Brazilian Grand Prix race day

By: Geoff Creighton

Summary


	Verstappen looked to have the race wrapped up, but acoming together with Ocon's Force India forced the Dutchman to spin, handing Hamiltonthe lead. Despite closing back in on Hamiton, Verstappen has to settle for second
	Raikkonen is third, despite being challenged by Ricciardo late-on in a brilliant drive by both.
	Visit the F1 section of the Autosport website for a full report
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Status: Stopped

20:01 Driver, Team
Hamilton, Mercedes
Verstappen, Red Bull
Raikkonen, Ferrari
Ricciardo, Red Bull
Bottas, Mercedes
Vettel, Ferrari
Leclerc, Sauber
Grosjean, Haas
Magnussen, Haas
Perez, Force India

21:52

21:50 Hamilton: "These guys have worked so hard, the last six years has been an incredible journey with them. Everybody tries to get the best out of themselves and pull together as a unit. It was an honour to drive for them today. We were having issues with the engine, then we got back into contention. I saw it happen, it wasn't surprised by it, I saw them racing, they weren't racing for the same position. Fortunately he was able to get back going."

21:48 Raikkonen: "It was good, not easy, but some battling so it was fun. It was difficult to pass and it took to long to pass. We cannot replay, so you never know."

21:47 Verstappen has done a reasonable job of composing himself: "I don't know what to say - you do everything well, you go through the field, we had a great car - and then by such an idiot you get taken out while he is being lapped. I have no words. The car was working brilliant - the team gave me the right strategy, we did quite a long stint. I'm still happy with second, but we should have won today."

21:43

21:43 "I hope I can't find him now in the paddock," says Verstappen of Ocon. The rest of the message is a VERY long bleep.

21:42 That is a race win that it looked like Mercedes wouldn't get today. In the end it got a helping hand (or perhaps a helping 'thud') from its junior driver Ocon in the Force India.

21:42 Retirements: Hulkenberg, Ericsson

21:42 Outside the points: 11 Hartley; 12 Sainz; 13 Gasly; 14 Vandoorne; 15 Ocon; 16 Alonso; 17 Sirotkin; 18 Stroll

21:41 Result: 1 Hamilton; 2 Verstappen; 3 Raikkonen; 4 Ricciardo; 5 Bottas; 6 Vettel; 7 Leclerc; 8 Grosjean; 9 Magnussen; 10 Perez

21:41 Raikkonen holds off Ricciardo to take third, and Bottas comes home fifth ahead of Vettel in the battle of the two stoppers.

21:41 Verstappen finishes second, and he will surely be understandably furious with Ocon for taking him out when he was leading comfortably.

21:40 Lewis Hamilton hangs on to win the Brazilian Grand Prix!

21:40 Ricciardo is all over the back of Raikkonen, but he can't do anything through the middle sector.

21:40 Ricciardo can't quite get close enough to Raikkonen into Turn 4 - is that the battle for third resolved?

21:39 The last lap begins - Hamilton leads Verstappen by 1.5 seconds.

21:39 Hartley finally moves ahead of Gasly into 11th after a massive Toro Rosso radio row. Gasly slots back in just ahead of the chasing Sainz.

21:39 Alonso passes Sirotkin to take 16th, but will need to establish a 5s gap to keep it given his penalty.

21:38 Hamilton's lead is still 1.6 seconds. He's hanging on at the moment, and crucially keeping Verstappen out of DRS range.

21:38 5.2 seconds covers Hamilton, Verstappen, Raikkonen and Ricciardo with two laps to go.

21:38 Massive Toro Rosso radio angst developing as Gasly refuses to obey a team order to let Hartley past.

21:37 Hamilton says he's got no grip. Three laps to go and he leads by 1.6 seconds from Verstappen. What a finish!

21:37 Alonso is given a 5s penalty for ignoring blue flags.

21:37 Stroll has thrown some new supersofts on and now rejoins half a minute behind Alonso in last place.

21:37 Verstappen didn't lose much lapping those cars. The gap is still 1.5 seconds.

21:36

21:36 Hamilton has just lapped Ocon and Sirotkin, now Verstappen needs to pass them in the middle sector. Will he lose time?

21:36 Stroll comes into the pits from what had become last after Alonso passed him.

21:36 Verstappen closes the gap to Hamilton to 1.5 seconds now. Lap 68/71. This is going to be so tight!

21:35 "Battery is full, and you've got mode seven," Red Bull tells Ricciardo. Mode seven is whatever beans the Renault has left to give, basically.

21:35 Alonso is told his next target is Sirotkin. He asks what position Sirotkin is in. Then sounds underwhelmed when the answer is "16th".

21:35 Ricciardo is now on Raikkonen's case in the battle for third - just 0.5s between the Ferrari and the Red Bull.

21:34 Hamilton says he's losing tyre temperature: "I think they're worn out."

21:34 Gasly reacts with some swearing when Toro Rosso emphasises that he has to let Hartley past for 11th now and then to tuck in ahead of Sainz.

21:34 Verstappen is 2.0s behind Hamilton, and now he needs to pass the backmarkers.

21:33 Hamilton is calling for blue flags as he deals with Alonso and Stroll at the start of lap 66/71.

Brazilian Grand Prix race day

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Brazilian Grand Prix race day

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