Kimi Antonelli is asking Mercedes when on earth are Ferrari going to pit Charles Leclerc? It's been 84 years?!

And finally. Ferrari ring Leclerc's phone and in he comes for the soft compound.

Ferrari mechanics are stood up - is this the moment he comes in to make his first stop? Charles Leclerc is told they're managing the gap to George Russell in fifth, while Russell's team-mate Kimi Antonelli is feeling a bit nervous waiting for the Monegasque to finally come in.

Engineer: "Box box to retire the car."

Sainz: "Yeah, I agree."

The fight for ninth is getting tasty. Oscar Piastri is testing the limits with his bid to swipe Franco Colapinto's spot but the Argentine driver is putting up a decent defence.

Alice Powell
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

I wonder if Antonelli has been told he needs to turn up the wick a little bit, not that he needs to because Leclerc has got to box but he's gained at least two three tenths in the first sector. The gap is now under two seconds.

The gap to first and second is now 1.6 seconds between leader Charles Leclerc, on his starting tyres, and Kimi Antonelli.

Oscar Piastri has traffic woes after his pit stop. The Australian is battling with Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto, and Alpine's Colapinto goes off the track. He stays ahead in 10th. Piastri stays in ninth.

Turn One sees some action! Oscar Piastri needs to climb the field and his first target is rookie Arvid Lindblad. It was tight, but the McLaren makes the move stick for P10.

Alice Powell
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

They are still holding out for a safety car. With the Pirelli stats, we are now on lap 42 and this is where the hard tyre should be coming off the car but Charles Leclerc has set a personal best in the first sector. So still being able to find pace out there.

McLaren pull in Oscar Piastri for a tyre changeover. The Australian is on the end of another slow stop by the team, and he comes out in a train of traffic in 11th place, with Arvid Lindblad, Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto all up ahead.

Jennie Gow
F1 pit-lane reporter in Madrid

I've been in touch with Mercedes and asked them about George Russell's two-stop strategy and why they were choosing that when no one else really at the top is. They said the medium tyres is showing signs of abrasions so it could have ended up being a lot worse if he had stayed out, that is why they brought him in and changed his tyres and he had gone on to the hard tyres.

I doubt this race will go down as a classic. Honestly thought we'd be here all night with red flags and stoppages.

Lando Norris is the fastest man on track in fourth and is trying to inch closer to the Red Bull of Max Verstappen. The opportunitiy to pass hasn't presented itself yet, so for now, Dutchman Verstappen is on that final podium spot.

Jennie Gow
F1 pit-lane reporter in Madrid

Just to update you, Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin, the only Aston Martin out on the track after Lance Stroll retired. Alonso has come in and switched onto the soft tyres when everyone else is on the hard or the mediums. He came in at lap 15-16 and he is still out circulating. It is an interesting strategy.

The Ferrari of Charles Leclerc is still out, deep, deep into his stint on his starting hard tyres. Kimi Antonelli, 66 points clear in the drivers' championship, is 2.6 seconds behind the Monegasque man, but Max Verstappen, all of sudden, is now putting pressure on the young Italian.

Lando Norris has looked quick in these last few laps, and the world champion has four-time title winner Max Verstappen in his range for that final podium place. Will he be able to catch him and then overtake the Red Bull?

Image source, Getty Images

Leclerc: "Give me a bit of an update on the race situation, what are we fighting for? Etc."

Engineer: "So in a normal race to the end, we will be P4. If we stop now, 13 seconds behind Norris. We're keeping the safety car gap to Norris."

Oh, Kit. This entry is a big 'hello' to everyone in A&E following along today!

Meanwhile, it's time for some chat over at Ferrari. Charles Leclerc is being fed where he'll come out if he pits, but the Italian team want a safety-car period for maximum effect.

Image source, Getty Images

Charles Leclerc is doing well on his laps-old hard tyres. The Monegasque driver is 2.8 seconds ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli, and his crew in the Ferrari garage are still sat down, waiting for him to come in.