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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen passed Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes twice to take a brilliant victory in a gripping Brazilian Grand Prix.
Behind him, the race developed into a dramatic finale as Hamilton collided with Red Bull’s Alexander Albon, and Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly held off the Mercedes for second place as they crossed the line.
Perhaps most dramatic of all was a few laps before the end as Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel collided with team-mate Charles Leclerc causing both to retire, in a move which could have far-reaching consequences.
It was a remarkable end to one of the most incident-packed races in recent memory. “What a race!” Verstappen said, summing it up perfectly. “Loved it.”
Hamilton took the blame for his crash with Albon and may well face a penalty for it.
Verstappen was a deserved winner in a race that he controlled from the start, but Gasly was a star, Hamilton and Mercedes had an unusually difficult race, and yet again there will be a sharp focus on Vettel’s driving and character, as the four-time champion continued his battle for supremacy at Ferrari with his young team-mate.
How a classic unfolded
Verstappen led away from the start, tracked by Hamilton, and Mercedes threw the firs strategy dice with an early stop on lap 20, attempting to use the fresh pace of new tyres to pass the Red Bull.
It looked like it had worked when Verstappen, already touch and go as to whether he would keep the lead when he made his stop on the next lap, was held up by Robert Kubica’s Williams on his way out of the pits, for which Williams were penalised.
That gifted Hamilton the lead, but Verstappen was determined to win it straight back.
Hamilton caught Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on his first lap after his stop and passed him into the final corner, but now Verstappen was right on his tail and, with his battery depleted after his fast lap, Hamilton was defenceless as the Dutchman swept around the outside into Turn One.
That looked to be it, until Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas retired with an engine problem on lap 53, bringing out the safety car.
Hamilton was told do the opposite to Verstappen as they approached the pit entry and when the Red Bull pitted, Hamilton stayed out.
But he immediately doubted the decision, worrying that his used medium tyres would be no match for the virtually new softs on Verstappen’s car.
And when the race restarted on lap 60, with 11 to go, Hamilton was proved right and Verstappen swept past him into the lead – again around the outside of Turn One – despite Hamilton’s best efforts to trick him at the re-start.
That was the battle for the lead done, but it was just the start of a frenetic final 10 laps…
Oh no, what do Ferrari do now?
Hamilton was now struggling at the head of a train of four cars, comprising Albon, who had brilliantly past Vettel at the re-start, Vettel and Leclerc, all on fresher soft tyres.
The tension built, as Vettel first tried and failed to re-pass Albon, and then Leclerc, on the freshest tyres of all, pressured his team-mate.
With five laps to go, Leclerc pulled a stunning move on Vettel into Turn One to take fourth place. But Vettel refused to back off and came back at his team-mate.
Leclerc moved left on the back straight on the run to Turn Four, leaving Vettel just enough room on the outside.
But in scenes reminiscent of his collision with Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber back in Turkey in 2010, Vettel edged across and the cars collided.
The impact immediately broke Leclerc’s front suspension and gave Vettel a rear puncture, and both were forced out of the race.
“What was he doing,” Vettel said over team radio, before perhaps accepting his error and saying: “Sorry.”
“What the hell?” Leclerc screamed.
The incident will surely have repercussions at Ferrari, where team boss Mattia Binotto has struggled to contain his warring drivers all season as Leclerc has threatened Vettel’s seniority in the team.
More to follow
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