Right, let's try again, shall we?

A frantic start to the French Grand Prix....

• Sebastian Vettel hits Valtteri Bottas on the first corner. Both sustain damage but are able to carry on although they are at the back.
• Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon are out on the first lap after Gasly spun and hit Ocon.
• Polesitter Lewis Hamilton leads
• Max Verstappen is now second after starting fourth, with Carlos Sainz third.

Image source, Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton: "The first corner was nothing to do with me, right?"

The safety car is now coming in at the end of the lap.

1) HAM

2) VER +0.565

3) SAI +1.734

4) RIC +2.996

5) MAG +4.744

6) LEC +5.699

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

Will Vettel receive a penalty for that one? I think he might be in trouble. For me, the first lap, the cars all happen, these things happen. He has been punished enough the fact he is down in 17th.

Image source, Reuters

Safety car is still out there.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, speaking to Sky Sports: "There were a lot of people fighting over the same piece of tarmac, Max Verstappen is adamant that he had nowhere to go and he was taking avoiding action."

Pierre Gasly is also under investigation by the stewards as to whether he caused a collision with Esteban Ocon. They're both out on Lap 1. Vettel and Bottas have survived. And then there were 18.

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

We said there would be fireworks and it is Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas. Vettel went into Bottas, that is what got the melee behind.

"Vettel got it wrong, he locked up, was right behind Lewis Hamilton so got a dose of dirty air and tagged Bottas. For me that's all Vettel.

Image source, Reuters

The stewards are now investigating the Vettel/Bottas incident to decide if the German caused a collision.

"Someone hit me," said Valtteri Bottas. That would be Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri.

Image source, F1 Twitter

Sympathy for Esteban Ocon there - it looks as if Pierre Gasly just went into the back of him.

All sorts of mess to sort out there. Sebastian Vettel picked up front wing damage. Valtteri Bottas has managed to guide his car into the pits. Vettel locked up and tapped the back of Bottas on the first corner - just watched a replay. Ocon and Gasly were involved in the other collision.

Yellow flagpublished at 15:15 British Summer Time 24 June 2018

15:15 BST 24 June 2018

Lap 1/53

Oh, drama! Bottas is facing the wrong way the first corner - and has picked up a puncture! Esteban Ocon has lost a wheel at the back! Looks as if Sebastian Vettel has sustained some damage too. Pierre Gasly looks as if he's done! Blimey.

Bright sunshine. Where will the drama come from? Will there be any? Let's hope so...

Here's how we stand going into today's race. Sebastian Vettel's victory in Canada two weeks ago saw him wipe out the 14-point lead held by Lewis Hamilton, who could only secure fifth place as Mercedes suffered with engine troubles.

Image source, BBC Sport

They're out on the formation lap now. The start is almost upon us...

Max Verstappen told Sky Sports: "I think we have a good chance, the top speed is good, Mercedes look very quick but we will try to challenge Ferrari.

"They are on a different strategy so hopefully it does not work for them. It also depends on how the track is, it is a bit of a gamble (for Ferrari). Rain would be nice."

Valtteri Bottas tells Sky Sports: "The start is the first opportunity (to overtake) it can be key."

Asked if there were any team orders, he simply said: "Nope."

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Strategy? A slam-dunk one-stop, if it stays dry - and there is a threat of rain, at least according to the forecast.

There is variance at the front, and Lewis Hamilton said he believed Ferrari had made a mistake in choosing to start on the ultra-soft rather than the super-soft preferred by Mercedes and Red Bull.

For what it’s worth, though, Pirelli is predicting the fastest strategy to be to start on the ultra, run it for 20-25 laps and then do the remainder of the race on the super.

The worry for Ferrari, though, is the higher degradation on the ultra. They might have an initial very slight pace advantage but, even with degradation very low on all tyres, the danger is that they will then drop away too far too quickly and lose touch.