Japanese Grand Prix Sunday
By: Geoff Creighton
Summary
Bottas jumps into the lead before a huge melee at Turn 1, Vettel avoids jump-start penalty | |
Hamilton is chasing down Vettel for second, but can he get close enough to pass? | |
Leclerc and Verstappen drop to back of field after lap one contact. Leclerc fights back into top six, Verstappen retires | |
Albon colides with Norris, Norris pits with brakes on fire |
Status: Stopped
Here's the report of the race, including confirmation of Mercedes's sixth world constructors' championship crown:
Vettel: "The lights were on but it was my mistake (the start). The Mercedes were difficult, they had more pace than us and Valtteri was flying. I just tried to get good exits where [Lewis] was a threat. I'm not happy with the start of the race, but everything else was fine, just lacked a bit of pace."
Bottas: "Yeah, I'm happy, very happy. Starting third is never easy here but there's no point giving up. I had a really nice car and Sebastian had an issue, so it was good to get the lead. Really proud of the team, sixth title in a row is so impressive."
Wolff: "Lewis, this is Toto. Difficult day but we've just won the constructors' championship. Thank you." Hamilton congratulates the team curtly, annoyed he couldn't win today.
Gasly seemed to pitch Perez into the wall at turn 2 there, as Perez attempted to pass around the outside.
Out of the points: 11 Kvyat; 12 Norris; 13 Raikkonen: 14 Grosjean; 15 Giovinazzi; 16 Magnussen; 17 Perez; 18 Russell; 19 Kubica
Result: 1 Bottas; 2 Vettel; 3 Hamilton; 4 Albon; 5 Sainz; 6 Leclerc; 7 Ricciardo; 8 Gasly; 9 Hulkenberg; 10 Stroll
Perez has now cleared Hulkenberg, and Gasly is just a few tenths ahead too. Eighth place is on offer for Racing Point.
Vettel keeps it tidy through the chicane and holds Hamilton off into Turn 1 once more as they begin the final lap.
Two laps to go, Bottas leads by 14s and Vettel is still fending off everything Hamilton can chuck at him.
Perez, having been lapping rather rapidly on fresher tyres, has now bumped Stroll out of the points. He's miles quicker than the cars ahead too.
Hamilton tries a look at the outside of Vettel into Turn 1 as they finally get past Gasly, but the Ferrari hangs on.
Hamilton carries a lot more speed through Spoon as Vettel struggles on his worn tyres, and Vettel locks up into the chicane as they both try to lap Gasly.
As they get to the hairpin, Hamilton is right under Vettel's rear wing but then the Ferrari gets away again on the following straight.
"Can I unlap myself?" Leclerc asks Ferrari as he chases Bottas on track. Mercedes warns Bottas that Leclerc will try to do just that and tells him to "be careful".
Gasly gets passed by Ricciardo into turn 1, and the Australian bags seventh as a result. Hulkenberg is also a lot quicker than Gasly at this juncture...
But Hamilton looks closer now through the middle sector of lap 49 of 53 as they approach a lot of traffic.
Hulkenberg has finally passed Stroll, and Perez is now on his way back into this fight - going 4s faster than Stroll on the last round of laps.
Leclerc does make that suggested pitstop, and should have enough in hand to stay ahead of Gasly and keep sixth.
Both Vettel and Hamilton are catching leader Bottas too, but you get the impression Bottas is pretty chilled at the moment.
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