Mercedes Lewis Hamilton held off Max Verstappen’s Red Bull for victory in an extraordinary finish to the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The move – an order from race control – cost the Red Bull driver the victory. Verstappen never quite got close enough again to challenge Hamilton.

It was a remarkable climax to a tense and thrilling strategic battle that bodes well for an epic season between the two men.

Verstappen complained over the radio about being ordered by his team to hand the lead back, but was told they had no choice.

The drivers had been referred by the race director before the race to a rule that says they cannot not leave the track and gain a lasting advantage, and that officials can give them the “opportunity to give back the whole of any advantage gained by leaving the track”.

‘Hardest race for a while’ – what they said

Lewis Hamilton: “Wow. What a difficult race that was. Stopping early we knew would be difficult but we had to cover Max, they have had an amazing performance all weekend. Max was all over me at the end and I was just about able to hold him off. That was one of the hardest races I’ve had for a while.”

Max Verstappen: “It’s a shame but you also have to see the positive. We are really taking the fight to them, and I think that’s great to start the year like that. Overall we managed to score good points.”

Valtteri Bottas: “Disappointing for sure but a good thing for the team we got good points. It feels for me that it was on the defensive side and not attacking. Not ideal and I had a slow pit stop which in the end took away any opportunities.”