WATCH: Disaster for Verstappen as mechanical issues ruin chance of third Austrian GP win

Max Verstappen came into this weekend looking to seal a third consecutive Austrian Grand Prix win for Red Bull after taking victories in 2018 and 2019 at his team's home race.

And after the RB16 ran well in pre-season testing, Verstappen was targeting the hat-trick this weekend as the 2020 season finally got underway after a four month delay thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.

He qualified third, but his prospects were enhanced just before the start of the race when Lewis Hamilton – who had qualified second – was demoted to fifth, after the stewards penalised him for failing to slow for yellow flags in qualifying on Saturday.

But just 14 laps after the lights went out, Verstappen's hopes of kicking off the season with a win were dashed when he was spotted coasting on the track. He pulled into the pits and after a change of tyres and steering wheel – and an aborted attempt to pull away from his grid slot – he hopped out of the car and out of the race.

Team boss Christian Horner said it was a "suspected electrical issue" but that will be of little consolation to Verstappen who ends round one of this revised season with zero points.

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