F1 Las Vegas GP live commentary and updates - race
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Hulkenberg and Hamilton running 6.7s behind Norris in P4 and P5, with Antonelli 1.5s further adrift. All of those are on ageing hards – we'll see how long they can eke them out, and whether the performance offset gives them an advantage later on.
Ocon now gets rid of those mediums.
So we're solidly in one-stop territory for the frontrunners as Alex Albon now sets the fastest lap (L27).
Verstappen emerges 1.6s ahead of Russell, secure in P1.
Verstappen in at the end of lap 25. Russell sets the fastest lap of the race...
So Russell (P2) is now 3.1s ahead of Norris. But he's 21.8s behind Verstappen, which is close in terms of the pit window.
Russell and Leclerc pit at the end of lap 24.
"Am I doing my race or am I trying to move forwards?" asks Norris. He's told "The way to beat Russell is at the end".
Piastri returns to the track on Sainz's tail and immediately slinks by. P9 for now; we'll see when Hulkenberg and Hamilton (currently P5 and P6) pit.
Piastri pitted at the end of lap 21, now Norris comes in at the end of lap 22.
Leclerc worrying Sainz for what is now P3, but Sainz has been told to pit.
Hamilton now past Ocon for P7.
Hadjar benefitted from the fragmentation of that Bearman-led DRS train – he comes out in P11, ahead of a gaggle of cars led by Franco Colapinto.
Russell passes Hadjar, who then breaks for the pits.
As we start lap 21, Norris is 2.8s off Verstappen, who is now pressing on – 1m35.756s on the last lap was his fastest of the race.
5s penalty for Albon – that's the Hamilton incident.
Hamilton now homing in on Ocon, who is beginning to struggle on those elderly mediums.
Antonelli is informed about his penalty and questions it – of course. But the replay seemed inconclusive.
The Albon-Hamilton incident is now under investigation. We suspect the book is about to be thrown at Alex.
Norris is told "this is the time to push" and he informs the team that "clean air is much better" – as he proves by immediately going purple (on the timing screen, that is).
Russell emerges in P7 ahead of hard-shod Nico Hulkenberg, who had just past Oliver Bearman.
Bearman now pits for hards.
Russell in for hards at the end of lap 17.
Alonso resumes in P15.
Piastri passes Hadjar as the VSC period ends.
Pit crews were out for some of the frontrunners but the quick end of the VSC period meant they aborted – the only person to pit was Alonso, and he'll be annoyed that Aston broought him in as the VSC was ending.
Antonelli gets a five-second penalty for that startline infraction.
Albon is now last after stopping for hard tyres and a new front wing.
CONTACT!
Hamilton and Albon were disputing P12 as the DRS train started to string out a bit. Hamilton ran wide at Turn 12, Albon pounced, and later on the lap he clipped Hamilton as he pulled out to pass on the run to Turn 14.
VSC deployed while the debris is collected.
Russell turning the airwaves blue as he says his power steering has failed again.
Some dialogue on the radio about tyre graining – Piastri complaining about it, Norris saying it's easing up a little.
Leclerc dives up the inside of Hadjar to relieve him of P5 at Turn 14 on lap 13.
Hadjar telling his pitwall they need to "be aggressive". They point out to him that they don't want to pit him too soon or he'll come out in that DRS train populated by hard-tyre runners.
Leclerc passes Piastri under DRS on the run to Turn 14 at the end of lap 12.
As lap 10 comes to an end, Antonelli bags Colapinto for P14. He's now chasing on to the tail of that midfield DRS train – 7.6s to make up on Albon before he gets there.
While Sainz is looking secure in P4, Williams team-mate Albon is in the wars. Currently at the tail of the DRS train led by Bearman, running without radio communications, and now under investigation for moving before the start signal.
Antonelli under investigation for moving before the start signal. Bad day for the second Merc driver, currently P15 after that early stop.
As we come to the end of lap nine, Russell has gone into tyre-management mode and dropped to 1.5s off Verstappen.
No further action regarding the Lawson-Piastri contact at Turn 1.
Sainz is 2.4s off Norris in P4, with Isack Hadjar on his tail. Piastri 1.7s behind this pair with Leclerc 1.7s further back. Bearman dropping off to 3.4s behind Leclerc, but he's with Alonso's damaged (in the first-lap fracas) Aston Martin on his tail.
We're at the beginning of lap nine.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said after qualifying yesterday that he wasn't sure how the pace would pan out in the dry. Well, it's not looking good for Norris as Verstappen and Russell are pulling away. The Merc is within DRS range of the Red Bull, but Norris is now 2.8s down.
Leclerc passes Bearman for P7 at Turn 14 on lap 5.
The stewards are investigation the Bortoleto-Stroll shunt – slightly academic since they're both out of the race, but Gabriel is likely to get a slap on the wrist for that.
There were also marshals on track while the race was live, scooping up that debris at Turn 1 under double-waved yellows. A brief VSC ensued, under which Antonelli pitted to dispose of those softs and move on to the hards.
Replays showing Russell locked his front-left into Turn 1, causing Piastri to check up slightly, and that took Lawson by surprise – he caught the McLaren a glancing blow.
By: Stuart Codling
