Hockenheim, July 22: Sebastian Vettel's seemingly comfortable stroll to victory at the German Grand Prix ended in disaster on Sunday (July 22) as he crashed out, handing Lewis Hamilton the win and the championship lead.
The Ferrari driver had seized pole on Saturday (July 21) after posting a new lap record in qualifying, with his day boosted further as Hamilton suffered with a hydraulic problem, however it turned sour for Vettel 24 hours later.
BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton WINS a crazy #GermanGP 🇩🇪 He retakes the championship lead 👊 pic.twitter.com/fHiceiyIQ1
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 22, 2018
Hamilton began Sunday's race in 14th but made swift work of getting himself into the points, his Mercedes slicing through the field with ease in the early stages.
At the front, Vettel had beaten Valtteri Bottas to the first corner and began to open up a nice cushion to collect maximum points and extend his championship lead.
A brief rain shower caused chaos late on, though, as Vettel – who had just been let through by team-mate Kimi Raikkonen – went crashing out.
Vettel cautiously made his way towards Hockenheim's hairpin due to the earlier rain but as he looked to turn in his Ferrari had other ideas, the SF71H careering into the barriers and ending his hopes.
YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!! YES!!!!! @LewisHamilton wins a CRAZY #GermanGP, @ValtteriBottas makes it a 1-2 finish!! Unbelievable!!! #F1 pic.twitter.com/29mov7qX3G
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) July 22, 2018
That left Hamilton to take the race win, Raikkonen and Bottas having both pitted under safety car conditions following Vettel's accident.
A brief drag race between the Mercedes pair threatened more drama but it was soon ended by team management, allowing Hamilton to retake the lead in the drivers' standings.
Hamilton’s victory came just three days after Mercedes had announced he had agreed a blockbuster two-year contract extension with the team and leapfrogged him 17 points ahead of Vettel in the championship.
His team-mate Valtteri Bottas came home second, 4.5 seconds behind the Englishman, ahead of fellow-Finn Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari to deliver Mercedes a™ first one-two finish at a German Grand Prix.
The clouds threatened to rain on his parade
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 22, 2018
But there was a silver lining for @LewisHamilton in Germany 🏆#GermanGP 🇩🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/TFIxZNzPCI
It was Hamilton’€™s fourth win this year and the 66th of his career, the triumph lifting him to the top of the drivers’€™ title race and putting Mercedes back on top of the constructors’€™ championship.
Dutchman Max Verstappen finished fourth for Red Bull ahead of German Nico Hulkenberg of Renault, Romain Grosjean of Haas, Sergio Perez and his Force India team-mate Esteban Ocon. Marcus Ericsson was ninth for Sauber and New Zealander Brendon Hartley 10th for Toro Rosso.
(Source: Opta & agencies)