Damon Hill
1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra in Austin

Charles Leclerc's overtake on Max Verstappen through turns six, seven and eight has got be one of the bravest moves we've seen all seeson, it was incredibly committed and caught Max out really well. Great racing in those first few laps but it's more strung out now, we're waiting to see the pace as the tyres start to degrade.

George Russell is in sixth spot at the moment, which is enough for the title to carry on to Mexico next week. But now the Mercedes driver has been hit with a five-second time penalty. He'll be staying put for a few seconds when he comes in to pit.

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It doesn't take McLaren long to pull the trigger and switch Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri around. The world champion moves up to seventh, and the Australian drops back to eighth.

George Russell is pleading his case to his engineer for that incident on the opening lap. He's under investigation for allegedly leaving the track and gaining an advantage, and it looks like the steards have made a decision.

Damon Hill
1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra in Austin

We saw Carlos Sainz get squeezed right against the wall on the start-finish straight. Quite a lot of contact at the start of the race, no wonder they had the virtual safety car out to pick up all the debris.

Here comes the drone shot, which is following the two McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. World champion Norris is asked if he has the pace to challenge, and he does, he says. So the team are looking to swap their drivers around at some point.

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Bearman: "I had my wheel in his mirror. He just turned in on me. He didn’t leave me any space."

There were a few knocks on that first lap at the Circuit of the Americas. Oliver Bearman was bashed about quite a bit but the Haas driver is in the points in 10th place. Carlos Sainz also took a hefty hit.

Kimi Antonelli, on his medium tyres, is keeping the gap at two seconds from four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

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Race control flash a message on screen to say Mercedes' George Russell is now under investigation for allegedly leaving the track and gaining an advantage at Turn 12 on the opening lap.

Russell was battling with Isack Hadjar, who made a slow getaway, but then the Briton made contact with the McLaren of Oscar Piastri.

Damon Hill
1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra in Austin

Amazing start for Kimi Antonelli. While all these guys were scrapping for P2, he's managed to get a clear lap, not bothered by anyone behind him. He's got a two-second lead

Lance Stroll is on the Aston Martin radio to say there is bodywork flying around the track, but things look to have been cleared now.

Max Verstappen is pumping out the fastest laps iin the Red Bull as he tries to chase down Kimi Antonelli, who made a fantastic start in the Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton is where he needs to be in fourth, George Russell has stayed put in his starting sixth position.

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Alex Albon made contact with the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso in the opening laps of this United States Grand Prix, so that's what the virtual safety car was for. The yellow flags are still out, so maybe Albon's car has picked up more damage.

Polesitter Kimi Antonelli leads Red Bull's Max Verstappen by 2.6 seconds.

Damon Hill
1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra in Austin

I was talking about the worry that Kimi Antonelli would be mugged buy the Red Bulls but it was actually the Ferraris mugging the Red Bull of Max Verstappen!

it looks like there's a bit of debris on track that requires a short virtual safety car. Kimi Antonelli leads from Max Verstappen, who lost his position to Charles Leclerc within the opening corners.

Now the yellow flag is waving, as Oliver Bearman is battling in the points places in 10th spot.

Lewis Hamilton is up to fourth at Cota, as Isack Hadjar as dropped down the order to fifth.

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Yeehaw! Here we go!

Great start by Kimi Antonelli and the Mercedes driver leads coming out of Turn One at Cota.

Charles Leclerc is putting Max Verstappen under pressure and the Ferrari man takes second place from the Red Bull driver.

George Russell has gone off the track but has stayed in sixth place.

Verstappen wants his position back off Charles Leclerc. The four-time world champion waits for the perfect opportunity and passes the Monegasque to reclaim second spot.

Kimi Antonelli is making his way to the head of the field. Will this be he night the title changes hands from Lando Norris to the 20-year-old Italian?

We're about to find out...

Damon Hill
1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra in Austin

Talking to some of the engineers, they say this is one of the easier circuits for overtaking on the calendar so it depends who you talk to. I saw Lewis Hamilton say he found it difficult to overtake here when he was trying to pass Sebastian Vettel. But I think with these conditions, the overtake mode and various things they've got at their disposal, then coming down the back straight, they've got a much easier chance of getting past the car in front.