Engineer to Williams' Valtteri Bottas (currently fifth): "For info, there is not a lot you can do but we see a glitch in the box on downshifts."

Marcus Ericsson moves past Pastor Maldonado and the latter is down to 13th. Lotus bring him in to make the switch to supersofts, which will see him through to the end of the race.

Five laps to go.

Force India's Nico Hulkenberg is not happy with his three-place grid penalty in Japan for crashing into Felipa Massa. 

He tells BBC F1's Lee McKenzie: "No good news, that's for sure. The incident, he's coming out of the pits, the way I see it I was ahead. I was aware he was coming out of the pits but I was ahead."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Here's how the top 10 looks with nine laps to go. Nico Rosberg is quietly going about his business in fourth, a podium is pretty much beyond him as he trails Kimi Raikkonen by more than six seconds.

Engineer to Jenson Button:  "Okay, Jenson we need to retire the car. We are taking too much risk with the gearbox."

Williams' Felipe Massa, speaking to BBC F1's Lee McKenzie, on the incident with Nico Hulkenberg, for which the German has been given a three-pace grid penalty at the next race in Japan:

"Well, I think honestly the penalty is correct. I was inside. He just turned the car over my car - I couldn't do anything. For sure, what he did was not correct."

Max Verstappen is eighth and now eyeing a move on Sergio Perez. Worth remembering that Verstappen started from the pit lane after stalling at the start. Fantastic from the teenager.

Daniel Ricciardo sets a new fastest lap with a 1:50.258, chipping a couple of tenths of a second off of Sebastian Vettel's advantage.

He is certainly keeping Vettel honest as we enter the closing stages of this race.

Image source, AP

Ray King:  Max Verstappen gets all the plaudits but Carlos Sainz is every bit as good!

Don Coyote:  Let's hope Max doesn't do a Monaco.

No further action is taken over the incident involving Pastor Maldonado and Jenson Button.

Engineer to Lotus's Pastor Maldonado (currently 11th): "We think you have diffuser damage. You are doing a great job. Any more retirements and we can be in the points."

Sebastian Vettel holds the record for the biggest winning margin, beating Fernando Alonso by 30 seconds in 2013. He won't get anywhere near that today, but is looking firmly on course for victory as his advantage over Daniel Ricciardo increases to 3.2s. 

Lotus's Romain Grosjean (currently 10th): "Okay, he pushed me wide. I had no place to go."

Image source, Gett

Romain Grosjean has no time to ponder that move by Max Verstappen as Carlos Sainz is right behind him and he picks off the Frenchman at Turn 1, forcing the Lotus wide as he passes.

David Coulthard
BBC F1 co-commentator

"Fantastic, absolutely top-drawer driving from Verstappen. The skills he has are incredible."

Brilliant from Max Verstappen. He is right behind Romain Grosjean and spies his opportunity to overtake at Turn 14, he makes his move, it looks like Grosjean holds on to it but Verstappen has another and successful gets past at Turn 16.

Race control confirm that the incident between Pastor Maldonado and Jenson Button is under investigation.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel still leads, but his advantage is 2.6s - not quite as big as it was before the second safety car. Daniel Ricciardo is second, with Kimi Raikkonen third.

Nico Rosberg is fourth but two seconds down the road from Raikkonen with 16 laps left.

Ben Edwards
BBC F1 commentator

"Max Verstappen has just set the fastest lap of the race - a great achievement!"