Hinchcliffe back on track after Iowa win
Less than two months after failing to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, James Hinchcliffe roared from behind to seize one of the more satisfying wins of his IndyCar career.
Hinchcliffe passed Josef Newgarden with just over 40 laps left to win at the Iowa Speedway on Sunday, his first victory of 2018 season and first since Long Beach in 2017.
“This is such a good feeling after what happened in May. We knew we had it in us, and to come here and do it like that, I’m just so stoked,” said Hinchcliffe, who also won in Iowa in 2013.
Spencer Pigot was a career-best second, followed by Takuma Sato in his first podium since a stunning win at the Indy 500 in 2017. Newgarden dominated much of the race, leading 229 of the 300 laps before Hinchcliffe seized control as Newgarden battled lap traffic.
Ed Carpenter threw a curveball at the field when he spun out and got clipped by Sato six laps from the finish, drawing a caution. Newgarden went in for new tires while Hinchcliffe stayed out, with the American hoping to catch Hinchcliffe if the race went green again. It didn’t.
Canadian rookie Robert Wickens, Hinchcliffe’s teammate, finished fifth.
Sebastian Vettel took advantage of a bad start and disastrous first lap for Lewis Hamilton to win the British Grand Prix and extend his lead in the Formula One championship standings on Sunday.
Hamilton started in pole position but Vettel streaked ahead, and his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen compounded Hamilton’s misfortune when he bumped into the British driver, sending his Mercedes off the track and leaving him last.
Hamilton fought his way back to finish second.
Vettel finished 2.264 seconds ahead of Hamilton for his fourth win of the season.
Canada’s Lance Stroll finished 13th.
Vettel, who led Hamilton by one point going into the 10th of 21 races, now leads by eight.