SPIELBERG: Lewis Hamilton secured his first win of the season and the 85th of his career with a perfectly-judged victory from pole position as Mercedes delivered a one-two finish in Sunday’s Styrian Grand Prix.

The six-time world champion bounced back from a disappointing season-opening Austrian Grand Prix on the same Red Bull Ring circuit a week earlier with a consummate display.

His team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who won the curtain-raising race, finished 13.7 seconds adrift in second to deliver a solid Mercedes one-two, their first in Austria since 2015.

Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull, slowed by slight car damage in the final stages, ahead of his team-mate Alex Albon, who defended stoutly to finish fourth.

“It’s great to be back up here and thanks to the team,” said Hamilton. “This feels like it has been a long time coming after a difficult weekend last time.”

Bottas said he had enjoyed his battle with Verstappen. “Starting fourth, this was damage limitation for me,” he said.

Bottas leads the embryonic championship ahead of Hamilton with Lando Norris third.

Norris came home a remarkable fifth for McLaren after passing both Racing Points cars during a thrilling final lap, Sergio Perez taking sixth after starting from 17th on the grid, and Lance Stroll seventh.

Daniel Ricciardo was eighth for Renault, Carlos Sainz clocked fastest lap and finished ninth in the second McLaren and Daniil Kvyat 10th for Alpha Tauri.

Both Ferraris were eliminated after crashing together at Turn Three on the opening lap, Charles Leclerc apologising to four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, who is in his last season with the team, for his ill-judged dive down the inside that resulted in a disaster for the Italian team.

“I am disappointed in myself. I’m sorry but being sorry is not enough,” tweeted Leclerc. “Seb hasn’t got any faults today. I’ve let the team down after them working a whole week to bring the updates early. Too eager to gain those places in the first lap. I will learn from it.”

Sunday’s race was the first time a circuit has hosted two back-to-back rounds in the same championship year, with the original calendar ripped up and rewritten due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Like last Sunday, drivers again wore black T-shirts with End Racism and most took the knee a few moments before the national anthem.

Hamilton got away cleanly while Verstappen did well to hold off Sainz.

Leclerc tried to overtake down the right entering a hairpin bend and ended up riding over the back of Vettel’s car, mangling his rear wing and prompting a safety car to come out for two laps.

Vettel, who finished 10th last week, had to retire while Leclerc came into the pits on Lap 5 and was soon out of the race.

At last season’s penultimate GP in Brazil, both Ferrari cars crashed out. Vettel appeared at fault that time after being overtaken cleanly by Leclerc and trying to regain position. But this time Leclerc was far too hasty and impatient.

Up ahead, Hamilton was coasting and about five seconds clear of Verstappen when the Dutch driver came in for his first tyre change on Lap 25 of 71.

Hamilton came in for fresh tyres soon after and then Bottas a few laps later, meaning that by Lap 38 Verstappen was second again still five seconds adrift of Hamilton.

Verstappen’s front wing was damaged on the right side and, with six laps remaining, his lead over Bottas was under one second.

Bottas overtook Verstappen on the next lap but Verstappen regained his position superbly, only to concede it again moments later as Bottas superior speed proved decisive.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2020