SAO PAULO: George Russell powered to his maiden Grand Prix victory forward of team-mate Lewis Hamilton on Sunday as Mercedes ended their barren run with a triumphant one-two on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The 24-year-old English driving force resisted the force from compatriot Hamilton to complete 1.529 seconds transparent of the seven-time champion.
“That is only the start,” stated an elated Russell after successful in his 81st Grand Prix. Hamilton, winner of a file 103 Grands Prix, added to Mercedes pleasure after a irritating season. “Congratulations to the crew and thanks – that is an ideal end result,” he stated. Carlos Sainz completed 3rd for Ferrari forward of team-mate Charles Leclerc with two-time champion Fernando Alonso coming house 5th for Alpine.
Two-time champion Max Verstappen was once 6th for Pink Bull after pitting following a 7th lap collision with Hamilton, for which he was once penalized, and charging in the course of the box. Sergio Perez was once 7th in the second one Pink Bull forward of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo and Lance Walk of Aston Martin. “What an ideal feeling,” added an emotional Russell after hiking from his automotive. “An enormous thanks to the crew to make this occur. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster.” “Lewis put me underneath such a lot force.”
It was once Mercedes first win of the season and got here in a scorching and frantic race that started on a sizzling afternoon, with a monitor temperature of 51 levels Celsius. The race started in impressive taste. Russell, who had taken the pole for the principle race by way of successful Saturday’s dash, creating a near-perfect get started, adopted by way of Hamilton. At the back of them, on lap one, Daniel Ricciardo and Kevin Magnussen collided when the Australian’s McLaren clipped the Dane’s Haas and spun him earlier than hitting him once more.
A Protection Automotive got here out. The luckless Magnussen, Friday’s hero after securing his maiden pole aheasd of the dash, radioed in. “Sorry, guys,” he stated. “I’m out. I were given an enormous push.” The race resumed on lap seven with any other explosion of drama as Russell sped up transparent forward of 2 collisions – Verstappen and Hamilton making touch at Flip One, the place the Dutchman suffered a broken entrance wing, and Leclerc warding off the wall at Flip Six after clashing with Norris. Verstappen and Leclerc each pitted. Pink Bull changed Verstappen’s entrance wing in handiest 10 seconds earlier than the champion re-joined seventeenth handiest to be told that he had a five-second penalty for inflicting the collision.
‘Closed the door’
“The place did they be expecting me to head?” a defiant Verstappen instructed his crew, echoing his combat with Hamilton in 2021. “He simply closed the door on me, nevertheless it doesn’t subject.” Norris was once additionally passed a five-second penalty. Hamilton, having fallen to 8th after his off-circuit restoration, battled again to fourth by way of lap 16 as the competition settled down. Sainz was once the primary of the leaders to prevent, switching tires, as Hamilton inherited 3rd. The Spaniard’s proper rear billowed with smoke as Ferrari fought to retrieve a tear-off from a brake duct.
Through lap 25, Verstappen was once twelfth earlier than pitting once more, serving his five-second penalty as Perez and Russell additionally got here in. This blur of pit lane motion left Hamilton main forward of Russell and Vettel, who pitted on lap 27. Hamilton stayed out till lap 30, and re-joined fourth, emerging to 3rd when the Spaniard pitted once more on lap 37. Roared on by way of his ‘house’ fanatics, Hamilton stuck and handed Perez for moment on lap 45 earlier than pitting on lap 49. Russell adopted him in and retained his lead, however Sainz took moment.
Hamilton right away reduce two seconds out of Sainz’s benefit earlier than Norris misplaced energy and idled to a halt and a Digital Protection Automotive (VSC) was once deployed. Sainz took his likelihood and pitted for comfortable tires, leaving the 2 Mercedes forward of Perez earlier than a complete Protection Automotive was once signaled, decreasing Russell’s 11-second cushion. “So, are we racing?” Russell requested as his team-mate rose to moment putting in a possible victory duel between the ‘silver arrows’. “Sure, you’re racing. Simply be respectful,” got here the pit-wall answer. – AFP