Safety car coming inpublished at Lap 26/56
The safety car is coming in at the end of this lap and we are about to get back racing again.
Summary
Verstappen wins, Norris 2nd, Perez 3rd
Race disrupted by two safety cars
Stroll crashes lifting Ricciardo's car into air after during first safety car
Alpine mechanic struck by Gasly's loose rear wheel in pits
Bottas, Tsunoda and Ricciardo out
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F1 returns to China for the first time since 2019
Safety car coming inpublished at Lap 26/56
'This is giving them additional tyre life'published at 08:51 British Summer Time 21 April
Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 LiveThis [safety car] actually helps them because they've pitted one to two laps prior to the safety car coming out, so the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Behind the safety car you are not putting anywhere near the energy through the tyre that you would be if you were pushing. This is basically giving them additional tyre life.
Postpublished at Lap 26/56
Fernando Alonso is the only one in the top 10 on softs with everyone else on the hard compound apart from Daniel Ricciardo, who is on mediums.
Postpublished at 08:48 British Summer Time 21 April
Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 LiveThe tyre warm-up the McLarens have been very strong, the Red Bulls have been ok, the Ferraris have been relatively poor on their tyre fire-up.
Team radio - Hamiltonpublished at 08:48 British Summer Time 21 April
"The car is just sliding around everywhere. I don't know, it just feels like something is broken. It's just probably just the balance, it's really bad."
Top 10 as things standpublished at Lap 25/56
1) Verstappen
2) Norris
3) Leclerc
4) Perez
5) Sainz
6) Alonso
7) Russell
8) Piastri
9) Ricciardo
10) Stroll
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at Lap 24/56
Lewis Hamilton, down in 14th, complains about his car sliding all over the place but he's 14th and this safety car has closed the gap with those ahead of him.
Postpublished at 08:46 British Summer Time 21 April
Jennie Gow
F1 pit-lane reporterFernando Alonso has gone onto the soft tyres, that isn't what most people are doing. Most people are coming in and changing on to the hard or medium tyre. Interesting.
Postpublished at 08:46 British Summer Time 21 April
Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 LiveThe marshals can't actually get [Bottas] car moved, normally there is a button on the cockpit that allows marshals to get the car to neutral but I don't know whether the marshals have temporarily forgotten, they would have been briefed about this and they will be experienced marshals. But maybe the car is seized and they need to extract that car in a faster manner by using some form of mechanical help.
Postpublished at Lap 23/56
Now the full safety car is deployed and there's a flurry of stops again. Max Verstappen in and back out on hards. Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso also pit, the latter switching to softs.
Podium back on for Alonso?
Postpublished at Lap 22/56
Charles Leclerc pits for hard tyres, Lando Norris initially stays out but then follows suit and he comes out in front of both Fernando Alonso and Leclerc.
Postpublished at 08:41 British Summer Time 21 April
Jennie Gow
F1 pit-lane reporterNorris had just got past the pit entry when they called for a safety car.
Team radio - Bottaspublished at 08:40 British Summer Time 21 April
"Engine is gone."
Postpublished at 08:40 British Summer Time 21 April
Harry Benjamin
BBC F1 CommentatorProblems for Valtteri Bottas who pulls off the circuit and comes to a halt.
Virtual Safety Carpublished at Lap 21/56
Valtteri Bottas has come to a stop just off the track, with smoke coming out of the back of his car. Yellow flags are waved before the virtual safety car is deployed.
Postpublished at 08:39 British Summer Time 21 April
Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 LiveI think Norris now with where he is in the race, he's just got to shadow whatever Charles Leclerc he does, I think he's not got to commit to thinking that they might have to do a one-stop as well.
Postpublished at Lap 20/56
Twenty laps in and this is the top 10 as things stand:
1) Verstappen
2) Norris
3) Leclerc
4) Perez
5) Alonso
6) Russell
7) Piastri
8) Stroll
9) Sainz
10) Hulkenberg
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at Lap 19/56
And Max Verstappen clocks the fastest lap of the race after passing Lando Norris to regain the lead.
Postpublished at Lap 18/56
Charles Leclerc stays out but his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz pits to take on hard tyres. He is back out in 10th with Nico Hulkenberg ahead of him.
Lando Norris, still leading and still yet to stop, is told over the radio that they think Charles Leclerc is going for the one stop.
Image source, Getty ImagesTeam radio - Hamiltonpublished at 08:33 British Summer Time 21 April
"I can't even catch him, mate. The car is so slow."