Charles Leclerc is with Jennie Gow. He says: "It feels very bad. I feel very bad for the team for the fans for everyone who has been working to put the car back together for today and it's a big shame.

"It was very slippery, but the only thing I can say is it's unacceptable to have this time of Tarmac exit on this type of track and it's very dangerous. My mistake was not huge but on this type of Tarmac I had no control, I take full responsibility and that's no excuse but I don't think this time of Tarmac should be on that corner."

Image source, EPA

Hamilton gets ahead of George Russell, but the world champ is still only 13th.

Kvyat and Stroll will not be happy at seeing Vettel just behind them.

Sebastian Vettel, 20th at the start after not setting a time in qualifying, is now fourth, only three seconds off the lead.

Image source, Getty Images

We're back. We've got a five-lap sprint to the finish.

1. Verstappen
2. Kvyat
3. Stroll
4. Sainz
5. Vettel
6. Albon
7. Gasly
8. Raikkonen
9. Grosjean
10. Giovinazzi
11. Magnussen
12. Kubica
13. Russell
14. Hamilton

Toto Wolff bangs the desk, as the scenes of Valtteri's crash unfolds on the screens in front of him.

Well... Mercedes dominance had to come to an end at some point, right?

Sho: Safety car is bad for Kvyat though. Vettel in prime position for podium.

Rebecca Roffe: What an absolute shocker for Mercedes on their anniversary race

Josh Earl: somehow after a disastrous day Lewis' 39 point lead in the championship will remain intact!!

Still behind the safety car.

Robert Kubica, racing in his first F1 season after a horrific accident that threatened not only his career, but also his life, is two places away from a point in a Williams car that has struggled all season.

Engineer: "Everything ok Valtteri?"

Bottas: "Yeah, all good. I'm sorry guys."

Jolyon: Safety car deployed with eight laps to go, that's not what Max Verstappen needs right now.

Jack Nicholls
BBC Radio 5 Live F1 commentator

Bottas has binned it he's in the wall, Bottas has crashed in the race that could have brought him back into championship contention. Max Verstappen leads and the safety car is out once again.

Bad news for Max Verstappen, who had accumulated a nine-second lead. Not now. He still leads though and is still in it. Six aren't!

Welcome to the best race of the year. Remember the non-event in France? We've had three absolute thrillers since - Austria, Britain and now here. We've still got six laps to go! What's going to happen next?

Valtteri Bottas is out. Toto Wolff punches his desk, hard.

Bottas spins it and is the latest into the wall.

1. Verstappen
2. Kvyat +10.1
3. Stroll +13.3
4. Bottas +13.9
5. Sainz +15.1
6. Vettel +17.1
7. Albon +19.1
8. Gasly +24.9
9. Raikkonen +28.2
10. Grosjean +29.9
11. Magnussen +32.9
12. Giovinazzi +33.2
13. Kubica +52.6
14. Russell +54.5
15. Hamilton +68.3

Scott Coe: Well Mercedes, this is the sort of disastrous race strategy that we expect from Ferrari. Not taking anything away from Max's brilliant driving but they've thrown it away!

Mo Farooq: It's chaotic races like the #GermanGP, external that makes F1 more exciting than it usually is these days. More thrills and spills please!

Harry Sample: I've read so many strange things on the B, externalBC F1 page today that I'm beginning to wonder whether it's me, or the reporters, that are in some way inebriated. That, or it's the best F1 race in 2 yrs.

Just the best race in two years, Harry!

Can Lance Stroll hold off Valtteri bottas to keep hold on to a podium finish?