SPIELBERG, Austria- Max Verstappen's hopes of an Austrian Grand Prix hat-trick disappeared on Sunday when the Red Bull driver retired from Formula One's season-opening race at his team's home track.

The Dutch 22-year-old, who won the race in 2018 and 2019, slowed with a technical problem while he was running in second place.

"I keep getting anti-stall," he said over the team radio as he dropped to the back of the field before returning to the pits to become the first retirement of the season after 14 of 71 scheduled laps.

Verstappen got out of the car and strode angrily through the team garage.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis) ((alan.baldwin@thomsonreuters.com; +442075427933;))