Mercedes’ sudden turn in qualifying had to pay off in the first corners after the long road, but that was further than Max Verstappen.
Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton built a wall, but World Cup leader Max Verstappen went like a comet and found a running hole.
Verstappen immediately knocked out both competitors, with a surprised Bottas canceling his lead role in the spin.
A safety car intrusion after cutting into the tail of the suit could have given Hamilton a second chance on paper, but Verstappen was mature and superior.
Trapped in a Red Bull sandwich, Hamilton quickly succumbed to Holland’s mastery and was primarily interested in Sergio Perez’s hot breath.
Red Bull played with the Mexican driver’s excellent tire management, but in a monotonous race everything remained frozen for too long despite a slight thaw.
In the end Hamilton looked like he was collapsing under the pressure of the water carrier, but Perez’s last attack didn’t peak and nothing changed in the clicking order.
As a result, Verstappen, Hamilton and Perez are no longer erased: the Dutchman again leads by 7 points over his World Cup rival, and is good with a total of 19 additional units.
Max Verstappen analyzed his flawless start “We went all three into the first corner and I wanted to brake as late as possible. I kept my car on the track and that was the defining moment.”
“After this maneuver, I’ve been able to focus on myself and do my own thing. Whether I’m thinking about the world title? Still a long way to go, right. Sounds good, but it can change quickly.”
Lewis Hamilton congratulated the World Cup captain and was very candid: “Red Bull was faster and we couldn’t help it. I gave it all and it was another great fight with Sergio (Perez). I enjoyed it.”
Crazy Mexicans hailed jockey Perez as a hero. “What a great day,” he laughed after taking third place. “I was driving with my heart for these fans, but second place just wasn’t there.”
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