy with that move! Stroll is now in P9 and Gasly has also managed to get by Bottas for P10.
Quote
"What was the problem with Max?" Perez asks. "Don't worry about Max, not relevant for our car," is the response.
With Verstappen out of the race that has lifted Perez up to second and Russell back into the podium places. Hamilton might have a say in that as he is just 1.4s back on his team-mate.
Albon sits in seventh but the Williams driver has elected not to take a stop under the virtual safety car.
Alonso has rejoined the race after his stop in P12 while Magnussen has filed back into P17.
Green flag
The Virtual Safety Car is over and we are back to green flag running.
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"I smell some weird fluid, everything is s******* itself," Verstappen says over team radio. He's not wrong, that Red Bull is toast.
Alonso and Magnussen pit under the virtual safety car.
Safety car
He's told to pull over by his Red Bull team and a fire has started at the rear of his Red Bull. The Virtual Safety Car has been deployed.
Mechanical problem
Verstappen has stopped at Turn 2! He's out of the race!
Stopwatch
Leclerc responds and flexes his Ferrari's muscles with a 1m21.291s. The gap is now up to seven seconds.
Stopwatch
Verstappen is fighting back with a new fastest lap of the race of 1m21.677s to close the gap to 5.1s to Leclerc.
Norris is closing up on Alonso as the battle for sixth intensifies. Alonso is yet to pit.

Russell does put up a fight, defending at Turns 9-10 but loses momentum which allows Perez to charge around the outside at Turn 11. It was fun while it lasted.

The stewards are going to investigate a possible safety car infringement between Tsunoda, Schumacher and Gasly after the race.
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Russell is told over team radio that looking after his tyres is more important than defending his position to Perez. "That's not what I want to hear," Russell replies.
Or not as Russell defends his position at Turn 3 and is currently matching Perez's pace. Bet Perez wishes the fourth DRS zone was still in play.
Ricciardo has managed to get by Magnussen for P8 now. That would have gone down well in front of this packed Melbourne crowd.
Perez is within DRS range of Russell in the fight for the final podium place. Attention to those at Turn 3, Perez is coming.
Norris makes use of DRS to take P7 from Magnussen on the start/finish straight. Good pass.
Stopwatch
There's another one, as Leclerc puts in a 1m22.023s on lap 33, to move 4.4s clear. Verstappen simply cannot respond.
Norris attempts to pass Magnussen around the outside at Turn 3. He's denied.
Magnussen is starting to come under pressure from the McLarens of Norris and Ricciardo. Remember, the Haas driver is yet to stop.
Stopwatch
Apart from his tardy second safety car restart Leclerc is putting in a flawless performance. He's opened up the gap at the front to 3.4s with a new fastest race lap of 1m22.450s.
It is 2007 all over again as Hamilton gets by Alonso at Turn 1. With the aid of DRS the Mercedes driver eases ahead and up to fifth place.
Impressively Stroll is just on the fringes of the top 10 in 12th having made three stops, one more than anyone else. The Aston Martin driver has taken advantage of both safety cars.
Double DRS delight again for Perez as he breezes by Alonso at Turn 3 to take fourth place. He'll now set off after Russell who is two seconds ahead.
The incident between Schumacher and Tsunoda on the restart has been noted by the stewards.
Leclerc has kept his cool at the front and is already 1.8s up the road on Verstappen two laps after the restart. That Ferrari has pace in abundance today.
Albon has also cycled up into the points in P10 for Williams but he is yet to pit.
Russell also fends off an attack from Alonso at the restart through the second sector. It appears those on older tyres were able to fire them up faster than those on newer rubber.
Green flag
Leclerc makes a poor restart at the front and Verstappen pulls alongside on the main straight but is stuck on the outside of Turn 1 so cannot make the move stick.
Schumacher was lucky not to touch the back of Tusnoda just before the restart.
Alonso is the outlier in the frontrunners having not pitted on his hards and sits in fourth place ahead of Perez and Hamilton.
Magnussen has climbed to P7 now but the Haas driver is yet to pit.
The safety car is coming in at the end of lap 26.
"I keep getting unlucky with safety cars," Hamilton says over Mercedes team radio. He also lost out in Saudi Arabia as he couldn't pit under a safety car when the pit entry was closed when he wanted to get in.
Leclerc and Ferrari won't be so happy about the safety car given it as wiped out his healthy lead built up over the first half of this race. Verstappen is once again tucked up under his rear wing.

By: autosport.com

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