Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg collide on first lap, both out of race

Hamilton attempted to overtake his Mercedes team-mate but was forced on to the grass, spun and collected Rosberg as the pair skidded on to the gravel.

Hamilton qualified on pole position, but lost the lead on the opening straight.

Stewards will investigate the incident after the race.

The crash ends Rosberg's run of six consecutive wins, and is sure to intensify the simmering rivalry between F1's two leading drivers.

Mercedes' non-executive chairman Niki Lauda blamed Hamilton for the incident, saying: "Lewis was too aggressive. For both to be out after two corners is completely unacceptable"

Effectively, this is good news for Rosberg, even though it brings to an end his fine form. The German maintains his 43-point lead over Hamilton (100 compared with 57) after five races and also brings to an abrupt halt the Briton's improved showings. Hamilton had been feeling positive about his pole position in Spain and a win could have given him some much-needed impetus in his attempts to catch his Mercedes team-mate. As it stands it is simply another race down as Rosberg seeks to take Hamilton's title.

Of course, the crash means that the other teams can grab some much-needed points, but on the showings so far this season, that will not overly worry Mercedes, who are once again the dominant team. With 400 points still at stake, there is a long way to go, but if Rosberg can maintain his speed and reliability, the title is his to lose.