Verstappen holds the lead, but Ocon causes a direct safety car

Max Verstappen has held on to the lead of the Austrian Grand Prix. The Dutchman had to reckon with Lando Norris but eventually went through the first lap as leader. Sergio Perez also had to defend against Lewis Hamilton, but he managed to keep the Brit behind him.

The first lap, however, was halted early on by a safety car. Esteban Ocon was stopped on the third straight with a left front tyre facing the wrong way, due to a sandwich between Mick Schumacher and Antonio Giovinazzi. Verstappen kept himself out of trouble though and so the top five remained as they started.