F1 Australian GP live commentary and updates
Follow along for updates throughout the Australian Grand Prix
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Lap 19: Verstappen is itching for a switch in tyres, but he's been asked if he can hang on as the light rain is expected to clear up.
All four drivers under investigation - Alonso, Hamilton, Albon, Tsunoda - have been given the all-clear. As you were, then.
Lawson passes Ocon for 15th, and just about hangs onto it as he slips off at Turn 9.
Norris is told that McLaren would like to stick with the current tyres if a safety car emerges and the rain stays at the same intensity. The Briton agrees, feeling the 'slicktermediate' is the best for business.
Lap 22: Piastri is finding time on Norris, he's just 2.1s behind at this juncture. Verstappen has fallen to seven seconds behind the two McLarens.
Lap 23: Hamilton reported that he lost gear sync - engineer Riccardo Adami offers him a fix to the solution. He's still on Albon's tail, so it seems okay for the time being.
Lap 23: Antonelli puts a move on Stroll and moves up to 11th - he was running well over a second faster than the Canadian. Alonso's next on his list.
Lap 24: Piastri is now just 1.8s behind Norris. Verstappen is a further 10 seconds back, but still lapping faster than Russell in fourth.
Hamilton had a good look at Albon into Turn 11, but the Williams driver holds the line.
"The seat is full of water", Leclerc reports. "That must be the water," replies engineer Bryan Bozzi - even in these conditions, Leclerc finds time to make a snide reply. "Let's add that to the words of wisdom," the Monegasque retorts.
Lap 26: At the front, the gap is: Norris - 1.4s - Piastri. Russell is now closing on Verstappen.
Lap 28: Just 1.2s between Norris and Piastri now. Verstappen has stabilised an 8s gap to Russell behind.
Lap 29: Piastri is in DRS range of Norris now - as Antonelli is in DRS range of Alonso. Things are starting to hot up now as we hit half-distance.
Lap 30: Norris gets some respite with DRS as he laps the two Haas drivers, while Piastri's been told to hold position for the transition to dry tyres. It's not an un-sensible move as the team tries to preserve its 1-2.
Lap 32: The McLaren drivers now appear free to race, but Piastri went wide at Turn 6 and he's shipped about 1.5s to Norris! That'll ease the pressure somewhat chez McLaren.
Lap 33: Lawson is getting lapped by the two McLarens. "We're free to race - you know the rules", Piastri is told.
Alonso hits the wall at Turn 7! This might be the switch point to move to slicks - Ferrari and Mercedes bung some slicks on.
Norris is given the call to pit, and Piastri has dropped back slightly to double stack. Everyone's stopping.
The McLarens take the hard tyres - Verstappen has mediums. Containing the Red Bull driver will be key for the McLaren duo on the restart.
Alonso's car is not in an easy place to clear. The Spaniard was coming under pressure from Antonelli, and just dipped a wheel too far over at Turn 6.
Bortoleto looks like he's in for an unsafe release penalty, as he was released in front of Lawson after his stop.
Lap 37: Piastri is told that a short but intense rain shower on the way - perhaps around lap 45, for one lap. Norris is told "one lap, class 2-3", and replies "that's not ideal".
Lap 38: Alonso's car is now being cleared by the recovery vehicle, as McLaren continues to discuss the possibility of rain in a few laps' time.
Order on lap 39
1. Norris, 2. Piastri, 3. Verstappen, 4. Russell, 5. Leclerc, 6. Tsunoda, 7. Albon, 8. Hamilton, 9. Gasly, 10. Antonelli, 11. Stroll, 12. Hulkenberg, 13. Bortoleto, 14. Ocon, 15. Bearman, 16. Lawson.
Both Haas drivers stayed out on inters to anticipate any further rain on the restart. Lapped cars are given the chance to pass the safety car.
Lap 41: Haas has ditched the intermediate experiment and switched to medium tyres. Bearman's shuffled back into the pack, and nearly lost the car in front of Verstappen.
Lap 41: Safety car in this lap. We'll get rolling again shortly!
Restart
Lap 42: Norris leads the field away, as Verstappen is on Piastri's tail.
Leclerc is told that "class 3" rain is on the way for two laps. It's about to spice up even more.
Lap 43: Albon is right on Tsunoda's tail, and Antonelli is hustling Gasly. Rain looks like it's about to come shortly...it's already drizzling in the pitlane.
Five-second penalty
Bortoleto gets a time penalty for an unsafe release.
Lap 44: Piastri's off! Both McLarens slide off at Turn 11, and Norris just about recovers and pits for intermediates! Piastri ends up in the grass at Turn 13, and is still recovering.
The rain has arrived, and Verstappen is finally told to pit. Russell, Albon, Stroll, Antonelli, Hulkenberg, and Bortoleto are on inters too.
Lap 47: It's chucking it down. Hamilton stays out on slicks, as has Leclerc. Both Lawson and Bortoleto have stopped on track...
Lawson's spun at Turn 2, and Bortoleto's come into strife at Turn 13. Safety car is out.
Both Ferraris call in for intermediates, and so they'll slide down to ninth and 10th.
Lap 48: 10 laps to go. Norris, despite all of that, leads - with Verstappen and Russell in the top three. Albon, Antonelli, Stroll, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Hamilton, and Leclerc are the top 10.
Tsunoda is another person for whom the staying-out gamble didn't pay off - and he's out of the points after an otherwise impressive day.
Lap 50: It looks like we're about to get going again soon, as Bearman is asked to lap the safety car.
Lap 51: Safety car in this lap. We'll have six laps to go on the restart.
By: Autosport Staff
