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Lewis Hamilton has won his sixth British Grand Prix, coming out on top against Valtteri Bottas in a frantic race at Silverstone.
The race saw domination from Mercedes, as Red Bull engaged in a fight with Ferrari that saw Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel come together towards the end of the race.
Bottas started the race from pole and held onto the lead on the opening lap, but found himself getting hounded by Hamilton behind.
Hamilton momentarily took the lead on lap four as he switched back on his teammate at Turn 6 before holding it around the outside at Turn 7.
However, Bottas came back at the five-time world champion and got back ahead and into the lead into the Copse corner, and held the top spot until the safety car was called.
Ferrari and Red Bull provide a monumental battle
Following the Mercedes tussle, there was a titanic battle behind between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen for the final spot on the podium.
Verstappen attacked the Monegasque driver on lap 10 towards the end of the lap but lost time in doing so, and invited the second Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel in for a chance to overtake.
Vettel couldn't make the move stick and then found himself behind Pierre Gasly, who got by him at Turn 3 for fifth place. Following his overtake on the German, Red Bull opted to pull Gasly into the pits for the hard tyre.
On the next lap, Leclerc and Verstappen followed in for the medium compound, with Red Bull winning the battle of the pit crews as they got Verstappen ahead of Leclerc.
But Verstappen's position only lasted a couple of corners as he ran wide moments later, which saw Leclerc back through and ahead of the Red Bull.
Hamilton takes the lead under safety car, Vettel and Verstappen clash
Bottas then pitted from the lead on lap 16 while Hamilton and Vettel stayed out, which saw them benefit from a perfectly timed safety car when Giovinazzi wound up in the gravel.
Hamilton pitted from the lead and emerged in front while Vettel came back out in third. Soon, he found himself under pressure from Verstappen, who had been let go by Gasly.
Verstappen swooped around the outside of Vettel at Stowe, but as they approached the final corner, Vettel locked up and hit the rear of Verstappen, sending them both into the gravel.
Vettel came off worse and had to pit for a new front wing, and was handed a ten second time penalty for the incident. Verstappen continued in fifth place, behind teammate Gasly, who picked up his best finish of the season.
Midfield battle sees McLaren triumph
An intensely close midfield battle saw McLaren come out on top as Carlos Sainz recovered from a poor qualifying to cross the line in sixth place.
The Spaniard gained from the safety car that was deployed, while Lando Norris, who was in a battle with Daniel Ricciardo for the best of the rest spot, lost out.
Ricciardo applied the pressure to Sainz towards the end of the Grand Prix but couldn't find his way past the McLaren driver.
Daniil Kvyat crossed the line in ninth place ahead of Nico Hulkenberg, as Alexander Albon dropped back towards the end of the race as he attempted to go to the end of the medium compound.
Grand Prix of Belgium
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Replies (7)
Login to replyf1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
wow what a race
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
That was a good race what I liked. But no disrespect to Hammy, but who cared if he won and Bottas got P2? Yay winning on home soil, but I think it's very telling that most of the camera focus was on anything but the Merc' cars this race again, because the real racing is all down the lane. We have an aggressive Honda powered driver fighting a fierce Ferrari again, and that stuff is amazing. Let the Merc' cars battle it out in their own private race, and give us more RBH vs Ferrari, please! As for Vet vs Max: I kinda leaned towards racing incident, since Vettel was kinda sucked into Max' rear (don't make me ever have to say that sentence again), but I don't think he was unfairly penalized. Oh, also good job from the STRs and Sainz. A real shame Norris was messed up by the strategy, but he did what he could.
abhidbgt
Posts: 283
Amazing race but Bottas coming back at Hamilton in the opening part of race was great racing too. But I agree after that it was all action downstairs. Supreme fighting between Leclerc and Verstappen. Gasly joining in with the move on Sebastian and then being done in by Leclerc's awesome move on the outside. A bit clumsy of Sebastian to not brake earlier or pull to the right a bit earlier. Once you are in the that zone, you are out of air to have grip. A bit reminiscent of Baku, only thing Verstappen didn't move twice here under braking. Norris's race was good and should have been 'best of the rest' if not for that safety car but this was long in coming. Waited ages for a safety car to wreak havoc and wreak havoc it did.
Two consecutive amazing races it's just a bit unbelievable.
As if they don't already have enough issues Haas's drivers are making it even tougher for them.
Don't you think Verstappen's claim of P2 if not for that incident was a bit too much?
Ferrari's race pace is definitely an issue for them.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Indeed. This was what I was hoping and thinking we'd have all of this season, so a bit let down by this year in that regard, but I'm very happy with what we've gotten.
I agree, it was similar to Baku but in Baku both were very involved in the making of that incident, while here Vettel was the clear perpetrator.
As for Haas: one of them has to go. It's an effin tradegy, is what it is. The car, while clearly subpar compared to last year, still likely can do a thing or two if in the right hands, and the drivers just don't cut it. If one does go, I hope it's Grosjean.
As for Max' P2 chances: I'd say P3 at best. P2 was just too far off.
kroketje76
Posts: 20
I think 2nd place for Max wasn't unrealistic. Max was clearly faster than Vettel so I think the gap between Bottas and Max wouldn't have increased and after Bottas' pitstop it would have become a real fight for 2nd..... but now we will never know ;)
Ram Samartha
Posts: 1,172
It was a great race for most of it. The result was good for the British Ham fans mostly who probably partying hard tonight, for the rest of us, yeah, not so fun watching Ham get handed another race that he didn't win on merit.
JuJuHound
Posts: 352
who knows what could happen if not SC; VB & LH would still battle and Toto would lost his black hair colour; the last lap scrap showed LH had more power under his feet