The Daily Telegraph - Sport

Hamilton powers to second but error gifts Verstappen victory

➤ dutchman eases to win after British driver spins off track ➤ champion saves vital points as ‘exciting battle’ lies ahead

- Formula One By Philip Duncan at Imola

Lewis Hamilton said he was only human after his spin in yesterday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix allowed championsh­ip rival Max Verstappen to gallop to victory.

Verstappen roared past pole-sitter Hamilton on the race down to the opening corner, following a brilliant getaway at a rain-hit Imola, and then held his nerve as the chaos unfolded behind him.

After switching to dry rubber, Hamilton was in hot pursuit of Verstappen but on lap 31 of 63, the world champion made an uncharacte­ristic mistake. Lapping George Russell, he slid off the track and into the gravel at the left-handed Tosa corner.

Hamilton managed to reverse out of the sand trap and stop for repairs, fighting back from ninth to second. Lando Norris finished third for Mclaren following the best drive of the Briton’s fledgling career.

Hamilton’s fightback through the pack was aided when the race was red-flagged after Russell and Valtteri Bottas were involved in a huge 190mph crash. After calling Bottas a “f------ p---k” on the radio, Russell marched over to confront the Finn, who gave his rival the “middle finger”. Russell leaned into Bottas’s Mercedes cockpit and slapped him on the helmet.

A 30-minute delay ensued before Verstappen cruised off into the distance, with Hamilton passing five drivers in 21 laps in an impressive display of damage limitation.

“It was very tricky out there but we are only human,” Hamilton said. “It is not the mistakes that define you. You know I don’t make too many mistakes, and while it was gutting to be in that position, I feel these things happen for a reason. I didn’t think I would finish second when I was facing that barrier, but I remember being there and looking at the barrier and I refused to believe the race was over.

“I could have turned the car off and got out, but I was grateful I didn’t. After that, it was trying to switch the anger and turn it into positive energy and race forwards. That is an amazing blessing to be sent.”

In the closing stages Hamilton – who fought his way past Norris with just three laps remaining – recorded the fastest lap, meaning he will head to the third round in Portugal with a single-point advantage over Verstappen.

“Finishing second will be very valuable in the championsh­ip,” Hamilton said. “If I had lost 25 points to Max today it would have been hard to recover, based on the fact Red Bull have an incredibly fast car. They were faster than us this weekend. We have got a close battle, which we love. There are going to be a lot of exciting races up ahead.”

Verstappen should have won in Bahrain three weeks ago, but for an illegal move on Hamilton, while a mistake on his final lap in qualifying on Saturday cost him pole position.

But the Dutchman, 23, delivered a largely faultless display in the inclement conditions to take his 11th career win and first of a season which has started with two classic races.

Following a deluge of rain an hour before the start, the drivers began on wet rubber and it was Verstappen, third on the grid, who executed a perfect getaway.

Racing past Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, he then moved to the

inside of Hamilton at the opening corner with the latter forced to run over the kerbs. Hamilton claimed Verstappen did not leave him enough room, but the stewards looked at the incident and decided an investigat­ion was not necessary.

The championsh­ip is now perfectly poised, with Hamilton and Verstappen’s rivalry set to live up to its pre-season billing.

“Today was very good but it is a very long season so we have to keep working hard,” Verstappen said.

“I am happy with the result today, but tomorrow we start again and we have to keep on improving. Lewis and Mercedes have been so dominant and difficult to beat. To be competitiv­e after two races is promising but there are no guarantees.”

 ??  ?? Britain’s George Russell, furious after colliding with Valtteri Bottas on lap 32, gets out of his car and slaps the Mercedes driver on the helmet. Neither man will be able to return to the race.
Britain’s George Russell, furious after colliding with Valtteri Bottas on lap 32, gets out of his car and slaps the Mercedes driver on the helmet. Neither man will be able to return to the race.
 ??  ?? Bottas, Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate, appears to respond by raising a middle finger to the Williams driver, who had been attempting to overtake the Finn when the accident happened.
Bottas, Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate, appears to respond by raising a middle finger to the Williams driver, who had been attempting to overtake the Finn when the accident happened.
 ??  ?? Russell blows top
Briton ‘slaps’ Bottas and accuses rival of trying to kill him
Russell blows top Briton ‘slaps’ Bottas and accuses rival of trying to kill him
 ??  ?? Russell walks away in disgust. He calls Bottas a “f------ p----” and accuses his rival of trying to kill him following their 200mph crash, but stewards say it was a “racing incident” and no action is taken.
Russell walks away in disgust. He calls Bottas a “f------ p----” and accuses his rival of trying to kill him following their 200mph crash, but stewards say it was a “racing incident” and no action is taken.
 ??  ?? Bold move: Max Verstappen squeezes past Lewis Hamilton at a rain-hit Imola after a great start gave him the chance to beat the Briton to the first corner
Bold move: Max Verstappen squeezes past Lewis Hamilton at a rain-hit Imola after a great start gave him the chance to beat the Briton to the first corner

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