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Formula 1
French GP
F1 French GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race day
All of the F1 action from the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard
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Ferrari heads into the race at the Le Castellet circuit on the back of two victories: Carlos Sainz took his maiden win at Silverstone, while Charles Leclerc claimed the spoils last time out in Austria.
Max Verstappen still leads the title battle, but now 38 points clear of Leclerc as the Monegasque displaced Sergio Perez from second in the standings.
Leclerc starts the French GP from pole with Verstappen alongside him on the front row.
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This race has rather cooled off, not in a temperature sense, with all the frontrunners undertaking various tyre conversing plans aiming to reach the one-stopper window which should come into range in a one or two laps.
On lap 14, Leclerc has crept out of DRS range of Verstappen for the first time in this race. The Ferrari driver has upping his own pace, perhaps having looked after his tyres in those early stages on high fuel.
Sainz is in the points! The Ferrari driver uses the DRS and fires down the inside of Stroll at the chicane on the Mistral straight. Clean move.
Sainz passes the Aston Martin of Vettel for P11. Stroll is the next target for the charging Ferrari driver.
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"We are thinking Plan B, let us know what you think," Leclerc is told over team radio. In Austria Ferrari got down to Plan E, so who knows which this one could be.
Perez is dropping off Hamilton's pace now and is actually being caught by Russell. In race trim these Mercedes are in the fight - albeit behind Leclerc and Verstappen at present.
The second Haas of Schumacher follows his team-mate in for an early stop. Team boss Gunther Steiner says it's a planned strategic move.
At the start of lap 11 Leclerc continues to lead despite Verstappen remaining in DRS range, but apart from the sprint to the chicane on the back straight, he looks to have enough to keep Verstappen at bay.
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Sainz is told "he is doing a good job". The Ferrari driver replies: "It doesn't feel that way, but okay."
Sainz has passed Magnussen's Haas for P12. Impressive opening nine laps for Sainz, who is two seconds adrift of the points. Magnussen has now come in for a change of tyres on lap 9.
Hamilton is still keeping Perez behind, pulling out a 1.8s gap on lap nine, which means both Red Bulls are sizing up the opposition without looking too punchy yet.
Perez is given a second warning for track limits at Turn 3. Two more of those and he'll be given a time penalty. Given we are only on lap eight of 53, that's a fine line he'll need to tread.
Despite being handed a five-second penalty, Ocon, has charged by Ricciardo's McLaren for P8. Norris is just two seconds up the road in seventh.
Verstappen is smelling blood. Leclerc's Ferrari squirms under acceleration out of the chicane that cuts the back straight in half, inviting the Red Bull for a look around the outside between Turns 10 and 11, but Leclerc holds firm.
Albon is Sainz's next victim. The Ferrari driver is not wasting any time out there. The British GP winner is up to 13th now.
Behind the front two, Perez has caught up to Hamilton in the fight for third, while Russell gets by Alonso on the back straight to move up to fifth place.
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"Controlling yourself well at the moment, good pace," Verstappen is told over Red Bull team radio. He's right on the rear wing of Leclerc but hasn't looked to make a move yet.
Sainz continues his charge. He passes Schumacher for P14.
Ocon has been handed a five second time penalty for causing Tsunoda to spin on the opening lap. Ocon is currently sitting in P9.
Not for long though, as Verstappen is now within a second of Leclerc and in range for a move on lap four.
Meanwhile, Sainz has climbed from the back of the grid to P15. The Spaniard is one of three drivers on the hard tyres. The Ocon/Tsunoda clash is now under investigation.
DRS has been enabled at the start of lap three, as is customary, but Leclerc is already outside of DRS range on Verstappen.
Replays show that contact between Ocon and Tsunoda forced the Japanese driver around.
Leclerc isn't hanging about today, as he puts in a 1s lead over Verstappen at the end of the first lap. Hamilton remains ahead of Perez who has already dropped Alonso.
Tsunoda appears to have got going again but he has dropped to the back of the field.
Perez defends from Alonso who made a rapid start, with the Red Bull driver just about hanging on to fourth place from the punchy Alpine. Russell is sixth from Norris and Ricciardo.
Yellow flag
The yellow flags are out. Yuki Tsunoda has spun his AlphaTauri.
Green flag
The French GP is go! Leclerc leads into the first corner from Verstappen as Hamilton gets the jump on Perez to take third place!
The drivers are taking their grid slots, as Magnussen tails the train to the grid.
All drivers get away without issue for the formation lap, so it is all about getting those tyres and brakes into the right temperature window ahead of the start.
Right, here we go. The formation lap is about to start. Who are you predicting as the French GP winner today?
Tyre news: Bottas, Gasly and Sainz start on the hards, everyone else will start on the mediums.
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Anthem over, it is time for the drivers to take off the ice vests and on with the balaclava, helmets and gloves. I'm sure they'll love that.
La Marseillaise plays out on the starting grid, with the two home heroes Ocon and Gasly given special slots in front of the rest of the drivers.
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Sun
Just like it has been for most of the summer European races this year, it is toasty. Air temperature is already up to 30.1C and the track is a tyre-melting 60.3C! No chance of rain today.
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19 out of 20 drivers have made it to the starting grid so far. Magnussen has just nipped back into the pits, cutting it a little fine as the pit exit closes, but he's on his merry way again.
The pitlane is also where a small track tweak has arrived during this weekend, as the pitlane speed limiter zone of 60km/h has been extended. That means total pitstop times will be a little longer by approximately 3.5s.
Here's the full explainer: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-drivers-frustrated-by-pit-limiter-zone-change/10342089/
By: autosport.com
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