Race by race
Russia
1 Hamilton 2 Bottas 3 Leclerc
Vettel takes the lead from Leclerc at the start thanks to a deal for the Ferraris to tow each other, then refuses to give it back. An undercut gets Leclerc back ahead but Vettel’s MGU-K fails. Hamilton stops under the resulting VSC and holds the lead, while Leclerc stops for softs and drops behind Bottas.
Japan
1 Bottas 2 Vettel 3 Hamilton
Ferrari’s race unravels when polesitter Vettel moves before the start then gets a bad getaway, and second-placed Leclerc understeers into Verstappen at Turn 2. Bottas’s lightning start gives him a lead he never loses, with Vettel hanging onto second after Mercedes decides against a one-stopper for Hamilton.
Mexico
1 Hamilton 2 Vettel 3 Bottas
Verstappen is fastest in qualifying but loses pole to a three-place grid penalty for not backing off under yellow flags covering Bottas’s crash. Hamilton survives a clash with Verstappen and an off-track moment to win after executing a one-stop strategy to perfection ahead of Vettel and Bottas.
United States
1 Bottas 2 Hamilton 3 Verstappen Bottas leads from pole chased by Verstappen, while Hamilton passes both Ferraris on the first lap to run third. Bottas, on a two-stopper, loses the lead as Hamilton one-stops but is able to chase down and pass his team-mate. Hamilton holds off Verstappen to take second place, with Leclerc a distant fourth.
Brazil
1 Verstappen 2 Gasly 3 Sainz Verstappen leads from pole but has to repass Hamilton twice because of an undercut pass, then a stop for tyres under the safety car. Hamilton pits under the second safety car, then hits Albon while challenging for second, finishing third just behind Gasly. A time penalty promotes Sainz to third and drops Hamilton to seventh.
Abu Dhabi
1 Hamilton 2 Verstappen 3 Leclerc Hamilton dominates from pole position, taking a rare grand slam by leading throughout and setting fastest lap. Verstappen beats Leclerc to third in the world championship despite losing second place to the Ferrari driver on the opening lap, repassing him in the second stint while struggling with power delivery.