Reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has climbed the podium again, with victory in the Austrian Grand Prix bringing his third consecutive world title closer.

Verstappen started from pole position for the fourth time in a row , it is his fifth consecutive victory this season. He extended his championship lead to 81 points over Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.

Charles Leclerc, last year’s winner, finished 5.2 seconds behind Verstappen in second, with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez third, 17.2 seconds behind.

After a clean start from pole position, he held off Leclerc in Turns 2 and 3 and regained the lead after a pit stop at the halfway point of the 71-lap race at the Red Bull Ring.

Sainz finished fourth ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) in sixth, Hamilton in seventh and his teammate George Russell in eighth.

Red Bull have won all nine races, all 11 if you count the two sprint races with Verstappen’s victory following Perez’s success in Azerbaijan. The 25-year-old Dutchman has taken a total of 42 Formula One wins – putting him fifth on the all-time winners list.