Verstappen's sizable championship lead was slashed from 33 points to eight after he crashed at last weekend's British GP after contact with Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton was handed a 10-second penalty following the crash but the seven-time world champion delivered a superb comeback drive to record his eighth win on home soil

Hamilton, who drove a victory lap brandishing the British flag, cut the gap to Verstappen in the drivers' championship from 33 points to eight.

Hamilton's front wheel touched Verstappen's rear wheel sending the Red Bull driver off course. Hamilton was given 10-second penalty

Verstappen has a 32-point advantage over Hamilton in the championship.

The theft is one more off-field incident that has overshadowed England's loss to Italy after a penalty shootout in the final

The 2020 Australian GP at the Albert Park street circuit in Melbourne last March was called off at the last minute at the start of the coronavirus pandemic shutdown

It was Max Verstappen's fifth win of the season compared to three for Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton

Max Verstappen leads Lewis Hamilton 5-2 in poles this season and the pressure is on the Mercedes driver heading into Sunday's race

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said this season's tight race for the F1 title prompted them to get the contract done