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F1 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton wins in Sao Paulo

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Mercedes

F1 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton wins in Sao Paulo

After a disqualification, P10 start and an engine penalty, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton obtained his 101st race win as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen failed to hold the Briton behind.

It was a great start from Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas and Verstappen into the first corner, but the Dutchman squeezed the Finn into turn one. However, McLaren’s Lando Norris suffered a puncture on his left rear tyre after the young Briton made contact with the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz. By turn four, Bottas went wide and opened the door for Red Bull’s Sergio Perez to take P2.

By lap five, Hamilton had climbed up to P3 despite starting P10, after a five place grid penalty. On lap eight, the safety car was deployed as a result of the amount of debris on the circuit; Verstappen (P1), Perez (P2), Hamilton (P3).

The safety car returned to the pit lane at the end of lap 9, but the leading Red Bull waited until the last possible minute before he bolted down the pit straight. However, drama continued on lap 11 as the Haas of Mick Schumacher made contact with the Alfa Romeo of Kimi Raikkonen into the Senna S’ – he lost his front wing immediately after the contact. The VSC was deployed as a result.

The VSC ended on lap 14, which put Perez under pressure as the leading drivers blitzed down the pit straight. Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda was given a 10-second time penalty for making a collision with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.

Hamilton managed to steal second from Perez on lap 18, into the first corner, but the Mexican was able to regain the position into turn four. However, in a similar move a lap later, into T1, the seven-time world champion managed to make the move stick.

On lap 24, Verstappen remained out in front (three-seconds ahead of Hamilton), Hamilton in second and Perez provisionally in the final podium position. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon held the final points position, in P10 – two seconds ahead of his teammate, Fernando Alonso.

Hamilton pitted on lap 26, to change his medium compound tyres for the hard, white-stripped, tyres. He filtered back into the track in P6, behind McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. Verstappen responded to Hamilton’s pit and pitted a lap after the Mercedes no.44. As a result, Hamilton’s undercut allowed the seven-time world champion to steal two seconds from the leading Red Bull as he remained a second and a half behind the no.33 Red Bull.

The VSC was redeployed on lap 30 as Stroll’s front wing deteriorated along the pit straight. As a result, Bottas took a cheap pit stop under the VSC conditions which allowed the Finn to return to the track ahead of Perez, in P3.

Verstappen committed to a two-stop strategy on lap 41 as the Red Bull went into the pit lane, to exchange for a set of fresh hard tyres. However, Williams Nicholas Latifi was released before the Dutchman reached the pit exit. Oddly, Bottas pitted a lap later for a similar strategy (hard tyres for hard tyres) while Hamilton remained out on track.

Hamilton finally pitted on lap 44, for another set of Hard tyres but filtered in two-seconds behind Verstappen, who regained the lead.

Hamilton finally managed to get ahead into the fourth corner, but Verstappen squeezed the seven-time world champion off the track – and went off track himself. However, both managed to return onto back onto the track in the same position they left. No investigation was deemed necessary.

On lap 59, Hamilton was finally able to make a move stick into the fourth corner on the third time of asking. Due to Verstappen’s excessive weaving, the Dutchman was shown the black and white flag for weaving on the second straight.

Perez pitted on lap 70 to swap his used hard tyres for a fresh set of the soft, red-stripped, tyres – in an attempt to obtain the fastest lap. On the final lap, the Mexican Red Bull driver managed to steal it away from Mercedes as Perez put in a 1:11.010 lap.

 

Podium

  1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes (Driver of the day)
  2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
  3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes

 

We hope you enjoyed the article: F1 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton wins in Sao Paulo! What was your favourite moment of the race? Let us know in the comments!

 

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Kamron is currently a third-year student, studying Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland. While he enjoys watching his local teams: Newcastle United and Whitley Warriors, Kamron also enjoys other sports such as Formula One and the NBA.

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