Fernando Alonso, whose race looked done on the opening lap with a puncture as he crawled back into the pits, is now up to 12th, two places adrift of the points.

Alex Withington: If Max has a problem he should let Ricciardo through. Plenty of time to go in this race and Red Bull need to manage their drivers better here

Fish Hailu: If Vettel continues his usual start stop circus, he will see very aggressive @LewisHamilton. C'mon Lewis.

Reece Young:@Charles_Leclerc, external what a drive so far. A @SauberF1Team, external has no right to be running P7

An ideal day for Sebastian Vettel so far. He has stayed clear of all the drama behind him and now holds a lead of nearly four seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Vettel is 37 laps away from his 50th win in Formula 1.

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

After Daniel Ricciardo reports an issue with his battery as well: A real problem in that - to do with the Renault engine.

Image source, Getty Images

Lance Stroll, third last year, is up to eighth after starting 10th. Romain Grosjean has leapt halfway up the field. He started 20th and is now 10th. Solid.

Listen to Fernando Alonso vent his frustrations after being hit by Sergey Sirotkin on the first lap.

There may be some angry exchanges in the Red Bull garages later. Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo bang wheels. Verstappen fifth, Ricciardo sixth.

Image source, Getty Images

A word on Sauber's Charles Leclerc. He is seventh at the moment and heading for his first ever points finish in Formula 1. A long way to go though.

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

It's the Red Bulls who are struggling the most. They are down in sixth and seventh and going backwards.

By the way, Lewis Hamilton has just set the fastest lap and is only two seconds behind Sebastian Vettel.

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

It is the left rear that looks like it is hanging off. He locked up on the rears at Turn 4 and spun round. He got it horribly wrong. Second year running that it was an unforced error.

Just when it was going so well for Nico Hulkenberg, he is out. He locks the rear tyres, goes into the wall. Game over for Hulkenberg.

Max Verstappen is getting frustrated: "I am so slow on the straight!"

Race engineer: "Stay in mode seven."

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

The sound we just heard was a line of cars all coming for Max.

"Verstappen has low battery," Nico Hulkenberg is told, just before diving past him.

Renault fourth (Sainz) and fifth (Hulkenberg), in a great day so far for them. They had started ninth and 14th respectively.

Vettel is three seconds ahead of Hamilton, who is another three seconds in front of Bottas. Then comes Carlos Sainz and his Renault team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, who shoots past Max Verstappen.

Verstappen, maybe with a power issue, is now down to sixth, with Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo seventh. Red Bull problems?

All the excitement is coming in the battle for fourth. Carlos Sainz retakes it in an epic battle with Max Verstappen.

Image source, Getty Images

Max Verstappen: "Why is this thing not charging," asks Max Verstappen, presumably not talking about his phone.

Race engineer: "Focus on getting temperature in the tyres. It will get better"

Kimi Raikkonen: "Am I OK. I touched the wall at 17. Are the tyres OK?"

Race engineer: "All OK."

Raikkonen is only 11th, after starting sixth, after being caught up in that first lap drama. At least he is still in the race though, the same can't be said for Esteban Ocon who he drove into.

Lewis Hamilton: "Need more grip."

Race engineer: "OK, copy."