Max Verstappen took full advantage of his rivals' calamities on Sunday to win an epic, rain-lashed and wildly-spectacular German Grand Prix for Red Bull ahead of Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari.

The 21-year-old Dutchman secured his second win of the season and seventh of his career, finishing ahead of four-time world champion Vettel, who had started 20th and last on the grid.

"It was amazing, but really tricky out there," said Verstappen, who made four pit-stops and survived a complete 360-degrees spin.

"To make the right calls, you had to be focussed. We put on the slick tyres and we had a 360! But it was alright."

New dad Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso was third as the 25-year-old Russian secured only his third Formula One podium.

'It was karma': Mercedes boss rages after flop

The race was a disaster for champions Mercedes who were celebrating their 200th F1 start of the modern era and 125 years of motorsport.

Both defending five-time champion Lewis Hamilton and his teammate Valtteri Bottas crashed and failed to score any points.

Hamilton eventually finished 11th after six pit stops but was then promoted to ninth following 30-second penalties for Alfa Romeo drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi.

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff was critical of his team's preparations and reactions after both drivers Hamilton and Bottas crashed out of contention on Sunday.

The Austrian team boss seemed frustrated and angry that the team was distracted from their jobs by a need to dress in old overalls and flat caps.

"Many drivers crashed," said Wolff. "Overall, for us, it was a bad day and, for the drivers, it was a bad day, it cannot go much worse.

"This shows that you shouldn't fool around with the staff. You should concentrate on the job. We are not superstitious, but we believe in karma and it's a day to learn."

He added: "I think we had a decent start with good pace. Then you had incidents, crashing out in tricky conditions, the wrong calls."

Hamilton, speaking before being promoted in the standings, said: "It was my worst day in the office for a long, long time. You live and you learn. I don't know what happened today, but I'm glad it's over and there are more races ahead so we can focus on regrouping and coming back strong."

He accepted his share of the blame for the team's worst result since Hamilton and Nico Rosberg collided on the first lap of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, when Verstappen won on his debut with Red Bull.

"Me hitting the wall not helpful and them putting on the slick tires not helpful either," he said.

Angry Leclerc blasts 'unacceptable' Hockenheim track

Ferrari's Monegasque racer Charles Leclerc said that the low-grip asphalt used on the outside of the final corners, where he crashed out during the F1 German GP, was "unacceptable".

Leclerc had started 10th and climbed into the top six, admitted he was "completely at fault" for his accident as he prepared to take the lead of the chaotic rain-hit race.

"I'm disappointed with myself," he said. "It wasn't a huge mistake. It's a small mistake and I've done a lot bigger mistakes during the season.

"It doesn't make anything better for my mistake, but, first of all, I think the asphalt in the last two corners -- it's just unacceptable that we have that on an F1 track when it's wet.

"We can't have so much low-grip. We've seen other drivers too, maybe I was the only one on slicks, but I was at 60kph and had absolutely no grip. There's something there.

"It's like a dragster track and once you go on it, it's just very, very dangerous.

"But overall that does not forgive my mistake. I'm completely at fault today and it's a huge shame. I'm very sorry for the fans and the team."