Following the opening laps of yesterday's Sprint we can expect more fun and games this afternoon, and by that we mean that we sincerely hope that it is just fun and games and nothing more.

The frantic yo-yoing, the frightening closing speeds, were clear proof that despite what we have been told those issues that plagued the opening races are still there.

"Overtaking is overtaking," insists Stefano Domenicali, but this wasn't overtaking, this was a free-for-all courtesy of the energy management farce imposed on the sport, and one which has been acknowledged and yet left untreated.

Yo-yoing aside, if we can get through the first few laps without incident we might get a decent race, then again, if he gets through the opening corner still leading Antonelli could romp home unchallenged.

The Ferraris look strong and despite his own yo-yoing Russell should be up there, while Red Bull and McLaren look set to struggle.

The weather is unlikely to be a factor, certainly in terms of the usual Great British Summer, and sadly nor is tyre deg, while a one-stop strategy also suggests that the main 'excitement' this afternoon will come in the opening few laps.

The levels of degradation in the Sprint were, overall, lower than expected, likely also thanks to the way current cars manage energy at this track. For this reason, according to Pirelli's simulations, the one-stop strategy is around 13 seconds quicker than a two-stop.

The vast majority of teams used the medium compound for the Sprint, and this is expected to be the most common choice for the start today as well. The yellow-banded tyre has shown sufficiently consistent performance and can offer good strategic flexibility in the event of race neutralisation.

The fastest strategy involves using the medium in the opening phase of the race, then switching to the hard between laps 24 and 30. A possible alternative is the medium-soft combination, with a pit stop scheduled between laps 29 and 35. Alternatively, a strategy starting on the hard followed by a stint on medium could be chosen, or beginning the race on the soft and finishing on the hard.

As was the case last week, the Red Bull pair have two sets of fresh mediums, while their rivals have just the one set.

Once the dust has settled - probably literally - despite what happens up front, there should be fun and games behind, and while Racing Bulls appear to fil the No Man's Land behind the big guns, we should see some fraught battling between the Audis, Alpines and Williams.

Having taken on a new Energy Store and Control Electronics, Stroll, who qualified 21st, drops ten places. It remains to be seen if he will start from the pitlane.

Gasly was handed a 3-place grid penalty for impeding Stroll, and will start from 15th.

The pitlane opens, and Piastri leads the way, followed by Perez, Lindblad, Hadjar and Hulkenberg.

Air temperature is 23 degrees C, while the track temperature is 41 degrees. It remains windy, but not as bad as yesterday.

Lindblad and Stroll are among the first to take their places on the grid, the Audi pair the last.

All are starting on fresh mediums.

They head off on the formation lap, all getting away cleanly.

The grid forms, however, Alonso stops at Becketts, but is able to get going again. He heads into the pitlane.

They're away! Suffering wheelspin, Antonelli is sluggish off the line, allowing Leclerc to get ahead and as they head into Abbey Hamilton goes around the outside of the Mercedes. Ferrari 1-2.

Hadjar is all over Russell as Verstappen and Lindblad run slightly wide in The Loop

At Luffield the RBs are side by side, Lindblad running wide again, while in the background Bearman has spun after contact with Albon.

Seemingly, Lawson and Piastri have clashed, causing damage to the McLaren.

"I think I have damage," reports Piastri who has dropped to nineteenth, while Albon has pitted.

At the end of Lap 1, it's: Leclerc, Hamilton, Antonelli, Russell, Hadjar, Verstappen, Norris, Lawson, Lindblad and Sainz. Note, Sainz is up to tenth!

Russell is under pressure from Hadjar.

Verstappen passes his teammate and sets about closing on Russell.

Piastri pits at the end of Lap 2 for a new nose and front wing assembly.

Albon and Bearman are under investigation for the incident in Turn 6.

After 3 laps, Russell is already 2.1s down on Hamilton.

Lap 4 sees Leclerc post a new fastest lap (33.737) as he moves 1.1s ahead of Hamilton.

Following their pit stops, Albon and Piastri are both on hards.

Albon gets a 10s penalty for causing a collision, while Hamilton has been noted for a false start.

As Leclerc builds a 2.2s lead, Hamilton has fallen within overtake mode range of Antonelli. The Briton is now under investigation for that start.

Hamilton gets a 5s time penalty for moving before the signal.

Just 8 laps in and Albon is lapped by the race leader. Next up, though a few laps away, will be Piastri.

Hamilton reports front-left graining as Antonelli is 0.39s behind.

"Check gearbox, very odd shift," reports Russell. "We have no concerns," he is told.

On Lap 11, Antonelli nips out of Hamilton's slipstream on the run to Copse and catches the Briton on the hop.

"The down shifts are so ****," declares Verstappen, prefacing this with the admission that for the previous few laps he has bitten his lip and not commented.

In clear air, Antonelli is actually slower than Leclerc.

Despite his issues, Verstappen is just 0.001s down on Russell, with Hadjar 5s behind, just 0.9s up on Norris.

"Front-left doesn't look great," reports Piastri, "it graining." That's the hard after just 11 laps.

"Can you tell him to hurry up," sats tenth-placed Lindblad of his teammate.

Albon pits at the end of Lap 15, seemingly to retire.

On Lap 17, Verstappen repeats the move Antonelli made on Hamilton, in passing Russell.

The Briton attempts to fight back on the Hangar Straight, but the Dutchman has it covered, only to pit.