Valtteri Bottas wins dramatic Austrian Grand Prix as Formula One season finally gets underway

Valtteri Bottas celebrates after winning the Austrian Grand Prix.

Formula One drivers including Lewis Hamilton, centre, and Sebastian Vettel, right, take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. Reuters

Lewis Hamilton wears a Black Lives Matter t-shirt ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. Reuters

Lance Stroll and Nicholas Latifi kneel on the grid ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. Reuters

Formula One drivers including Lewis Hamilton, centre, and Sebastian Vettel, right, take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.

The Austrian Gran Prix grid before the race.

Parachutists are seen before the Austrian Grand Prix.

Aeroplanes fly over the track before the start of the Austrian Grand Prix.

Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas leads Red Bull's Max Verstappen during the first lap of the race.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in action during the race.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen in action during the race.

Haas' Kevin Magnussen in action during the race.

McLaren's Lando Norris in action during the race.

Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas leads teammate Lewis Hamilton during the race.

Red Bull's Alexander Albon in action during the race.

Kimi Raikkonen's Alfa Romeo is removed from the track.

Valtteri Bottas celebrates after winning the Austrian Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas stands on the top step of the podium alongside runner-up Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, left, and third placed McLaren's Lando Norris.

Formula One made its delayed start to the season on Sunday and in dramatic style, too, as Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas won the Austrian Grand Prix.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was second in an action-packed race, which started after 14 of the 20 drivers took a knee on the grid in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Lando Norris, in a McLaren, secured a first-ever podium finish in third, ahead of world champion and fellow Briton Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes.

Hamilton received a three-place grid penalty at the start and then a five-second penalty in the race.

"Lewis was really quick today but I managed to keep it together. No better way to start the season," said Bottas of a race held behind closed doors.

Leclerc, one of six drivers who opted not to take a knee on the grid, had started in seventh place.

"It's a huge surprise, but a good one. I think we did everything perfect today - we had a bit of luck, but it's part of the race too. That was the goal, to take every opportunity," he said.

Norris was overjoyed at his finish, coming on the back of a fourth best time in qualifying.

"I'm speechless. There were a few points where I thought I'd fudged it up a bit... but I managed to get past Perez and end up on the podium!

"I'm so happy and so proud of the team."