Though there have been a number of 'incidents', thus far, certainly compared to F2 and F3, F1 has got off pretty lightly this weekend.
However, that could change over the next couple of hours.
The nine-car crash during yesterday's F3 feature race showed the potential there is for a disaster here, and though F1 drivers tend to be a lot more sensible there are always those 'red mist' moments, especially at the start of the race, and even more so when there is little opportunity for overtaking.
The post-qualifying press releases all mentioned the fact that overtaking will be nigh impossible, while making clear that any opportunity - such as a VSC, Safety Car or Red Flag must be taken full advantage of. It was almost like the Grim Reaper had compiled them all.
However, other than further incidents, tyre wear is going to be a major issue, along with the usual problems with energy deployment and the almost inevitable red mist in the opening couple of laps.
Norris has started from pole twice already this season and on both occasions converted it into a win, consequently the Briton, who admits shock at his pole-winning lap yesterday, must be heading into the race filled with confidence.
However, alongside he has world championship leader Antonelli, while behind are Verstappen, Hamilton and Leclerc.
Speaking at the post-qualifying press conference, Antonelli predicted that, due to tyre wear, drivers will drive the opening 10 laps like "grandmothers" in the opening laps, but other than the fact that there are grandmother drivers and grand mother drivers, this is Antonelli we are talking about.
Certainly the opening stint is going to be vital.
According to Pirelli a one-stopper appears to be the most natural choice, given the difficulty of overtaking and the time lost in the pit lane. However, a two-stop strategy could still prove competitive if degradation remains at the levels observed on Friday.
The most likely strategies revolve around the medium-hard and medium-hard-hard combinations. The soft-hard and soft-hard-hard alternatives are estimated to be around two seconds slower over race distance. The hard is undoubtedly the most consistent compound, and the majority of drivers have preserved both sets for precisely that reason.
However, much will depend on the possible deployment of the Safety Car or VSC, a scenario which, on a street circuit with barriers so close to the track, represents, as we have already seen during the previous sessions, a factor that must be taken very seriously.
The Ferrari pair both have a set of fresh softs, while Lawson, the Mercedes and McLaren drivers have one set of fresh mediums. All have two sets of fresh hards bar Lawson.
However, today isn't just about the big guns, for the midfield battle will be just a hard-fought with RB and alpine set for another scrap and Audi seeks to build on its recent run of points.
Sainz, who was involved in the design of the track, drops three grid places to 20th after impeding Bottas in qualifying, which probably serves him right for being involved in the design of the track.
Bearman, who didn't take part in qualifying after crashing in FP3, starts from the pitlane after taking on new engine components, while Stroll, who was demoted after taking on a new engine, starts from 21st on the grid.
The pitlane opens and local hero Sainz leads the way, followed by Albon, Ocon, Lindblad and Bortoleto.
Air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 52 degrees. It is bright and beautiful but hot, which will, of course, affect tyre deg.
First out, Sainz is also the last driver to take his place on the grid.
"All good," says Russell, "I don't know what to expect from this race. It's weird, on Friday we had massive tyre deg, in the F2 and F3 races, there was no tyre deg."
All are starting on hards bar Norris, Antonelli, Colapinto, Lindblad, Ocon, Albon and Perez who are on mediums, and Verstappen, Hamilton and Hulkenberg who are on softs. Fresh rubber for all bar Verstappen.
So, first row mediums, second row softs and third and fourth rows hard. A number of teams are clearly splitting their strategies.
Norris leads the field away on the formation lap, which appears unusually cautious.
The grid forms.
They're away! Antonelli and Verstappen run wide. Norris moves to his left to cover Antonelli as the Italian moves to the right. Into Turn 1, Norris is on the inside of Antonelli as Hamilton attempts to squeeze through also.
In the process Antonelli misses Turn 2 as does Verstappen, the Italian rejoining in the lead and the Dutchman in third.
Antonelli runs wide again in Turn 5 thereby allowing Verstappen through. Further back, Russell and Piastri have touched, leaving the Australian with front wing damage.
There was also contact between Tsunoda and Sainz in Turn 1, the Spaniard locking-up and banging wheels with the RB driver.
At the end of Lap 1, it's Norris, Verstappen, Antonelli, Hamilton, Leclerc, Russell, Colapinto, Lawson, Lindblad and Piastri. Colapinto is up two places, and Piastri down three.
"Max has to give the position back," claims Hamilton. "Check the rear, I think I hit the wall," he adds.
After 2 laps, Norris leads by 1.7s.
Verstappen is told that if he hands back the position to Hamilton it will allow Antonelli through.
"Mate, what the **** are you talking about, if I had stayed we would have crashed," insists the Dutchman.
Nonetheless, he subsequently allows both Antonelli and Hamilton through.
"I think I'm having a brake failure, pedal going long," warns Hamilton as he is left for dead by Verstappen.
Hamilton moves aside for his teammate, and now falls under pressure from Russell.
In no time at al Hamilton has lost several places after running wide in Turn 4.
"I don't have brakes, guys," he reports. "I can barely stop the car," he adds as he is shown the black and white for track limits violations.
Behind Norris, Antonelli runs wide at Turn 17 and drops 4.2s behind the McLaren.
Hamilton pits to retire.
This is almost too easy for Norris, he leads Antonelli by 4.2s with Verstappen a further 5.1s behind, 2.4s clear of Leclerc.
Ferrari was keen to get Hamilton back to the pits rather than park on track and compromise Leclerc's race with a VSC or red flag.
Lawson is all over the back of Colapinto's alpine.
"If Leclerc doesn't pick up his pace we'll have to consider the undercut," advises Russell.
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