Summary

  • Hamilton wins, as Vettel retires with engine problem

  • Sainz, Ericsson, Hulkenberg & Stroll retired

  • Hamilton takes 59-point lead in title race

  • Get involved #bbcf1

Live Reporting

Gary Rose

  1. Jack Nicholls
    Radio 5 live Formula 1 commentator

    This might be the one opportunity for Red Bull to beat Lewis Hamilton if they complete this undercut successfully.

  2. Max Verstappen pits from second to move onto softs. It's a quick stop and he comes out just ahead of Kimi Raikkonen. That was tight.

    Will Lewis Hamilton respond?

  3. Spark plug failure for Vettel

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  4. Kevin Magnussen also pits as everyone starts to make their first stops. That elevates Jolyon Palmer into 10th.

  5. With Kimi Raikkonen coming up on him, Esteban Ocon pits from fifth. It's a slow stop as they struggle to get the right rear on. The Force India is back out behind Fernando Alonso in 12th.

  6. Raikkonen fansGetty Images

    Easy as you like for Kimi Raikkonen as he sweeps around the outside of Sergio Perez to move up into sixth.

    There may be some glum faces in the Ferrari garage right now but they still have a job to do.

  7. Is the drivers' championship race all over? Jack Nicholls says Lewis Hamilton has one and a half hands on the title...

    Ferrari's Vettel retires with engine trouble

  8. "We are still on Plan A," Lewis Hamilton is told over team radio.

    One stopper?

  9. Felipe Massa pits from seventh to ditch the super-softs for softs. He's back out in 14th.

  10. Mark Gallagher
    BBC Radio 5 live Formula 1 analyst

    The thing that will be so depressing for Ferrari is that this is self inflicted. There was a start-line accident in Singapore between their drivers and then reliability effected Vettel and Raikkonenin the last race and now reliability again today.

  11. Mercedes and Ferrai on twitterTwitter

  12. Sebastian Vettel is at the Ferrari pitwall and gives the fans opposite a wave.

    He's putting on a brave face but he knows needs everything to go his way from here on in.

    If things stay as they are he will leave Japan 59 points behind Lewis Hamilton.

  13. Valtteri BottasGetty Images

    Valtteri Bottas, currently fourth, is on softs while those around him is on super-softs so he can go longer into the race in this stint than his rivals. He's three seconds behind Daniel Ricciardo.

  14. Get Involved

    #bbcf1

    Chris Papathanasiou: Title race has been wrapped up.Well done to Hamilton!!!!! 4Th title

    Rod Peel: I’m sure that Lewis has mixed feelings about SV5’s retirement. He always said he relished a battle

    Matt Saunders: Come on Lewis, just need to drive like the iceman now. No mercy, no unnecessary risks!

  15. At the back of the field, Stoffel Vandoorne is coming up on Lance Stroll, who is currently 15th. Seven tenths of a second between the two.

    That's the closest battle of any on the track at the moment.

  16. Here is the 5 live commentary of that remarkable start that saw Sebastian Vettel retire from the grand prix.

    Listen to it in the clip below. What drama!

    Ferrari's of Vettel and Raikkonen make a disastrous start to the race

  17. Lewis Hamilton is pushing hard and building up a nice cushion. He's now four seconds ahead of Max Verstappen.

  18. Andrew Benson
    BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

    Quite astonishing how Ferrari's campaign has collapsed. Six weeks ago, Vettel was leading the championship .

  19. Get Involved

    #bbcf1

    Dave B: Bad luck for Vettel this week but don't forget it's because he lost his head in Singapore the points difference is so great

    Tony Edwards: This is karma for Lewis after his reliability issues in 2016.

  20. Esteban Ocon made a superb start to this race but with a Red Bull and a Mercedes behind him, it was always going to be a fight to stay third. He is overtaken by Daniel Ricciardo before Valtteri Bottas makes his move a lap later to climb into fourth.