How Japanese Grand Prix unfolded

The top three is Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz, with Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris just behind.

The McLaren of Oscar Piastri is in seventh but now the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are right behind him. Just in front of the trio is the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso.

Piastri will say I had no where to go I was forced off track, George will say well I gave him enough room he cut the chicane, but I wonder if this was his crafty thinking from Fernando Alonso to control this battle behind.

"He didn't give me anywhere to go in the chicane, I had to cut."

A tussle between the Mercedes of George Russell and the McLaren of Oscar Piastri. Russell tries to go on the inside of Piastri and the two just touch and the Australian cuts the chicane. Piastri says on the team radio he had nowhere to go. Piastri stays in seventh, Russell is in eighth.

Just a second covering sixth or eighth at the moment with Alonso providing a defending masterclass to keep Piastri behind, and Russell has closed in.

Team overtake over at Haas as Nico Hulkenberg overtakes his buddy Kevin Magnussen for 12th place.

"It's unbelievable how bad our speed is on the straight man, like it's a different category."

I've been watching Piastri for a few laps now and he cannot get past Fernando Alonso in that Aston Martin, he is parking the bus.

Lance Stroll has managed to reach the dizzy heights of P11 in his Aston Martin but the Canadian is on team radio, in a high-pitched voice, to complain about the car's performance on the straights. Yuki Tsunoda is holding that final point in 10th place.

I don't think the battle is going to be with Lando Norris for Leclerc now, last lap 1:35.7 from Leclerc and 1:36.2 for Lando, so Lando is suddenly really really dropped off the pace he was setting a while ago.

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

5. Lando Norris (McLaren)

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Carlos Sainz has DRS on his team-mate Charles Leclerc and it's a move executed with minimal fuss. The Spaniard is on the podium as it stands, the Monegasque man is down to fourth.

"Do not lose time with Sainz, we are racing Norris."

So now the two Ferraris are racing each other. Charles Leclerc and his one stop is in possession of that podium position but team-mate Carlos Sainz is ready to pounce...

That fourth place does not last long, however, as Carlos Sainz pulls out and breezes past Lando Norris to move up the order.

He (Sargeant) drops all the way down to 17th, his car is covered in gravel and his tyres are absolutely ruined but we are back to green flag racing.

Track green again. Logan Sargeant heads into the pits for a quick check and all seems OK.

Lando Norris is being chased by Carlos Sainz and locks up under the pressure. Luckily for the McLaren, he stays in fourth place.

Logan Sargeant's car is covered in dust after the Williams driver has an off at Turn Nine. The American doesn't hit the barriers and is able to reserve back onto the track and carry on going.