Lewis back to winning ways

Spielberg – A dominant Lewis Hamilton (below) secured his first win of the season and the 85th of his career with a perfectly-judged victory from pole position as Mercedes reeled off a onetwo finish in yesterday’s Styrian Grand Prix.

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

Team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who won the curtain-raising race, finished 13.7 seconds adrift in second to deliver a first Mercedes one-two in Austria since 2015, with Max Verstappen in third.

“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 Max Verstappen.

“Starting fourth, this was damage limitation for me,” he said.

“I tried, but we are just a bit too slow,” admitted Verstappen.

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

Verstappen was slowed by slight car damage in the final stages, ahead of his team-mate Alex Albon, who finished fourth.

Norris came home a remarkable fifth for McLaren after passing both of Racing Point’s pink Mercedes cars during a thrilling final lap, with 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 first lap. Charles Leclerc apologised to team-mate Sebastian Vettel, for his ill-judged dive down the inside that resulted in a disaster for the struggling Italian team.