The Mexican sped across the line with a 4.463sec advantage over Monégasque Leclerc who started the race in pole position following a superb performance in the shootout.

Pérez's team-mate Max Verstappen claimed third place, 0.602sec off Leclerc, despite having a hole ripped out of the side of his car in the first lap.

The Dutchman was furious with British culprit George Russell of Mercedes after the race, reportedly going as far as to call him a "dickhead".

"Ah no, it’s not clarified, I just don't understand why you need to take so much risk in lap one, understeer into my sidepod, create a hole," Verstappen said.

"We all have cold tyres, it's easy to lock up.

"His beautiful way of explaining 'ah mate, you know locked up, ah look at the on board'.

"It doesn't make sense."

Russell, who finished fourth, refused to accept he had been at fault, saying that since the age of eight in karting, if you're on the inside of a corner, at the apex, it's your corner.

He added that if a driver tries to hold on the outside, "that's the risk you are taking."

The result extends Red Bull's lead in the Constructors' Championship standings as the British-based team now sit on 137 points.

Aston Martin follow behind with 69 points as they saw a small increase to their points tally as both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finished in the scoring positions today in sixth and eighth, respectively.

Leclerc, who has taken two pole positions in two days in the Azeri capital, feared he would struggle to fend off the Red Bulls who have proven themselves to be unmatched in a straight line.

The race got off to a roaring start with numerous close calls and plenty of jostling as drivers attempted to avoid one another as well as the walls.

By lap two, however, it quickly simmered down after AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda made contact with the barriers at turn 15 and ripped his tyre straight off.

The virtual safety car was then deployed for five laps before a full safety car as the debris was cleared away.

Upon the restart, Pérez locked his sights onto Leclerc.

The Ferrari managed to hold him off until the very first turn of lap eight after Pérez utilised his DRS down the long home straight to pip him on the inside.

Perez's win closed his deficit in the Drivers' Championship to Verstappen to 13 points.

The main event is set to take place tomorrow at 3pm local time with Leclerc starting at the front once again.

His seven-point haul from the sprint was more than he has earned in the first three races altogether, with six.