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2018 Formula 1 Japanese GP
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Things get worse for Hulkenberg, who's now passed by Vettel at the chicane.
Pit stop
Grosjan pits now from sixth.
Good move from Leclerc on the run to the chicane, who slithers up the inside of Hulkenberg. That compromises Hulkenberg's exit, allowing Perez - who's made excellent progress since his stop - to mug the Renault as well!
Vettel has a go around the outside of Sirotkin for 15th but can't make it stick, before passing the Williams on the inside on the run to Spoon.
Ocon rejoined in 15th on mediums, one place ahead of Vettel (who took softs).
Prior to his stop, Vettel had been struggling to make an impression on the back of Sainz. He can still salvage something from the race, but it looks like there's a long, frustrating second half of the race to come for the Ferrari man.
Pit stop
Vettel now stops, following the second Force India of Ocon into the pits.
Hamilton is still complaining of minor problems and odd feelings in his car. But he's still holding a secure 4.6s lead over Bottas.
Radio Comms
Verstappen asks if the Mercedes were "out of tyres" at the end of their opening stint on softs, but is told Hamilton set his fastest lap at the end of the stint.
Pit stop
Perez has stopped and has rejoined in 17th, which has promoted Vettel back into the points.
Crash
Replays now showing the incident between Stroll and Alonso. Stroll squeezed the McLaren off the track at the final chicane, but Alonso decided to carry on into the runoff and cleared the Williams via a trip through the gravel. Penalties probably fair in both instances.
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Nearly at half-distance, pitstops probably done, here's the lead group: 1 Hamilton; 2 Bottas +4.5s; 3 Verstappen +15.4s; 4 Ricciardo +16.7s; 5 Raikkonen +21.3s
Smooth stop from Hamilton and he rejoins still leading Bottas.
Both Bottas and Ricciardo took on medium tyres in their pitstops, and Hamilton will do the same.
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Pit stop
Hamilton now pits from the lead.
Pitting early and taking on mediums hasn't gone Raikkonen any good - he's fallen away from Verstappen and been jumped by the flying Ricciardo too.
Stopwatch
Verstappen sets the fastest lap and sweeps past just as Ricciardo rejoins, with both Red Bulls now ahead of Raikkonen.
Pit stop
Ricciardo pits from third as well.
Raikkonen is past Grosjean and into fifth.
Pit stop
Bottas pits from second place.
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The stewards say they won't be taking any action over the Verstappen/Vettel collision.
Radio Comms
"Looks like the Toro Rosso is starting to struggle," says Sainz, presumably in relation to Hartley.
Verstappen rejoined behind the yet-to-pit Grosjean but storms past the Haas into the 130R to reclaim fourth.
Radio Comms
Red Bull tells Ricciardo he's now right on the cusp of rejoining ahead of Raikkonen when he pits.
Stopwatch
Bottas's turn to set fastest lap, but Hamilton then takes it straight back again with a 1m34.183s and is now 5s clear.
Crash
Alonso has been given a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, while Stroll also has a penalty for causing a collision.
Verstappen rejoins still ahead of Raikkonen, having taken on soft tyres. "Racing Kimi," Red Bull warns its driver.
Vettel is now back within sight of the points, having cleared Hartley. He's around half a second behind Sainz.
Pit stop
Verstappen comes in for his pitstop - which will include his 5s penalty for rejoining unsafely earlier.
Raikkonen had a good run on Perez through 130R but avoided taking a look into the chicane. Instead, he lines the Force India up on the straight and picks off another midfielder.
Stopwatch
Another new fastest lap from Hamilton and his lead hits 4.5s over Bottas.
"Pace is looking good on this tyre," Red Bull tells Ricciardo, who is on softs. He's now within 7.7s of supersoft-shod team-mate Verstappen. This might be quite close at the pitstop.
Raikkonen gets by Ocon now on the start/finish straight.
Vettel has also passed Alonso for 12th, having drafted the McLaren on the run to Turn 1.
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By: Geoff Creighton
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