No one felt intermediate wet weather tyres were necessary we were told but then it seemed a few drivers did start the race with them. I say "start the race" but I shouldn't get ahead of myself. The formation lap went smoothly but the lights came on individually as normal and then it was a long time until they went off. Nobody went. It was strange. Next we were told there was going to be an extra formation lap because Linblad had stalled. On this extra formation lap Piastri said it was time for intermediates over the radio.
Linblad had to be pushed back down the grid, whilst cars were going past to get to their grid slots. It was all incredibly strange. Once the cars were all settled in their places, they were sent off for another formation lap so the marshals could keep pushing. Everyone would have to undertake fuel saving measures because there were three formation laps which are extra to the race length. It was then decided that these laps would come off the race distance. Piastri continued to debate tyre choice with his team (he was on the intermediates).
Despite heavily pointing right, Russell lost two places to Antonelli and Norris, who took the lead. Hamilton was up into fourth. Piastri pitted at the end of the first lap. It turned out there were lots of drivers on intermediate tyres, including race leader Norris, who pitted at the end of the second lap. The two Audis also changed and had to double-stack.
The drivers behind Linblad had also gone into the wrong positions after Linblad vacated a space on the grid, so that was something else for the Stewards to consider.
What the pundits all wanted was for Antonelli and Russell to have a real go at each other on the track. On lap seven, Russell wanted the lead and took it causing Antonelli to lock his wheels and go wide off the track. As Verstappen went past Hamilton, the Ferrari driver was quickly on the radio to complain that he had no power.
Russell and Antonelli started going for it again, the Italian really pushing his team mate. Suddenly there were Yellow Flags: Piastri went across the hairpin and into the side of Albon, putting him out of the race and sending the McLaren in for a new nose. Things kept going wrong for the team and they had to bring Norris in shortly after to remove grass and debris from the sidepods.
It was lap 23 that saw Antonelli finally get past Russell for the lead and Piastri was given a ten second penalty for taking the Williams out of the race. Unfortunately Antonelli went wide on the next lap and at last they touched as he took the lead back. Halfway through, Russell went across the kerbs because he had lost power, giving Antonelli the lead. He was furious, throwing the headrest in front of the car, thumping it then throwing his gloves down after he he had climbed through the hole in the fence. Antonelli now had an easy lead, six seconds ahead of Verstappen. A Virtual Safety Car was brought about. Lots of drivers came in for fresh tyres.
Norris soon had to drive his McLaren into a nice tidy corner as his gear box failed. Perez brought a broken car into the pits with collapsed suspension, making him the sixth car to retire (Alonso had retired, been in the pits and retired again).
Leclerc and Hadjar had battled for fourth quite heavily earlier in the race. The stewards were so busy that it took them many laps to review and award Hadjar a ten second penalty for weaving in front of him. The other Ferrari v Red Bull driver battle was between Verstappen and Hamilton for second. With six laps to go Verstappen was left with nothing to defend with and Hamilton got past.
The top three were interviewed by Hamilton's former team mate Heikki Kovalainen (a name I haven't typed for a very long time). The linguist thanked his team and the spectators in their native tongue; all those hours on Duo Lingo have not been wasted.
Monaco is the next race and will be a bigger challenge for the young Antonelli. Ferrari also are prone to silly mistakes at the circuit.
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