Jeremiah Kariuki: 7.7 seconds pit stop for Ferrari's Leclerc! Their day can't get worse.

Hamilton is called in to the pits for what would be his first stop, he says no and stays out.

Another slow stop. This time a six-second effort from the Toro Rosso mechanics of Daniil Kvyat. Some dejected looking mechanics after that one.

1. Hamilton
2. Bottas +2.8
3. Verstappen +9.1
4. Ricciardo +35.1
5. Hulkenberg +49.2
6. Leclerc +53.0

A slow stop from Ferrari on Leclerc.

Jeremiah Kariuki: Leclerc would be asking what is that zooming past him! Two cars in less than a lap. The Ferrari seems to be quite a slow race car compared to Mercedes and Red Bull.

Rob Hill: This is like a race from the start of the season. Mercedes completely dominant, Ferrari absolutely nowhere, Verstappen angry with the world. Nostalgia!

"I believe other cars are on a two-stop [strategy] so we'll just stick to our original plan."

Image source, Getty Images

"We do see some damage to the car, we do see some aerodynamic damage to the car."

Never a nice message to hear.

So it looks like a one-stop for Hamilton. A safety car anytime soon will give him a free pit stop. Is he going to take the title with a victory? He is 10 seconds clear of pole starter Valtteri Bottas, but the Brit is yet to stop.

Simon Baker: Is it possible that the newly installed sausage kerbs played a part in Vettel's suspension failure?

Well, Ferrari have since been on the team radio ordering Leclerc to take care through turn 8, which coincidentally has a sausage kerb installed...

Bottas jumps up to second, his tyres are far, far fresher than those of Charles Leclerc, who also gives way to Max Verstappen soon after.

"Just be sensible."

Image source, Getty Images

These fans might have bruises in places we don't like to talk about in the morning, but fences around the Circuit of the Americas do provide a great view...

Image source, Getty Images

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

On the apex of Turn Eight, there are new apex curbs that have come in to stop drivers going off the circuit - they're the sausage curbs - Ferrari will have analysed the data and they think that's where the damage was done, and maybe the big impact on Turn Eight weakened it immediately.

Bottas is the first of the Mercedes to stop and change tyres. That's the lead passed on to Lewis Hamilton, but he hasn't stopped, nor has Leclerc in second. Bottas rejoins in third.

"And try to avoid apex curb Turn Eight."

CL: "Why."

"Just because Sebastian had suspension failure there."

Verstappen is in the pits, off goes the mediums, on go on the hard tyres. He was second and comes back out fourth. We have a Mercedes one-two, with Bottas nearly four seconds ahead of Hamilton, but neither has stopped.

Only a mechancial failure looks like it can stop Hamilton winning the world title. Remember, eighth or better and the title is his.

Joanna Harran: Glad Seb OK. That could have been nasty.

Rachel T: Personally, I think that ridiculous rendition of The Star Spangled Banner broke Vettel’s car.