2024 F1 Qatar Grand Prix as it happened

An amusing exchange with race engineer GP...

Verstappen: Check if he lifted in the yellow 

GP: He did not lift

Verstappen: I hope you report it then!

Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Gasly, Alonso, Russell, Zhou, Tsunoda, Albon, Hulkenberg, Lawson, Magnussen and Bottas.

Someone has lost a wing mirror down the start-finish line. Could be a VSC here to clear it. 

The hards aren't working out for Russell. 

He reports: "The car is just not turning."

It's been the case since the early part of the race but Norris and Verstappen are separated by just 1.8s. 

Piastri is matching the leaders in third - but he's 8.5s off his teammate. 

Russell is the first of the leading group to come into the pit lane. It's a slow stop though - 7.0s for the Mercedes team. A disaster.

Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Piastri, Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Magnussen and Gasly. 

Piastri has moved to back in DRS range of the Mercedes driver. Russell is running 6.1s behind Norris.

Another fastest lap from Verstappen - but the gap between the top two is 1.8s. Will be interesting to see if McLaren opt for an undercut with Norris. 

Verstappen and Norris are exchanging fastest laps at the front of the field. The gap is remaining between 1.8s to 2.0s.

The order currently: Verstappen is 1.8s ahead of Norris. Russell, Piastri, Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Magnussen and Gasly round out the top 10.

Leclerc puts in a fastest lap down in fifth - 0.2s quicker than race leader Verstappen on the last lap. 

Hamilton has been handed a five-second time penalty for a false start. 

Norris responds with a fastest lap of his own to reduce Verstappen's lead down to 1.8s. 

Verstappen pumps in a fastest lap of the race to extend his lead over Norris up to 2.0s. 

Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Piastri, Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Magnussen and Tsunoda. 

Stroll is out of the race. He's served his penalty and he's retired from the grand prix. 

Hamilton has been noted by the stewards for a false start. There could be a penalty coming. 

Stroll has been hit with a 10-second time penalty for the collision with Albon on Lap 1.

A disastrous restart for Alonso, who's now down to 12th. He's just reported that his straight-line speed is "worrying". 

Verstappen remains in the lead ahead of Norris and Russell. Piastri moves up to fourth though following the Safety Car restart.

The order on Lap 4: Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz, Perez, Alonso, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Magnussen, Gasly, Bottas, Lawson, Zhou, Albon, Stroll and Hulkenberg.

There seems to have been two separate incidents. The first involving Hulkenberg, Ocon and Colapinto. Hulkenberg lost the rear into Turn 1 before colliding with Ocon and Colapinto.

Later on in the lap, Stroll and Albon collide, spinning both drivers. 

Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz, Perez, Alonso, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Magnussen, Gasly, Bottas, Lawson, Zhou, Albon, Stroll and Hulkenberg.

Out: Ocon and Colapinto.

The Safety Car has been deployed on the opening lap of the race here in Qatar.

Ocon and Colapinto are out of the race.