WATCH: Perez makes lightning getaway as top three hold station in Azerbaijan GP start

Charles Leclerc took a somewhat surprise pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – and the big question going into the race was whether he'd be able to keep the lead off the line, with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen looking menacing from second and third on the grid.

When the lights went out Leclerc did indeed stay ahead around the first lap – though he did lose out to Hamilton and Verstappen soon afterwards – while further down the field Sergio Perez made a superb start from sixth to leapfrog ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly in the AlphaTauri before Lap 1 was complete.

See the start in the video above, and tap here to follow all the latest from the race in our live blog.