Formula 1: Hamilton wins in Brazil after all-time great drive
Mercedes driver storms home from 10th on grid, with title rival Verstappen second
Sao Paulo: Lewis Hamilton won the Brazil Grand Prix on Sunday in one of his all-time great drives from 10th on the grid with championship leader Max Verstappen second.
With three races of the season remaining, Hamilton cut his Dutch rival’s lead to 14 points.
The Mercedes seven-time world champion’s teammate Valtteri Bottas, who started on pole, took third.
With his car fitted with a new engine, Hamilton produced a peerless drive to overcome penalty points after his car was judged to have breached technical rules on Friday.
That saw him demoted from pole to last in Saturday’s sprint race where he took fifth to leave him 10th in Sunday’s Interlagos grid after another penalty for what Mercedes hoped would be their trump card now under the bonnet.
“What a race. The team did a great job, Valtteri did a great job. With the penalties, it’s the hardest race weekend I’ve had,” said Hamilton.
Bottas managed to hold Verstappen, starting alongside him on the second row, at the first bend but the Red Bull driver took the lead shortly after.
Hamilton was picking off the cars ahead of him with ominous ease and after both had pitted twice Hamilton surged past Verstappen on lap 59 to seal the race and revive his bid for a record eighth drivers’ title.
Qatar stages the next chapter of 2021’s gripping title battle next Sunday.