MUST-SEE: Verstappen fends off Sainz but Norris and Hamilton make contact at the start of the Spanish GP

Max Verstappen held off the challenge from home favourite Carlos Sainz to keep the lead at the start of the Spanish Grand Prix – although there was contact just behind between Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris.

Starting on the front row, Verstappen and Sainz got away well before the Spaniard used the effective slipstream to try and go down the outside of the Red Bull racer into Turn 1, but to no avail.

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Behind the two, Hamilton – starting from fourth – had got ahead of Norris down to Turn 1, to move up to third, only for the McLaren driver’s front wing to make contact with the left rear tyre of the Mercedes. That forced Norris to pit, a disastrous start to the race after such a strong qualifying session.

The Aston Martin of Lance Stroll used this to his advantage to get up to third, while George Russell also made a fast start from 12th to get up to seventh.

Click on the video player above to watch the action unfold at the start of the Spanish Grand Prix.