Max Verstappen accused Formula One bosses of creating “artificial excitement” and ordered them to “scrap” the new sprint schedule.

F1 has revamped the weekend format in Baku by introducing two qualifying sessions. One on Friday, which decided the order for Sunday’s Grand Prix, and a second shorter qualifying session to make up the grid for Saturday’s sprint race, which was won by Sergio Perez.

The sport’s chiefs believe the revamp will enliven a race weekend and appeal to their younger audience. Practice has been reduced from three hours to just one to make way for more on-track action.

Verstappen has already threatened to quit F1 if the sprint calendar – set at six events this season – is expanded.

And pressed for his assessment of the new format, the double world champion, who finished third on Saturday, said: “It is terrible. Just scrap the whole thing.

“It is hectic. It is not proper racing. It is more like gambling. I will have more success in Las Vegas when I go to the casino.

“I like racing. I am a pure racer but this is more for the show. Of course, it is important to have entertainment but if all the cars are closer you create better entertainment.

“That is what we have to try and aim for and not to implement this artificial excitement.

“It feels like a football match when one team is winning 3-0 and then suddenly you just reset it to 0-0. I find it unnecessary.”

The changes, which gained support from the grid’s 10 teams following a unanimous vote on Tuesday, will apply to the five other sprint rounds in Austria, Belgium, Qatar, Austin and Brazil this year. A regular grand prix weekend will remain as it is.

Verstappen, who holds a 13-point lead in the championship, continued: “I got bored in qualifying [on Saturday] to be honest. I like to have one qualifying where you put everything in it.

“I did that yesterday which I enjoyed and then we had to do it again today and I was like ‘my God another qualifying’. I just don’t enjoy that.”

Late strikes from Ivan Toney and Josh Dasilva saw Brentford come from behind to condemn Nottingham Forest to another Premier League defeat on the road.

Forest had led through birthday boy Danilo, who celebrated turning 22 with a goal in first-half stoppage-time.

But Toney equalised with a free-kick eight minutes from time, taking his Premier League tally for the season to 20.

And with Forest down to 10 men after Danilo went off injured, substitute Dasilva secured a 2-1 win to send relegation-threatened Forest spinning to a seventh straight away defeat.

Brentford dominated the first half and Bryan Mbuemo’s early cross was met with a glancing header from Rico Henry which flew across goal and wide.

Kevin Schade then headed straight at Forest goalkeeper Keylor Navas from Vitaly Janelt’s cross.

Forest’s first chance of the opening half came when Serge Aurier overlapped and played the ball back to Brennan Johnson.

The striker lofted the ball high into the box where Taiwo Awoniyi looped his header over David Raya and over the crossbar.

Navas was called into action again to save Ethan Pinnock’s close-range shot in a crowded area with Mikkel Damsgaard unable to connect with the rebound.

The Costa Rica keeper then held Ben Mee’s header from another Mbeumo free-kick, before Forest took a shock lead.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s shot from the edge of the box ricocheted off the heel of Mee into the path of Danilo, who rifled the ball home from eight yards.

The January signing from Palmeiras, who scored his first goal for the club in their midweek against Brighton, celebrated with a Samba dance in front of the travelling fans.

After the break Dasilva saw a shot blocked and Mee’s attempted scissor-kick flew over.

Raya saved from Gibbs-White and then held an acrobatic overhead kick from Moussa Niakhate as Forest searched for a second.

But they were undone after Cheikhou Kouyate fouled Frank Onyeka 25 yards out.

Toney, who had done little of note all afternoon, stepped up to curl the free-kick between Navas and his far post.

In doing so the striker became the first Bees player to hit 20 goals in the top flight since the 1930s.

Forest, who had used all their substitutes, had to see out the match a man down after Danilo limped off.

Brentford sensed their chance and Navas scrambled to keep out Onyeka’s deflected shot before Aaron Hickey drove narrowly wide.

It was Dasilva who hit the knockout blow, cutting in from the right wing and lashing home the winner in stoppage time.

Marlie Packer believes England can sell out Twickenham before the 2025 World Cup final after the Grand Slam was completed in front of a crowd of 58,498.

France were edged 38-33 in a riveting Tik Tok Women’s Six Nations title decider that set a new record attendance for a women’s game, surpassing the previous highest of 42,579.

The Rugby Football Union has targeted a full house for the World Cup final when it hosts the tournament in two years’ time, but Packer believes that on the evidence of Saturday that goal could arrive earlier.

“For me as a Red Rose, I want to sell out Twickenham,” said England’s captain after the first standalone women’s match to be staged at Twickenham.

“I believe we can do it and I believe we can do it before 2025 for the World Cup final. Look at today – we weren’t a curtain raiser, it was all about us.

“The other nations are closing the gap and getting professional contracts, so the quality of the games is getting better and not just England v France games.

“Everything is on the rise so more tickets will be sold and more stadiums will sell out.”

While Packer sees the possibilities at Twickenham, the Saracens openside is keen for England to continue their policy of playing at Premiership grounds.

“When we take the Red Roses on the road, we get fans in from all over the country. We’re a brand and we want to keep selling our brand,” Packer said.

“Yes it would be great to play at Twickenham every time and that in itself will come in time, but we need to keep building our fanbase.”

England led 33-0 at half-time but France hit back with five tries in a tense finish.

“We had done enough in the first-half and we took our points in the second-half to finish off the game,” Packer said.

“But we’ll look back at this game to see what we need to work on in the second-half. We got the victory and that’s what we came here to do today.”

France captain Audrey Forlani admitted her side failed to do themselves justice as they slipped to a 33-0 interval deficit.

“In the first-half, that is not a true reflection of our team,” Forlani said.

“If you look at the second-half, that is our real team. We need to keep working and keep that second half in mind.”

Max Verstappen called George Russell a “d***head” following their sprint race collision at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Sergio Perez raced past pole-sitter Charles Leclerc to win in Baku, with Verstappen third and Russell fourth. Lewis Hamilton finished seventh.

Verstappen vented his anger at Russell following an altercation on the opening lap which left him with a hole in the side of his Red Bull.

Verstappen confronted Russell immediately after the race and in full glare of the television cameras.

Russell, still with his crash helmet on, protested his innocence to the double world champion.

“I didn’t do it on purpose, mate,” he said. “I had no grip. I just locked up.”

Verstappen replied: “Mate, we all have no grip, we all need to leave a little bit of space.”

Russell started walking away from Verstappen before adding: “Watch the onboard (camera).”

Verstappen answered: “Yeah, sure. Well expect next time the same. D***head.”

Verstappen had been in an agitated mood throughout Saturday’s 17-lap dash following the early altercation. He started third but had Russell for company at the first corner.

Verstappen kept ahead before Russell sensed his next opportunity at the second bend.

Russell then nudged Verstappen under braking before carrying the momentum through to turn three to move ahead of his Red Bull rival.

“He tapped me,” yelled Verstappen, who grazed the wall. “That’s how he got the position, report it.”

Moments later, the Red Bull driver was back on the radio. “Did he really drive into the side of me? I don’t get how he can damage my car and keep the position. I find it ridiculous,” he said.

A safety car – deployed when Yuki Tsunoda lost a tyre after he smashed into the wall – came in at the end of lap five and Verstappen made short work of taking third back from Russell when he flew underneath the Mercedes driver at turn one.

Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase congratulated his driver. “Without contact as well,” he said. “Nicely done.”

“Yes, I know how to do that,” replied Verstappen. A series of bleeped-out expletives followed.

Verstappen, who in the past has had numerous collisions with Russell’s Mercedes team-mate Hamilton, then carried his anger over to the post-race press conference.

“I did leave him (Russell) enough room,” said the Dutchman. “He got through the corner without hitting the inside barrier, but apparently it is hard not to hit a Red Bull car for them.” Them being Mercedes.

The coming together between Verstappen and Russell was not investigated by the stewards.

“I’m here to fight, I’m here to win and I’m not just going to wave him by because he is Max Verstappen in a Red Bull,” said Russell.

“When he came over to me I thought he was coming to say ‘good battle, nice fight’. I was very surprised at how angry he was.

“From my side, his position was already lost. Ever since eight-year olds in go-karts, if you are on the inside at the apex of a corner then it’s your corner. If a driver is trying to resist a position on the outside they are taking a huge risk.

“On lap one, on a street circuit, I was really quite shocked that he was trying to hold the position.”

Verstappen’s championship lead was reduced from 15 points to 13 after team-mate Perez cruised past Leclerc on the eighth lap before cantering to the flag.

For Sunday’s 51-lap Grand Prix, Leclerc starts on pole position, with Verstappen alongside him on the front row.

Hamilton, who on Saturday started sixth and then dropped a position after he was passed by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, starts fifth on the grid.

Brighton ended a difficult week on a major high by emphatically reigniting their European push with a history-making 6-0 demolition of Wolves at the Amex Stadium.

Doubles from Deniz Undav, Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck helped the rampant Seagulls rip apart Wanderers en route to registering their biggest Premier League success.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side came into the game having suffered an agonising FA Cup semi-final loss to Manchester United last Sunday before a meek midweek defeat at lowly Nottingham Forest.

But the eighth-placed Seagulls stylishly set aside those setbacks to move on to a club-record 53 Premier League points – two below Tottenham in fifth – with a spell-binding performance in the Sussex sunshine.

The emphatic triumph was Albion’s greatest since returning to the top flight in 2017, bettering last season’s 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United.

Stunned Wolves offered little on a chastening afternoon as they slipped to a resounding loss which keeps them looking over their shoulders in the battle to avoid relegation.

Brighton boss De Zerbi called for Albion’s fans to be a 12th man following five successive games on the road.

Fearing fatigue amid a hectic fixture list, the Italian made the drastic decision to begin with influential trio Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Kaoru Mitoma on the bench.

The surprising selection did not remain a talking point for long as the reshuffled Seagulls, who made five changes in total, made a blistering start and led inside six minutes.

Joel Veltman’s low cross from the right was flicked on by Welbeck for Undav to slot home his maiden Premier League goal from the edge of the six-yard box.

Following a lengthy VAR check for offside, the strike stood before play was briefly halted again minutes later as Stockley Park reviewed a tussle between Diego Costa and Adam Webster before concluding the former was not guilty of violent conduct.

Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui this week claimed the Seagulls’ eye-catching style of play is the best in world football.

His lacklustre side were culpable of giving the swashbuckling hosts a major helping hand as Brighton’s rapid beginning swiftly turned into an unassailable advantage.

The second goal arrived in the 13th minute when Wolves sloppily conceded possession in midfield, allowing Julio Enciso to drive forward and slip in Gross, who lifted the ball high into the net beyond Jose Sa.

Gross’ second of the afternoon – in the 26th minute – was a stunner. The German midfielder sprayed a pass wide to Enciso on the left and, after receiving the ball back, unleashed a dipping volley into the right corner after his first touch looped into the air.

In between those strikes, Welbeck rifled over as he attempted to capitalise on a poor pass from Sa, while Matheus Nunes tested Seagulls goalkeeper Jason Steele during a rare attack for the shell-shocked visitors.

Former England international Welbeck would not be denied for long.

The forward increased Albion’s lead to 4-0 six minutes before the break by climbing highest at the back post to nod in Pervis Estupinan’s left-wing cross.

Lopetegui responded to a dismal opening period by making three half-time substitutions.

But the alterations had little, if any, impact and Brighton stretched their lead three minutes into the second period when Welbeck’s left-footed effort from the edge of the D found the bottom left corner.

Solly March, who missed the crucial penalty in last weekend’s shoot-out defeat at Wembley, then received a rapturous reception when he was replaced.

Woeful Wolves again contributed to their own downfall in the 66th minute as their punishment continued.

Undav became the third Seagulls player to claim a brace, dispossessing the dithering Nunes on the edge of the visitors’ box to delightfully dink over Sa.

Billy Gilmour and Estupinan each went close to heightening Wolves’ embarrassment.

Aside from an effort from Daniel Podence, the away side offered little resistance to being dismantled before being booed off by the disgruntled away end as jubilant home fans saluted a record-breaking success.

James Maddison knows Leicester City's meeting with Everton could be a defining moment in the battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League, describing the six-pointer as "massive".

Leicester and Everton are both in the relegation zone ahead of Monday's clash at the King Power Stadium, separated by just one point as they desperately scrap for survival.

The Foxes have experienced something of an upturn since Dean Smith took charge, beating Wolves and rescuing a 1-1 draw against fellow strugglers Leeds United in their last two games.

With just five matches remaining for the Foxes to save their season, Maddison hopes Smith's impact will prove decisive.

"It's definitely given us a lift," Maddison said of Smith's arrival. "When you have a new manager, it's a new voice, new messages and so everyone's on it.

"There has been a real uplift in confidence and belief and hopefully that will leave us in good stead so we can produce another positive performance and result against Everton.

"We're all fighting and battling for Premier League safety. We all know their manager and what type of characteristics he has, he'll be looking for a reaction and getting them going. 

"Make no mistake about it, this is a massive game – there's no point in dressing it up as anything else."

Everton are growing desperate following Thursday's dismal 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United, with the Toffees still to face Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City in a difficult run-in. 

Though the Toffees are winless in six games, Sean Dyche still believes in their survival prospects – though he accepts they need to improve quickly.

"I think we can do it," he said. "It is about us. 

"We have to correct the mistakes we have made in the last few weeks. We can all talk the talk, but it is about walking the walk."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Leicester City – Jamie Vardy

Vardy ended his 20-game Premier League goal drought last time out, netting a crucial equaliser against Leicester's fellow relegation candidates Leeds.

Having scored six goals in his first nine league games against Everton, Vardy has failed to net in his last four against them. If he can end that run on Monday, it could prove crucial in their battle to survive.

Everton – Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton are winless in their last 12 Premier League away games (D5 L7), failing to score on nine separate occasions during that run.

Having endured another injury-hit campaign, Calvert-Lewin last found the net in a Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace in October. Dyche's men need him to find form in the coming weeks.

MATCH PREDICTION – LEICESTER CITY WIN

Having won on their last two Premier League trips to Leicester, Everton are looking to post three successive away wins against the Foxes for the first time in their history.

However, a run of 12 Premier League away games without a win has done nothing to alleviate the Toffees' relegation fears. Since beating Brighton in August 2021, they have won just two of their 33 away league matches (D10 L21).

Leicester boss Smith, meanwhile, has won four and lost none of his six previous Premier League meetings with Everton, winning three of his four at home against the Toffees.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

Leicester City - 52.1 per cent

Everton - 21.4 per cent

Draw - 26.5 per cent

Roy Hodgson admitted his relief after Crystal Palace beat West Ham 4-3 to move to 40 points and all but assure themselves of Premier League safety.

When the 75-year-old stepped back into the Selhurst Park dugout at the beginning of this month he had inherited a side entrenched in a relegation battle and significantly struggling in attack.

Palace have been transformed under him since and the win over David Moyes’ men lifted them into 11th place and ahead of Chelsea, who have played two fewer matches.

Palace were unnerved when Tomas Soucek fired the Hammers into an early lead and goals from Jordan Ayew, Wilfried Saha and Jeffery Schlupp gave them a 3-1 lead.

Michael Antonio pulled a goal back before the break but Eberechi Eze restored Palace’s two-goal advantage from the penalty spot and, although Nayef Aguerd kept Hammers hopes alive with a third for the visitors, Palace held firm for the win.

Hodgson is hopeful that Palace will push on for the remaining four games despite looking clear of the menace of relegation.

“It is up to the players,”said Hodgson. “I don’t often share what I say to the players in the dressing room but I can share this. I said ‘it’s up to you’. Nothing is going to change as far as Ray [Lewington], Paddy McCarthy and I are concerned.

“We will all work exactly the same way, but only you can get that fire, that desire to make the extra run, to win the challenge, only you can do that. I think you could take this as far as you want.

“I’m not going to say we’re going to win four more games, but I don’t think we’re incapable of winning them.

“At the same time the sword has been removed from my head, it’s been removed from the players’ heads.

“We will keep the sword where it is as far as we’re concerned, because we like to win games and we like to come away from every performance, even if it is a defeat thinking ‘well done, boys. You did well, you played the right football, not dissatisfying in any way. Didn’t work out this time, onto the next one’.

“That’s our attitude. I can’t guarantee what the players’ attitude will be, but I would think they would share that belief.”

England women’s head coach Stuart Barrow expressed surprise at his side’s thumping 64-0 win over France in their mid-season international in Warrington.

Leah Burke crossed four times and Tara-Jane Stanley touched down and also kicked 16 points with the boot as Barrow’s team ran in 12 tries to start his reign in style.

England had beaten the French 36-10 at the same venue in a World Cup warm-up last June and Barrow believes the clinical manner of their performance offers plenty of encouragement for the future.

“I don’t think we came here today expecting that kind of result,” said Barrow. “We had a process and the players executed it really well, but as always there were things we can still improve upon.”

England currently have no further fixtures planned, and conjuring quality northern hemisphere opposition remains a problem, with Wales or France again the extent of their realistic options for a prospective autumn international.

“I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t think we could bridge the gap (to Australia and New Zealand) and obviously having more competitive matches is going to help with that,” added Barrow.

“We’ve got a really good group of players and an increasing number of young players knocking on the door.”

St Helens star Burke said she relished the opportunity to put an England shirt back on for the first time since the disappointing World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand in November.

And with team-mates Georgia Roche and Hollie-Mae Dodd having recently become the first English players to land professional deals in Australia’s NRLW, Burke believes the domestic game is on the brink of a bright new era.

“It was tough losing to New Zealand because deep down we knew we could beat them, but we took some time away and I think the way we played today showed how hard we’ve been working,” added Burke.

“The women’s game is growing massively all the time and there are no backward steps. It just keeps pushing forward and the size of the crowd today was a reflection on where we are.”

Luciano Spalletti insisted Napoli "will be ready" and "must not change anything" ahead of their rescheduled Serie A clash – and potential Scudetto-clinching showdown – with Salernitana.

The Partenopei had been set to play on Saturday but will now take to the pitch at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday instead.

It means Napoli now play after second-placed Lazio, meaning the title will be theirs if they win after their nearest rivals fail to beat Inter at San Siro earlier the same day.

Nevertheless, Spalletti says his players remain focused on the task in hand, also urging them not to take anything for granted against in-form Salernitana, who are unbeaten in eight matches.

"We've known for a long time what our direction is," the coach said during his pre-match press conference. "We continue on our path so far, then there are things that are above us that we can't control.

"It's okay to be controlled by other things, and we adapt. But we will be ready to play our game, we would have been ready today anyway. Let's just play.

"We have not entrusted our Scudetto to the judge or to fate, but to our idea of football, to make happy those who wait for us with bated breath for hours at an airport or in the street just to see an Azzurri coach pass by.

"The team must not change anything, and for the desire that I saw this morning, I am convinced that we will play our game.

"I don't know if it will be enough because we will face a strong opponent, they haven't lost in eight games. What happened has motivated the opponents more, but we will do what we had to do today."

James Maddison praised Dean Smith’s impact at Leicester ahead of their crucial Premier League clash with Everton.

The Foxes slipped back into the drop zone this week but have taken four points from their last two games.

Smith replaced Brendan Rodgers until the end of the season earlier this month and, after losing his opening game 3-1 at Manchester City, has beaten Wolves and drawn at Leeds.

Maddison returned from illness to set up Jamie Vardy’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Elland Road on Tuesday and feels the points and Smith’s fresh approach has boosted the Foxes – who had lost eight out of nine before his arrival.

“It’s definitely given us a lift and helped that side of things,” the playmaker told the club’s official site ahead of Monday’s visit of the Toffees.

“When you have a new manager, it’s a new voice, new messages and so everyone’s on it.

“The gaffer’s been in three games; we had a tight game against Man City but, as we just saw against Arsenal, they can blow anyone away and we maybe could’ve even got something up until towards the end of that game.

“But that was never going to be a defining moment in the season because not many teams go to the Etihad and win. But then obviously winning at home and then not losing away, which was something we’d been doing lately, was important.

“There has been a real uplift in confidence and belief and hopefully that will leave us in good stead so we can produce another positive performance and result against Everton.

“We haven’t given the crowd enough to cheer and shout about this season so we understand the frustrations, especially when we go behind. I always say it’s so important and massive for us if the crowd can stick with us, even in the tougher times.

“There was a little bit of anxiety when we went behind but once the team got going and started playing at a bit of a quicker tempo, they really bought into that and helped the team get over the line.”

Leah Burke scored four tries as England women marked their first appearance since last year’s World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand with an emphatic 64-0 win over France in Warrington.

Australia-bound Hollie-Mae Dodd added a double while Tara-Jane Stanley scored a try and kicked eight out of 12 conversions in a one-sided start to life under new head coach Stuart Barrow.

The French, who exited the World Cup with three straight defeats, scarcely summoned any resistance as Shona Hoyle, Tamzin Renouf, Eboni Partington, Sinead Peach and Amy Hardcastle also scored to take England’s total try tally to 12.

Dodd, whose quickfire double extended England’s lead early in the second half, and Leeds Rhinos’ Georgia Roche made history as the first professional players to represent their country having recently inked deals in Australia’s NRLW.

They can expect much sterner tests ahead with the tone for the match set when Manon Samarra fumbled the kick-off and Roche sent Burke scampering over for the opener.

With the hosts’ incisive passing cutting apart the French defence, Burke picked up a neat pass from Stanley to cross for her second before the 10-minute mark.

England were making yards at will and Hoyle burst out of the front row to twist through the reluctant French rearguard and score England’s third midway through the first period.

The hosts switched flanks with Renouf and Partington both squeezing in on the right before Stanley went over, taking her personal first-half tally to 10 with a 50 per cent successful conversion rate.

Dodd touched down for a double early in the second period, sandwiching a neat kick from Stanley that teed up Burke to complete her hat-trick, and two more Stanley conversions took England’s tally to 46.

York captain Peach, recalled to the squad after being controversially omitted for the World Cup by Barrow’s predecessor Craig Richards, marked her return with England’s 10th try before Burke completed her personal tally.

Hardcastle, one of the stand-out performers of the World Cup campaign, crossed for England’s 12th and final try, serving up Stanley to take her own personal points tally to 20 with the final conversion of the day.

Sergio Perez blasted his way past Charles Leclerc to win the sprint race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Perez started second before moving ahead of Leclerc on lap eight of 17 in Baku to take the chequered flag 4.4 seconds clear.

Max Verstappen finished third, one spot ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell. Lewis Hamilton started sixth and finished seventh.

Perez’s win reduced the deficit to Verstappen in the driver’s standings from 15 points to 13 ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Leclerc claimed his second pole position of the weekend earlier on Saturday and started the 17-lap dash with a smart getaway to keep Perez at bay.

Verstappen was third on the grid, but had a fast-starting Russell for company at the first corner.

The reigning champion managed to keep ahead before Russell sensed another opportunity at the second bend.

Russell nudged Verstappen before carrying the momentum on the charge to Turn 3 to move ahead of his Red Bull rival. Cue an irate Verstappen.

“He tapped me,” yelled Verstappen. “That’s how he got the position, report it.”

Moments after Russell barged his way past Verstappen, Yuki Tsunoda was on three wheels after he banged into the wall.

Tsunoda’s right rear tyre fell off his AlphaTauri and bounced along the asphalt before resting in the middle of the track. The virtual safety car was deployed and then upgraded to a full safety car with debris from Tsunoda’s wounded machine also littering the circuit.

Tsunoda stopped for new rubber and was sent back on his way. But the Japanese driver’s car was undriveable.

The FIA took a dim view of AlphTauri’s decision to send Tsunoda back on to the track, with the governing body investigating the accident.

Back to Verstappen and the double world champion’s mood did not improve when he was told he had sustained floor damage in the clash with Russell.

Verstappen was back on the radio, saying: “Did he really drive into the side of me? I don’t get how he can damage my car and keep the position. I find it ridiculous”.

In came the safety car at the end of lap five and Verstappen made short work of taking third back from Russell as he flew underneath the British driver’s Mercedes at Turn 1.

Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase was on the radio to congratulate his driver. “Without contact as well, nicely done,” he said.

“Yes, I know how to do that,” replied Verstappen before he continued his rant with a series of bleeped-out expletives.

Hamilton was dicing with Carlos Sainz for fifth but the Ferrari man held firm. Hamilton ran out of room and Fernando Alonso snuck past, dropping the Briton to seventh.

Perez was starting to draw Leclerc in, and at the start of the eighth lap he breezed past his Ferrari rival on the 220mph drag to the first corner before cantering to the flag.