Jennie Gow
BBC Radio 5 live pit-lane reporter

A massive clap of thunder, and we can see lightning in the distance. The teams are ready for the pit stops but should they hold on a bit?

Williams' Sergey Sirotkin, in last place, has been given a five-second penalty for driving too slowly behind the sfaety car at the start. Oh, mate.

Max Verstappen comes in to pit. Red Bull have no margin for error with Sebastian Vettel waiting to pounce. The stop is slick, though, and Verstappen comes out around 1.6 seconds in front of the Ferrari driver.

Image source, Getty Images

Seems that Leclerc might have suffered a slow puncture, with something coming off his car and the Sauber man then running over it.

Craig: Can Vettel actually keep a championship lead without immediately being self destructive? He could’ve stayed back in third and played the long game, there’s no need for that at the first corner, much like Singapore last year.

Javel Bleach: Five secs penalty is nothing compared to the advantage #Vettel, external's collision gave him over #Bottas, external! He should at LEAST have to give up his place to him.

Jeremiah Kariuki: Vettel is one lucky driver, and also an aggressive one. He only gets five seconds penalty. Bottas is the loser in this. He is not able to keep up with Vettel.

Image source, Reuters

Charles Leclerc runs off the track and seems to be struggling on the ultrasoft tyres. "There's something wrong with teh tyres," he says over the radio, the despair in his voice audible.

Nico Hulkenberg whizzes past him and into eighth. Lewis Hamilton's lead, meanwhile, is up to seven seconds.

You have got to feel sorry for the lad Ocon... Taken out on the first lap in his home race.

RantingMrP: The rate at which Vettel has cut through the pack after his accident illustrates what's wrong with F1 today. Top teams way too far ahead of the rest for real racing.

Rhys Smith: Disappointed at how easy Vettel has carved through the midfield. Was hoping they would have put on a bit of a show and made Seb work for the places. Still shows the speed difference between the factory Ferraris and customer teams.

Daniel Ricciardo's team radio: "There is a bit of weather over the hills."

Have they taken up folk singing at Red Bull?

Image source, Getty Images

"I just got pushed out of the track by Bottas."

Valtteri Bottas seemed to ease past Grosjean at Beausset a couple of laps ago to go 10th. The Frencman - without a point all season - disagrees.

Image source, Getty Images

A pit stop takes around 24 seconds, so if Vettel plans to go through to the end - which he surely does - this could get very interesting. Vettel does have the five-second penalty, remember.

Alonso's radio: "Possible rain in 20 minutes."

Oooooooh.

1) HAM

2) VER +5.512

3) RIC +8.811

4) RAI +12.853

5) VET +30.671

6) SAI +33.169

Sebastian Vettel now sails past Carlos Sainz - he's up to fifth!

Image source, Getty Images

Jennie Gow
BBC Radio 5 live pit-lane reporter

As the cars come down the start / finish line they will be very aware there are dark clouds coming in. This could make things very spicy.

Eventful, very eventful.

• Sebastian Vettel hits Valtteri Bottas on the first corner. Both sustain damage but are able to carry on although they are at the back. Vettel is now up to sixth and Bottas 11th, although Vettel has a five-second time penalty.
• Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon are out on the first lap after Gasly spun and hit Ocon.
• Polesitter Lewis Hamilton leads by more than four seconds.
• Max Verstappen is now second after starting fourth, with Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo in third.
• Rain could be coming for the second half of the race.

Sebastian Vettel is lapping around 1.5 seconds quicker than Valtteri Bottas right now. The floor damage sustained when the Ferrari man hit him is costing Bottas a fair chunk of downforce.

Niamh Lewis: I feel so sorry for Valtteri Bottas, every time he's come close to the top something has knocked him down.

Don Coyote: No penalty for Verstappen for cutting the track at the start?

Euan‏: Despite the penalty, Vettel could be in with a right shout here.

Image source, Getty Images

Sebastian Vettel steams past Charles Leclerc as they approach the chicane. The Sauber is no match for the Ferrari, regardless of how well Leclerc has driven this weekend. Slowly, surely, Vettel is working his way back up the field...

Jack Nicholls
Radio 5 live Formula 1 commentator

Nice move from Valtteri Bottas on Sergio Perez, he is not the most prolific overtaker but he got it done.

Bottas is now up to 11th.