Australian Grand Prix LIVE: Lap-by-lap updates from year’s first race

Hamilton told the team to pit at least one car under the first virtual safety car, and he’s been proven right.

Had they done so, it would’ve been worth about 10 seconds – not enough to win the race, but definitely enough to warrant a big discussion in the post-race post mortem.

The gap from Russell to Antonelli is pretty much frozen at 4.4 seconds, with Leclerc 15 seconds off the lead, three seconds ahead of Hamilton.

Barring some sort of disaster, that’s how the top four should finish. Very, very impressive from Mercedes. We all knew they had a towering power advantage but the car is kind to its tyres as well. That’s a daunting combination for the rest of the season.

Just when you think an Aston Martin is done for the day, it reappears.

Alonso appeared to be done when he was languishing in the garage, only to re-emerge 11 laps down before retiring for good.

Now Stroll is back on track, but 12 laps down on the field.

Adrian Newey’s team desperately need data on the car and they’re getting it – hopefully without risking the permanent nerve damage he forecast at that bombshell Thursday press conference.

Despite having the fresher rubber, Max can’t get past the McLaren. He’s within striking distance, just half a second back, but doesn’t appear to have the necessary oomph with the battery to catch him on the quickest parts of the track, or the grip to get him under braking or in the corners.

The Prancing Horse can’t mount any pressure on Russell and Antonelli. Leclerc is still 15 seconds off the lead, but Hamilton has closed up on him to be 18.8 seconds adrift of Russell. He’s made up about 2.5 seconds.

The Dutchman is back in sixth, behind Lando Norris, but he should be able to overtake before too long with his fresh rubber

No surprises there after Adrian Newey said neither car would go the distance.

Aston have confirmed that Alonso was retired ‘to conserve components’ with the team’s dire power unit problems leaving them with next to no spare parts.

1. Russell

2. Antonelli

3. Leclerc

4. Hamilton

5. Verstappen

Leclerc is now 16 seconds off the lead with the Mercedes lapping slightly quicker than the Ferraris.

He was asked if he could run for 26 laps on the medium compound and replied, ‘Not at this rate. I just destroy the tyres after 10.’

The McLarens haven’t looked among the quickest cars all weekend and this is just compounding their problems.

Here’s his seemingly effortless move at Turn 9…

Verstappen moves up into fifth now. The reigning champion was never going to keep him at bay with that rubber.

The Monegasque star has eaten back into Russell’s lead to the tune of two seconds, and now he gets a hand from the safety car after debris was left on the track by Sergio Perez’s Cadillac.

Very short VSC period, however – it’s already over, but not without some drama.

Two race marshals went onto the circuit to remove the debris and Martin Brundle was shocked, telling viewers, ‘You cannot put people out there.’