Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton ended “the hardest weekend I’ve had” with a stunning victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, and gained momentum in his Formula One title fight with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, beat Verstappen on Sunday (Monday AEDT) despite starting from 10th position on the grid due to a penalty — the second Hamilton faced this weekend in Sao Paulo. The Briton was fastest in Friday qualifying at Interlagos for Saturday’s sprint that set Sunday’s grid, and then demoted to the back of the field after his car’s rear wing failed a technical inspection. He went from 20th to fifth on Saturday, dropping to 10th on Sunday’s grid due to an engine penalty.
Verstappen, the winner of the race’s previous edition in 2019, finished second and saw his lead in the drivers’ championship shrink to 14 points with three races left. The winner of a race gets 25 points.
“Let’s keep pushing,” Hamilton said on the team radio after his sixth victory of the season. He took a Brazil flag to celebrate in the car and on the podium, just as his idol Ayrton Senna did.
Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas finished third and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was fourth, with the Mexican clocking the fastest lap of the race. The Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were fifth and sixth, respectively. Australian Daniel Ricciardo retired his McLaren after a loss of power.
Verstappen led most of the race after the first turn, when he overtook pole-sitter Bottas. But Hamilton, who rose from 10th to third in just six laps, went ahead of Verstappen on lap 59, putting a raucous crowd on their feet at Interlagos.
Lewis Hamilton celebrates victory in Sao Paulo.Credit:Getty
Hamilton finished the race with a 10-second advantage over Verstappen and said he felt like he had won his first race before a joyous crowd.
“I was pushing as hard as I could,” Hamilton said after his 101st victory. “From last on the grid [for Saturday’s sprint race], and then another five-place penalty — I think that’s the hardest weekend I’ve had. Things kept going against us, but it just shows, never give up, keep fighting. Never, ever stop fighting.”
‘Hardest weekend I’ve had’: Hamilton overcomes setbacks to stun Verstappen in Brazil
Source: Philippines Alive
