1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

4. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

Image source, Getty Images

Lando Norris takes the advantage of DRS to get the move done on George Russell. The McLaren is up to seventh on his fresher tyres, Russell shuffles down to eighth on his hards.

Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris have come into the pits at exactly the same time. George Russell is able to push through on Norris but can't beat out Leclerc for sixth place.

Hamilton: "How did I lose so much time?"

Engineer: "Just traffic and degradation."

Harry Benjamin
BBC F1 Commentator

An expectational job from the RB team all in that gaggle of cars, Tsunoda, Magnussen, Stroll, Bottas and Sargeant, all came in at the exact same time but RB were the quickest pit-stop of the lot. Tsunoda was behind that gaggle of cars and within the space of two seconds he's jumped them all in the pit-lane. Fantastic teamwork!

Sergio Perez sniffs out that this might be the moment to make a pass on Charles Leclerc, but the Ferrari driver is still in second, keeping the Mexican at bay.

Oh no! Leclerc runs wide and Perez makes an easy overtake. And now Leclerc is being harried by Lando Norris.

Image source, Reuters

Andrew: Mercedes took a strategy risk and rolled the dice after the early Red Flag, but it doesn’t look like it was the correct call. That’s why it was a risk, but the only surprise was that they switched both cars onto the identical off-set strategy. A real all-or-nothing call.

Those medium tyres are working overtime for Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver has been keeping the C2 compound sweet for 23 laps now and is holding firm in second place as Sergio Perez creeps up behind.

The call has gone up for Lewis Hamilton to box. Good job it wasn't a few moments earlier, as the pits was a hive of activity with five cars all being released at the same time.

Harry Benjamin
BBC F1 Commentator

More misery for Lewis Hamilton who is dropping like a stone through this field, he's just been overtaken by Fernando Alonso with the aid of DRS down in Turn One.

Mission complete for Sergio Perez. Down the main straight the pair go and the straight-line speed of the Red Bull is used to full effect. Perez is up to third, Norris drops to fourth.

Lando Norris is on hard tyres that are now 10 laps old. The McLaren only had to glance in his mirrors and he'll see the raging Red Bull of Sergio Perez hunting him down for third place.

"Change this strategy!"

Max Verstappen returns to the front of the pack after picking off the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. George Russell, meanwhile, is being harassed by Carlos Sainz and eventually the Briton has to concede defeat and give up his fifth place.

Lewis Hamilton is not happy...

Image source, Getty Images

Alice Powell
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz very close to contact on the exit of Turn 11, I think this is the only way Hamilton seems to be getting some enjoyment out of his race, he's trying to have some close battles and make it difficult for those coming past him to get through.

"Tyres are dropping, front right is dead."

Charles Leclerc is leading this Japanese Grand Prix but the Ferrari needs to make a pit stop and ditch his 18-lap old medium tyres soon. Max Verstappen is chasing the Monegasque on his fresher mediums after his pit stop a few moments ago.

Harry Benjamin
BBC F1 Commentator

Sergio Perez just overtook Lewis Hamilton into the left hander of 130R and one lap later he does the exact same thing to George Russell, he's making that his go to corner.

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

3. Lando Norris (McLaren)

4. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

5. George Russell (Mercedes)

Image source, Getty Images

And now Sergio Perez decides to pick off George Russell at the same spot! The Mexican is lifting himself back up the order and is now running in fourth place.