1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari, yet to pit)

2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

Max Verstappen is chasing George Russell for sixth place and thinks he can battle the Mercedes, if he is let off the leash. "Go get him," comes the reply from the pit wall.

McLaren are also giving Lando Norris instructions about future strategy. The Briton is eighth after his pit stop, behind Verstappen and in front of the Williams of Alex Albon.

Image source, Getty Images

A visit to the pits is in order for Lando Norris, so the McLaren man heads in for the hard compound and comes back out in eighth spot, behind seventh-placed Max Verstappen.

Carlos Sainz is still ahead of the pack by 6.5 seconds from the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton but the Spaniard ends up dipping his wheels onto the gravel at the right-hander of Stavelot after running wide.

Image source, Getty Images

The Aston Martin of Lance Stroll, way down in 18th place, is showing slow straight-line speed, says the Canadian driver.

Max Verstappen is on the hard tyre and is being reassured by his Red Bull pit wall that the strategy will work.

Fernando Alonso was third after those pit stops but the Aston Martin heads in for his own changeover, moving Lewis Hamilton back into third position.

Carlos Sainz leads with 13-lap old hards, Lando Norris is second on his starting mediums.

Hamilton, Leclerc and Piastri are hard compound runners now.

Marc Priestley
Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

If the race officials want to look at it, did Piastri have to affect his entry into the pit lane because of Hamilton’s release.

I expect they will all get away with it.

Image source, Getty Images

Ferrari pulls the trigger and call in Charles Leclerc. Carlos Sainz takes the lead ahead of Lando Norris.

Leclerc is back out and is in front of Sergio Perez's Red Bull. The Mexican is now under threat from the hard tyres of Oscar Piastri. First George Russell, now Perez. The Australian is up to sixth place, Perez is P7 and Russell is in eighth spot.

Marc Priestley
Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

The race leaders are all diving into the pits to pit on fresh hard compound tyres.

That will give them a longer stint.

Marc Priestley
Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Image source, Reuters

Verstappen will be able to make use of that tyre, and get a few laps in by the time Norris comes in for his.

Everyone is heading in! Hamilton, Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri changeover.

Charles Leclerc retakes the lead, Carlos Sainz is second and Lando Norris is in third now.

Piastri was sent out behind George Russell but the McLaren has the power to overtake the Mercedes within a corner or tow. The Australian is in P9.

And here comes Lewis Hamilton into the pits.

Red Bull have sent out the call for Max Verstappen.

"Box, box".

The Dutchman is in and out in a flash and rejoins the action in 14th place on a set of hard tyres.

Will the undercut on Lando Norris work?

It wouldn't be a grand prix if Lewis Hamilton didn't mention his tyres. The seven-time world champion is leading Charles Leclerc by 2.1 seconds and says he has concerns about the rubber, but he is OK for now.

Nico Hulkenberg's stop has opened the floodgates for other midfield drivers to come in for a change of tyres.

Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri's engineer asks the McLaren driver will it be Plan A or Plan B?

"Plan A" says the Hungarian Grand Prix winner.

Marc Priestley
Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Image source, Getty Images

The higher temperatures were not expected to suit the Mercedes.

We have reasonable track temperatures of 42 degrees and Hamilton looks like he is doing very well and controlling the race.

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

5. George Russell (Mercedes)

Nico Hulkenberg, meanwhile, has come in for an early stop and switched from the medium tyres to the hard compound. The Haas driver is at the back of the field in P19.

Image source, Reuters

That's one car out of the race already. Zhou Guanyu and his Sauber is the first retiree and heading for an early bath.

Max Verstappen is still behind Lando Norris' McLaren, desperately trying to make up the ground on the Briton in order to challenge the front-runners.

Can Charles Leclerc keep within DRS range of Lewis Hamilton? For the moment he can't. The Ferrari man is 1.4 seconds away from the Mercedes as the Silver Arrows continues to lead this Belgian Grand Prix.

A radio message from Hamilton: "Something is moving down my legs".

Oooh-er.

Image source, Reuters

The advantage is growing for Lewis Hamilton over Charles Leclerc. The Mercedes is just inching away from the polesitter in the Ferrari.

The start replay shows Hamilton and Sergio Perez grappling for position all the way down the hill, while just behind, Lando Norris was caught up in the scrap and ended up with wheels on the gravel, allowing his rivals to sneak through.

Rosanna Tennant
5 Live F1 reporter in Spa

There was a huge cheer as Hamilton made that move on Leclerc.

The fans are loving that and don’t forget Hamilton was a little apprehensive. They couldn’t test a lot because it was wet, and he said it was a race into the unknown.