Formula One live: Australian Grand Prix

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Lap 41/58 Vettel now over a second clear of Hamilton...

Lap 39/58 Ricciardo and Raikkonen in a scrap for third. Ricciardo has a look, but the Finn holds him off. The Australian would love a podium finish at his home GP.

Lap 37/58 Hamilton is pushing hard to keep up with Vettel, but the German is in control. Hamilton may have to think about a refuel soon too.

Lap 35/58 Bottas makes it past Vandoorne to go eighth.

Lap 33/58 Verstappen is hot on the heels of Alonso, who is fifth. A promising showing by the Spaniard.

Lap 31/58 The safety car departs and Vettel bolts! The German now has control of this race. What a turnaround.

Lap 29/58 "We thought we were safe, but there's obviously something wrong" — Mercedes seem to have misjudged the minimum speed during the virtual safety car period when Vettel claimed the lead.

Lap 27/58 Hamilton can't believe he's ended up behind Vettel! "What just happened guys? Was that my mistake?"

Lap 26/58 Now the safety car is out as the debris is cleared...

Lap 25/58 Vettel is on a new set of softs and rejoins in the lead!

Lap 24/58 Vettel takes advantage to pit onto new tyres. Good timing.

Lap 23/58 Grosjean slows and retires in the pits. The virtual safety car is called so Grosjean's car can be cleared

Lap 21/58 Hamilton's turn to pit, and he maintains his lead.

Lap 20/58 Verstappen is having a nightmare out there. "I think there's something wrong," says Verstappen. "I have so much oversteer in the middle of the corners." Not the season-opener he'd been hoping for.

Lap 19/58 Raikkonen responds with a new fastest lap! Superb from the Finn, who now pits...

Lap 17/58 Ferrari to Raikkonen: "Try to push as much as you can. Critical moment,"

Lap 15/58 Hamilton now has a healthy lead of almost three seconds. A nice cushion as they start to think about pit stops.

Lap 13/58 Hamilton starting to turn up the heat at the front. A new fastest lap as he goes 2.7 seconds clear.

Lap 12/58 Ericsson and Sirotkin are the only casualties so far. Everyone else safely through the opening laps.

Lap 10/58 The Red Bull radio to Ricciardo: "Nice move mate"

Lap 9/58 Big move from Ricciardo! He darts past Hulkenberg, who fights back, but is unable to keep the Australian at bay around the following corner. Ricciardo takes seventh.

Lap 7/58 Magnussen is flying out there. He overtook Verstappen at the start to go fourth and is keeping the heat on Vettel.

Lap 5/58 Raikkonen is matching Hamilton for pace in the early laps in Melbourne. An exciting start at the front.

Lap 3/58 Vettel is another second further back in third.

Lap 2/58 Hamilton doesn't waste any time opening up a 1.2 second lead from Raikkonen.

Lap 1/58 We're off! Hamilton fends off the two Ferraris around the first bend.

07.55 Here's how they line up on the grid:

06.55 CET The start of the Australian Grand Prix — and the brand new F1 season — is 15 minutes away. Can anyone stop Lewis Hamilton?