SIX APPEAL Hammy reels ’em in but can’t catch Max
LEWIS HAMILTON went from hunted to hunter as he stormed to second place in a chaotic and thrilling Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
In the season opener in Bahrain Hamilton had to use all his experience to hold off a hard-charging Max Verstappen to claim victory.
At Imola it was Verstappen on the top step after a blunder by Hamilton left him having to pass SIX cars just to finish 22 seconds behind the Dutchman.
The rare blunder in damp conditions appeared to have wrecked Hamilton’s chances but somehow he hauled his Mercedes out of the gravel trap.
When given a second chance, thanks to a spectacular shunt involving teammate Valtteri Bottas and the Williams of George Russell, he did not disappoint.
But he was nowhere near as lucky as Bottas and Russell as they both walked away from their near-200mph collision.
The blame game was immediate, Russell calling Bottas a “f ****** p***k” on the radio before marching over to confront his winded rival.
What appeared to be a middle-finger salute from Bottas was returned with interest, Russell leaning into his cockpit and slapping him on the helmet.
The incident saw the race red-flagged for 30 minutes with Hamilton (inset) restarting in ninth but, crucially, able to unlap himself. And so began a charge through the field which saw him pass those six cars, Lando Norris the last to fall as the Mclaren man was relegated to third with three laps remaining.
Verstappen saved his best moment for the start of a race affected by a huge deluge an hour before lights out.
Executing the perfect getaway from third, he breezed past Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez before outmuscling polesitter Hamilton – who lost a piece of his front wing in the melee – to go in front.
The safety car was then deployed when Nicholas
Latifi smashed his Williams into the wall. Moments later,
Mick Schumacher crashed, this time on the pit straight.
The racing resumed on lap seven and Verstappen quickly established a fivesecond lead over Hamilton.
By the time of the first stops the Brit had got the gap down to two seconds, although a slow tyre change ensured Verstappen retained the lead. After that all hell broke loose, Hamilton setting things in motion by sliding off the track. Then Russell, trying to pass Bottas on the run down to the opening chicane, stuck a wheel on the grass as the Finn appeared to edge across the track. The outcome saw the Williams sideswipe the Mercedes into the wall, both cars firing shards of carbon fibre across the track before coming to a halt in the gravel.
As the drivers waited in the pits, Hamiton had his head in his hands as he contemplated the consequences of his lapse in concentration. But by the time the chequered flag was waved, the seven-time world champion could reflect on a magnificent recovery drive which – thanks to a bonus point for setting the fastest lap – keeps him ahead of Verstappen by a point.
■ THE Miami Grand Prix will join the F1 calendar from next season. A new track will be built at the Hard Rock Stadium – home of the Miami Dolphins NFL team.