RACE START: Red flag drama in Monaco as Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri bang wheels, Sergio Perez and Haas drivers come to blows and the Alpines collide

It was an extremely dramatic start to Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix, with red flags flying after just a few seconds due to multiple incidents at the front and rear of the peloton.

While pole sitter Charles Leclerc got away cleanly and crossed Sainte Dévote, it was at the first corner that Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz collided side by side and bumped wheels.

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Sainz suffered a front left puncture after scraping against the ground at Piastri, meaning he stopped on the way out of Massenet, just as another multi-car crash occurred during of the climb to Beau Rivage.

Attempting to make a move on Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen hit the back of the Red Bull, sending them both into the wall at high speed, and also leaving the other Haas of Nico Hulkenberg with nowhere to go.

Replays then showed even more drama as Esteban Ocon attempted to force his way past Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly at Portier, with the former flying away briefly and the latter expressing fury at the lunge on the radio.

With debris littered all over the track and barriers in need of repair, race control issued a red flag and brought the remaining cars back to the pits, where they will be free to conduct a changing tires.

Click Go on the video player above to relive the start of the race in Monaco.