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Russell is flying
Briton George Russell has just stormed past Charles Leclerc down the straight, moving up into second – and he’s already pitted, unlike Lando Norris in the lead, and Leclerc in third.
Russell is now 1.1 seconds a lap faster than Norris. Could McLaren’s strategy be about to backfire for their No.2 driver? (cheeky, this, I know)
On Sky, they’re pontificating that Norris will somehow have to make it to lap 40 if he’s to make his a one-stop strategy. We’re now on lap 28 and his hard tyres are looking very second-rate.
Norris still leads
Though the top two – Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc – are yet to pit as of lap 24, it sets up an intriguing strategy battle later. Norris could have better tyres, after a later stop, in the closing stages.
Meanwhile, Alex Albon continues to complain over his team radio that his own engineer isn’t listening to him. Love a bit of radio drama.
What’s happened to Alonso?
After starting well inside the top 10, Fernando Alonso is all the way down in 17th now – albeit after his first pit stop, with plenty ahead of him yet to pit.
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.Credit: Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton in 10th is facing a nightmare of a run behind the traffic ahead of him in the mid-pack, while Lando Norris leads by 3.2 seconds from Charles Leclerc. Neither of them have pitted yet.
George Russell and Max Verstappen, who have pitted, are third and fourth. Oscar Piastri, who’s just set the fastest lap of the race, is sixth behind Kimi Antonelli.
That was short-lived
At the end of lap 16, Piastri’s pitted and is now down in seventh on the hard-compound tyres.
He just wasn’t setting fast enough lap times in clear air in front to be able to play the long game ahead of Russell and Verstappen.
Oscar Piastri.Credit: Getty Images
The McLarens hae risen
After a subdued start, the McLarens are now leading this one on lap 16 – after a flurry of early pit action.
- Oscar Piastri
- Lando Norris (+3.4 seconds)
- Charles Leclerc
- George Russell
- Max Verstappen
And now it’s Russell’s turn…
In order to protect the undercut – where the car behind pits first to try and get clearer air, set a faster “out” lap and jump the car in front when it pits – George Russell has followed Max Verstappen’s strategy.
Kimi Antonelli is in now, too… meaning Oscar Piastri has inherited the race lead!
What’s his strategy here? To go as long as possible? Is that why he seemingly held back early?
Norris jumps Alonso
The two-time world champ is no mug – he knows he isn’t going to be fighting the McLarens today, so he didn’t put up any fight against Oscar Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris as he jumped him into sixth.
Meanwhile, there are worrying early signs for some with the Mercedes power units (like McLaren, Mercedes and Williams) that overheating could be an issue. This is a massive watch.
Max Verstappen is the first into the pits on lap 13 – now on the hard tyres.
The hard tyre is coming into its own
On lap 10, there are signs from some drivers on the hard tyres that they’re starting to rival the medium compound.
Interestingly, as we heard over Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari team radio, the tyre degradation is worse than expected right up and down the field.
This could have a real impact on the pit-stop strategy about to unfold.
Verstappen drifts
The scene in the opening stages where Oscar Piastri took a risk-free approach.Credit: Getty Images
After a hectic opening few laps for the leaders, even the great Max Verstappen has entered “tyre management” mode – knowing he can’t afford to burn up his rubber too early by pushing George Russell too hard.
He’s now out of DRS range (more than a second behind) of Russell.
The leaders on lap five
- George Russell
- Max Verstappen
- Kimi Antonelli
- Oscar Piastri
- Lewis Hamilton
- Fernando Alonso
- Lando Norris
- Charles Leclerc
- Nico Hulkenberg
- Franco Colapinto
