Polesitter Charles Leclerc held on to the lead on the opening lap in Baku, while Sergio Perez got the better of Carlos Sainz in a smooth race.

It was a perfect start for the Monegasque, who built on his fourth consecutive pole position at the circuit to open up a comfortable lead over Oscar Piastri’s McLaren.

LIVE REPORT: Follow all the action from the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Elsewhere, it was a strong start for Red Bull duo Perez and Max Verstappen, as both improved their qualifying positions in the opening few corners. Lando Norris also moved up from his P15 grid position, while Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda came together.

Click the play button on the video above to relive the start of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.